A major reason for the mess and mediocrity that define so many Arab, Asian and African countries is their unnatural birth at the hands of retreating European colonial midwives. Because they were manufactured by European occupiers, many countries in the Middle East have enjoyed neither the logic of a sensible balance among natural and human resources, nor the compensatory vitality that comes from self-determinant and truly sovereign states. Made-in-Europe cars and shoes are wonderful; made-in-Europe Arab states are unnatural and embarrassing.

The Arab world remains ignominiously the world's only collectively, structurally and chronically undemocratic region in large part because it experienced an unnatural birth, and could be maintained in its current format only through the pacifying force of hard security states. Not surprisingly, the former European colonial powers continue to sustain and benefit from the bizarre Arab order of turbulent, often violent, and sometimes vicious, statehood they left behind when they fled our shores. 

The Italian-Libyan agreement is fascinating for what it reveals about a belated acknowledgment in at least one European country - always elegant Italy - that colonialism damaged and retarded the native land and its people. This is a noteworthy and noble act, for which the Italians and their government are to be congratulated. It takes courage and humility to undertake such an agreement, admitting, as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi did, "complete and moral acknowledgement of the damage inflicted on Libya by Italy during the colonial era." 

Berlusconi continued: "In the name of the Italian people ... I feel the duty to apologize and show our pain for what happened many years ago and which affected many of your families."

Among the things Italy regrets were its killing thousands of Libyans and uprooting thousands of others from their homes. Italy will spend $5 billion to help compensate for its historical misdeeds, in the form of $200 million of investments per year in Libya over 25 years, including building a highway across Libya from the Tunisian border to Egypt. Italy will also clear mines dating back to the colonial era, and has already returned an ancient statue of Venus stolen during colonial rule. 

While Italy should be commended for this acknowledgment and apology, at the same time troubling dimensions to this agreement deserve wider scrutiny. In return for its gesture, Italy expects to reap great rewards, in the form of multi-billion dollar contracts and tighter security controls over flows of illegal immigrants. It will continue benefit from an unequal historical association with the land and people it once directly colonized. 

Equally troubling, such agreements help to maintain in power leaders like Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, who next year celebrates 40 years in power, with very little to show for it other than a legacy of intensely erratic and wasteful governance matched only by its longevity. If there were a prize for modern Arab mismanaged statehood and squandered wealth, Libya would win it hands down, with close competition from countries like Algeria, Sudan and Iraq.