I think the Middle East will remain important because of where the final battle will be fought and where New Jerusalem will be establishedI was dwelling on Meggido, not thinking about from that angle.
And thinking about that angle, we could be getting pretty close* or not. Like most everyone who has studied the matter I've come up with what is concluded to be a window, in my case a window of approximately forty years, that we'll be entering into within a decade. At least that's what I think until I learn more that makes me change my mind.
* My life time (close).