There is so much whining in this article that it makes it annoying to read, even if it is true that the Arab world (and the Muslim world) has been in trouble since 1979 and the author is unlucky to be born in that place and time.
1979? Try 1919. As long as we don't have a constructive way of separating ethno-religious identities, illiberalism and the wars and crimes in the region and unless there is a way to have it "both ways", the abolition of the Mandate Treaty, there will be trouble.
At this point, its a question of containing the trouble or getting everyone together for an end to the trouble. The neocons might of had good ideas, but as long as they can't come to a strong convincing Middle East strategy that gets the broadest coalition on board for the largest plan possible, containment and hoping that over the decades (if not centuries) that there is some sort of cultural change in the Arab (and to less extent Persian and Turk world) world and the Islamic world that allows a path towards stability.