I might be off the mark in certain cases, but as a fellow educator, and working at a school where I see the level and mind-set of some of the top western management, who are employed to 'bring the locals out of the stone-age' it amazes me that they are paid the salaries that they are getting!
Most of the ideas and practices are so impractical and unrealistic, yet they are seen as the 'educated' ones with all the experience that others don't possess. I once heard a comment made in a staff-room, which comes to mind right now... That most western expats are here for three reasons, 1 - the money, 2 - because they really want to experience something different, and 3 - because they weren't good enough to hack it back in their home countries!
My problem is not with western expats, but with the system that idolizes individuals coming from western nations that are the most without a doubt the birthplaces for immorality and ignorance!
Go to England, and try to find someone who can really speak proper english... go to the US and i'm sure it will be hard to find someone who doesn't think that he's on a trip to save the world... That goes for many other countries that are supposedly so better educated than the rest.
The topic started with one David pointing out that he was sick of the Nationalism that happens here in the ME. however... the west is no better.... what gets me is that idiots running the places always believe that some person with an colonialist accent, deserves a higher salary!