The correct answer is D) they have been beset by sectarian violence.
The other options of the question were A) they have been at war with their former colonial powers. B) the democratic governments rely on oil revenue. C) dictators have had problems transitioning to democracy
Many Middle Eastern nations had difficulty achieving unity since winning independence because they have been beset by sectarian violence.
That is exactly the case of Iraq, for instance. Once the Bush administration ordered the invasión of Iraq to capture leader Sadam Hussein, Iraq started a violent period where all the sects in the country started to confront each other and attached the US troops stationed in Bagdhad. Historians understood then, that the presence of a true dictator such as Hussein served to maintain the order in the nation, although through questionable methods.
