Suggests ten themes for a course on the Middle East. The themes are that the Middle East: (1) is a western concept; (2) contains diverse cultures; (3) has seen the rise and fall of many civilizations; (4) has been the crossroads of many empires; (5) is not all "oil rich"; (6) is the scene of political conflict; (7) consists primarily of new political units; (8) is becoming less traditional; (9) is the scene of class conflict; and (10) is not an isolated, inaccessible region. (Author/DB)