Download EU - America - Middle East. - Studious-Catz

Why do we see the Middle East as a problem?
National economies throughout the Middle East struggled in the 19th and 20th centuries to develop their natural and human resources,
to modernize their societies, and to raise their standards of living. They have made significant, hard-won progress on many fronts (like
broad-based education), and some countries are blessed with abundant natural resources (oil, natural gas, phosphates, and other
minerals, for example). In general, however, Middle Eastern economies have faced significant obstacles to successful development.
One major obstacle has been Western efforts to control the region's resources. Other challenges include rapidly increasing populations,
uneven distribution of resources like water and oil, protracted armed conflicts and the resultant high military spending, rapid
urbanization, and incorporation into a global economy.
1.
How has the Middle East tried to deal with these challenges? Explain in full detail and sentences.
Capitulations lead to European influence
In 1526, Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (known as the "Lawgiver" to the Ottomans) granted the first of what came to be called the
"capitulations" to the French. The agreements gave France, and later other European powers, the right to trade within the Ottoman
Empire without paying taxes and other economic concessions -- a sort of pre-modern free-trade agreement.
2.
3.
What is the reality or the reason for the capitulation agreement to the French? Your opinion?
How did the capitulation lead to European influence? Explain.
A painting of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, who ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1520 until his death in 1566
The Ottomans granted the capitulations from a position of strength. They were eager to encourage imports to supply their population
with goods and could afford to do so without heavy import duties. The Europeans wanted markets in which to sell their exports. In the
beginning, it was a win-win situation.
Three hundred years later, however, the capitulations gave Europeans an enormous advantage over local merchants in the Ottoman
market. Not only were Europeans (and any local protégés they hired, especially local Christians) still exempt from taxation, but they
were also now mass-producing cheap manufactured goods that were displacing local products. The Ottomans no longer had the
political power to rescind the capitulations which had helped the European powers gain control over the economy of the Empire, and
thus control over its political and economic decisions.
4.
Why would the capitulations give Europe an enormous advantage over local merchants in the Ottoman market? Please
explain.
Borrowing and bankruptcy
As Egypt and the Ottoman Empire watched themselves fall behind Europe's military power, they tried to copy Europe's sources of
strength. They began to borrow heavily from European banks, on bad terms, in order to finance the modernization of their armies,
social institutions, infrastructure, and industry. The Ottomans took out the first major loan in 1854 at the outset of the
on Crimean War – short version) After watching this movie please write 5
historical points made in this movie.
Crimean War. 5. (Video
As time went on, expensive efforts at reform continued, and the Ottomans were unable to repay the loans on schedule. When they
declared bankruptcy in 1875, the Western powers took direct control over parts of the economy.
A similar situation had developed in Egypt. Enormous efforts had been made to modernize the military and infrastructure and to begin
industrialization throughout the 19th century.
Opened in 1869, Egypt's 100-mile-long Suez Canal connects the Red Sea with the eastern Mediterranean.
Egypt had two advantages: First, the American Civil War meant that cotton from the South was no longer available on the world market.
Cotton prices rose, and Egyptian cotton became an extremely valuable export. Second, the Suez Canal opened in 1869. (short video
on the canal)
Despite the potential represented by these developments, Egypt's expensive reform program, lavish royal spending, and European
pressure led to bankruptcy. Partly to ensure economic stability and repayment of debt, and partly to squelch a nationalist uprising,
Britain colonized the country in 1882.
6.
Why would Britain want to colonize Egypt? Please explain.
British soldiers in formation before the ancient Sphinx and pyramids on Egypt's Giza Plateau, c. 1893
Economic challenges of independence
Local forces resisted the imposition of European colonial rule across the Middle East. Even as Britain and France carved up what was
left of the
7. Ottoman Empire between themselves after World War I, pressure was growing for them to leave and allow the states of the Middle
East to govern themselves. (Short video on the Ottoman Empire ) After watching this movie please write 5
historical points made in this movie.
The process of achieving independence was uneven: Egypt, for example, achieved nominal independence from Britain in 1922, but
Britain retained enormous influence until the Free Officers' Coup under Gamal Abd al-Nasser deposed King Faruq in 1952. Syria
achieved independence from France in 1946, while Britain unilaterally left Palestine in 1948, leading to the creation of a political division
between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Nationalist regimes that came to power upon independence from the Western mandates tended to maintain significant control over their
economies. Using a socialist economic model, countries like Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, and Syria wished to pool national resources and
spend them centrally to spur economic development.
One common strategy in the 1960s was import-substituting industrialization (ISI).** This was an attempt to build local
industries that would create jobs, use local resources, and allow countries to stop importing Western goods. Governments
raised trade barriers and heavily subsidized infant industries (often owning them outright) to stimulate rapid economic
development.
Advantages and disadvantages
The major advantages claimed for import substitution are increases in domestic employment and resilience in the face of global
economic shocks such as recessions and depressions. The disadvantages are that import substitution industries create inefficient
and obsolete products as they are not exposed to international competition. Other disadvantages include unemployment
increasing internationally as World GDP decreases through the promotion of inefficiency. Countries that adopted import
substitution policies faced many undesirable effects such as chronic problems with the balance of trade and payments. Although
import substitution was supposed to reduce reliance on world trade, there was a need to import raw materials, machinery and
spare parts. The more a country industrialized the more it needed these imports and import substitution industrialization (ISI) was
strongly biased against exports.
8.
With your knowledge of GDP please explain in your own words why some of the disadvantages’ of import substitution is unemployment
and increasing internationally was when World GSP decreases through the promotion of inefficiency yet continues? Explain in full
sentences.
Trade protection and overvalued exchange rates raised domestic prices and made exports less competitive. Consequently, import
substitution industrializing countries were unable to export enough to buy the imports they needed. The faster the economy grew,
the more it needed imports; but exports could not keep up with the pace of imports and so countries ran out of foreign currency.
In response, governments restricted imports to essentials. The currency was devalued to raise the price of imports and make
exports more attractive. Government subsidized industrial investments. Such spending chronically outpaced government revenue
and these budget deficits were usually covered by printing more money. The result was inflation which made domestic goods
more expensive which in turn reduced exports even further. Sri Lana experienced much of this during its import substitution
industrializing period in the 1960s and 1970s. )
9.
The EU uses one currency. This has worked, so far for Europe. Why would trade protection hurt the overall economic strength of Europe or
the Middle East. ? Explain in full.
ISI failed when these industries became bloated, inefficient enterprises riddled with bureaucracy and corruption. They couldn't meet
local demands and were a drain on national resources.
By the late 1970s, Egypt, under President Anwar Sadat, abandoned the strategy of ISI in favor of infitah, opening up the economy to
foreign investment. More and more countries decided to encourage foreign investment in order to stimulate their economies this way.
Outside an Iranian McDonald's restaurant
The strategy of infitah, however, has also been a disappointment. Much of the sought-after foreign investment has been in Western
consumer goods and luxuries, like McDonald's and name-brand clothing, rather than in local industry. This importation of Western
culture does little to raise the general standard of living in the region. Instead, it tends to increase the cultural and economic gap
between a wealthy class that has benefited from Western investment and adopted a more Western lifestyle, and a much larger
population of the poor.
10. Some of the strategy of infitah has not been totally successful. Please analysis why would infitah, that replaced import
substitution, not be totally success and why? Explain.
Many feel that the importation of Western goods and cultural values challenges important social traditions. This is one factor in the rise
of resentment against the West and the increasing popularity of Islamic opposition groups that promise to restore cultural and economic
independence to the region.
The economy of oil
An Iraqi oil refinery from the air
11. What is your definition of social traditions? Please explain in your own words. I do not want a copy and pasted answer from the internet
which you do not truly understand nor can discuss.
12. What is your definition of Islamic opposition groups? Please explain in your own words. I do not want a copy and pasted answer from the
internet which you do not truly understand nor can discuss.
13. With what you have read in the past and the current information we are exploring why do you think the Middle East has resentment against
the WEST? Explain
REVIEW
WEEK ( - Friday – We will complete 14 until 26)
The discovery of enormous oil deposits in the Middle East coincided with increasing dependence upon oil in the West in the early 20th
century. Money from oil has created enormous opportunities for development in those countries where it is concentrated, such as Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Iran, and Algeria.
States without significant oil resources have benefited by sending laborers to work in the richer states. The money these workers send
home has contributed to the economies of places like the West Bank and Gaza, Egypt, and Jordan.
14. Mexico sends workers to America; legally or non-legally. This helps the Mexican economy because workers in the USA send
money home to Mexico. By analyzing of our area’s contribution to Mexico, please explain in your own words the benefits
countries, as the West Bank and Gaza have for their richer bordering countries. Please explain.
The financial benefits from oil, however, have been offset by other problems associated with the economy of a rentier state. A rentier
state is one that gets most of its income from selling its natural resources to outside buyers.
Because the government gets its income directly from selling this resource, there is no need to tax its citizens. Nor is there a need to
give them a voice in running the country. Rentier states in the Middle East usually have strong, autocratic governments that buy off
political dissent by distributing the wealth derived from oil through extensive social programs.
In some ways, money comes in too easily in rentier economies. There is little incentive to increase efficiency in resource production or
to diversify the sources of wealth. The state bureaucracy and public industries become bloated. The population may develop unrealistic
social expectations, but at the same time has no way to express opposition to those in power. Connections to the source of wealth
come to count for more than individual ability.
15. The theory of the “rentier state” says that countries that receive substantial amounts of oil revenues from the
outside world on a regular basis tend to become autonomous from their societies, unaccountable to their citizens,
and autocratic. The theory is used to help explain why Iran, the Gulf States, many African states ( Nigeria, Gabon)
and other countries (e.g., Netherlands) with abundant resource wealth perform less well than their resource-poor
counterparts. How does this happen, according to the rentier state theory?
The consequences of unequal distribution of wealth
In addition, the gap between rich and poor countries can be a source of tension. While guest workers earn good money working in oilrich nations, they are often treated as second-class members of society.
16. What would you consider a second class member of society? How would this person feel? Explain
Another major source of tension in the region is foreign aid. People on the street may be suspicious of the motives behind foreign aid,
whether it comes from the U.S. to Egypt and Israel or from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to poorer Arab countries in the region.
U.S. aid to Israel is an especially great bone of contention in the Middle East. Many in the region believe that the current state of Israel
is simply an extension of earlier Western colonialism: After all, the original Zionists came from Europe, and Israel's economy and
military receive financial support from the U.S. Many Arabs believe that the U.S. cannot be a fair broker of the peace process while it is
tied so closely to Israel by massive aid.
17. A slogan is “bone of contention” It is a way to describe a situation. Can you describe to me what a “bone of contention” really
means?
The economic effect of political crisis
Kuwaiti buildings bomb-damaged during Iraq's 1990 occupation, under skies darkened by the smoke of burning oil wells
Political turmoil has had a devastating effect on economies in the Middle East. Iraq, for example, had been using its oil wealth to
provide a high level of education and health care to its population, among other benefits. But military expenditures during the Iran-Iraq
War (1980-88) put a significant strain on Iraq's resources, reducing social spending. Saddam Hussein's decision to invade Kuwait in
1990, the U.S.-led bombing and U.N. embargo on Iraqi oil that ensued, and the continued use by the government of oil revenues for
military purposes had reversed many of the social gains that had been made earlier.
The Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza have faced extraordinarily difficult economic conditions since Israel has occupied these
regions as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War. Some families have lived in crowded refugee camps since they fled or were expelled from
Israel in 1948 during Israel's war of independence. Gaza has one of the highest population densities in the world. Unemployment is
extremely high, particularly since many Palestinians have been unable to get to their jobs in Israel after Israel closed its borders to
Palestinians for security reasons during the first intifada.
A crowded street in Cairo,
intifada
Translation of the Arabic for "shaking off." The term refers to a
series of protests and riots, beginning in 1987, by Palestinians in
the Occupied Territories.
Other economic challenges
A further strain on Middle Eastern economies is a rapidly rising population. The introduction of modern medicine and public health and
sanitation in the 19th century caused the population of the Middle East to double in only a century (the previous population doubling
had taken thousands of years). Now it takes only about 25 years for the region's population to double.
Unfortunately, most of the countries with the highest population growth rates do not enjoy significant oil revenue -- only Iraq, Iran, and
Algeria are exceptions.
18. How the region's governments will provide jobs, education, and health care to a fast-growing population is a matter of global
concern. With this information concerning Middle Eastern rapidly rising population discuss the consequences of this situation
as a social concern also. Please explain how this would affect the economy of the region?
Related sites
Country Studies:
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/
The research division of the Library of Congress provides extensive overviews of various nations.
The World Factbook 2001:
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
The Central Intelligence Agency publishes information on the geography, people, government, and economy of each Middle Eastern country.
Country Briefings:
http://www.economist.com/countries/
These country profiles from The Economist include economic structure, outlook, and basic data.
Middle East Studies Report: Stability and Instability in the Gulf:
http://www.csis.org/mideast/reports/EconNME.html
These reports summarize economic, demographic, energy, military spending, and arms-transfer trends.
Is America Stuck in the Middle East?:
http://www.pbs.org/thinktank/show_978.html
Is Middle East oil still crucial to American security?
Commanding Heights Web Site:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/
An economist's look at world history and development from 1910 to the present
Arab Human Development Report 2002:
http://www.undp.org/rbas/ahdr/
A report on the Arab world's attempts to advance human development
The Palestinian Perspective:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east /july-dec02/almasri_8-09.html
Maher al-Masri, the Palestinian economy, industry, and trade minister, laments the negative effects of Israeli occupation.
Creating a Textile Museum Piece from the Islamic Empire:
http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/lesson4.html
Students will learn about the importance of the textile industry to the strength and stability of the Islamic Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Six Billion and Beyond Web Site:
http://www.pbs.org/sixbillion/
On October 12, 1999, the Earth's population reached six billion. PBS travels the globe talking to people about the population issues affecting their lives
and countries.
Like oil and water
The Middle East has always had a rich abundance of natural resources, although which resources are coveted and valued has
changed over time. Today, abundant petroleum fields dominate the area's economy. The Middle East is similarly disproportionately rich
in natural gas (32 percent of the world's known natural gas reserves are in the region) and phosphate (Morocco alone has more than
half of the world's reserves).
phosphates
Substances containing the element phosphorus, for
fertilizers and other uses
Water has always been an important resource in the Middle East -- for its relative scarcity rather than its abundance. Disputes over
rights to water (for example, building a dam in one country upstream from another) are a fundamental part of the political relationships
in the region. Water for irrigation is necessary for many of the ecosystems to sustain crops.
19. Water is important in any region of the world. But in the Middle East it is a scarcity. Please explain the meaning of scarcity as it
pertains to the water resources of the Middle East. How would this affect the region, positively and/or negatively?
Early Western control of oil
In the 18th and 19th centuries, major European nations competed to establish and maintain colonies around the world. Superior military
power and economic leverage allowed them to create new markets for their manufactured goods, and to exploit the natural resources of
the African, American, and Asian continents.
An oil derrick in 1909, in present-day Iran, during the early days of Persian oil-field development
20. During the 18th and 19th centuries many countries felt for their survival they needed to control other poorer nations. What is
your viewpoint on imperialism as it pertains to the colonization of Asia, Africa and South American
Since the early part of the 19th century, Europeans vied to control the Middle East. The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 divided the
Ottoman lands between the British and the French, giving those nations control over any natural resources, most importantly oil.
Modern armies were thirsty for oil. The British navy was the first to switch from coal to oil in 1912, and other new technologies, like
automobiles and airplanes, quickly and drastically increased the demand for fuel.
The United States was becoming an important player in world affairs during the early 20th century, and soon Americans found they,
too, had a vested interest in developing and controlling oil reserves in the Middle East to supply their growing needs.
Struggles over Iranian oil
The Iraq Petroleum Company's oil pipeline, seen being installed in this undated photo, runs for 1,000 miles through the desert.
More than 1,000 years ago, Zoroastrians in Iran revered the perpetual flames that burned where natural gas vented from the earth. In
the early 20th century, British prospectors discovered oil in Iran and in 1908 began the first large-scale drilling projects there. The
government of Iran sold the exclusive right to explore and drill for oil in Iran -- a "concession" -- to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
(AIOC). The British government bought a controlling stake in AIOC, and by the start of World War I, Iranian oil was Britain's most
important strategic resource.
Zoroastrian
One who accepts Zoroastrianism, a Persian religion founded in the sixth century B.C.E. by the prophet Zoroaster. It is
characterized by the worship of a supreme god, Ahura Mazda, who requires good deeds to help in his struggle
against the evil spirit Ahriman.
concession
Something of value, such as a tract of land or drilling rights, granted or sold by a government to another entity, often a
company, for its own use for a specific purpose.
In time, Iranians grew to resent the AIOC. The terms of the concession were so unbalanced that British investors were rewarded
handsomely while the government of Iran made very little profit. Foreign businessmen and engineers in Iran led extravagantly wealthy
lifestyles that contrasted sharply with the poverty of the local population.
21. AIOC was after time not appreciated by the Iranian government. Why would this become a problem? Explain.
The Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, and President Nixon chat in the Oval Office, September 24, 1973.
Frustration with foreign exploitation led to nationalization. The Iranian government of Mohammed Mossadeq nationalized the AngloIranian Oil Company in 1953, but in a coup engineered by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), this nationalist government
was overthrown, and a government friendly to Western interests was installed under the control of the Shah of Iran.
nationalization
To convert to governmental control something that had been owned or operated by a foreign power
The continued economic and cultural influence of the West and the repressive nature of the Shah's regime led to the Iranian Revolution
of 1979. The Shah was overthrown and exiled, and the new Islamic Republic of Iran was established, led by the Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini.
22. What was the reason that the Shah was over thrown? Explain
American dependence on Middle Eastern oil
After World War II, Britain and France gave up control over much of the Middle East, as they could no longer afford to continue their
imperialist strategies, either politically or economically. But a new world power, the United States, increased its presence in the region
as American demands for oil were rapidly growing and outstripping domestic supply.
23. What does an imperialist strategy mean in your opinion? Explain
King ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia (seated) with President Franklin Roosevelt, at Great Bitter Lake in Egypt, February 14, 1945
Standard Oil of California first discovered oil in Saudi Arabia in 1936. The huge deposits there and in the neighboring Persian Gulf
countries -- the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain -- established these countries as some of the richest in the world.
Continuing American military power and domestic lifestyles depend on available access to Middle Eastern oil and reasonably low world
petroleum prices. Thus, U.S. foreign policy initiatives work to support the stability of pro-U.S. governments, prevent anti-U.S. powers or
blocs from forming, and reduce tension and potential armed conflict in the region.
24. What is the US Foreign policy in the Middle Eastern countries? Why would this policy be important to the United States? Explain
President George H.W. Bush (left) talks with King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, through an interpreter, November 21, 1990.
Relations between the Saudi and U.S. governments have traditionally remained strong. Some Americans have questioned that
relationship since the events of September 11, 2001, when Osama bin Laden and several other Saudis were involved in the attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. At the same time, many Saudis mistrust their government's close relationship with the U.S.
and resent other American policies in the region, such as U.S. support for Israel and the U.S.-led bombing of Iraq. The presence of
armed U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia -- the birthplace of Islam -- is particularly galling to many Muslims.
Because the Middle East has the world's largest deposits of oil (55 percent of the world's reserves) in an easily extracted form, Middle
Eastern oil continues to be necessary to the United States. American dependence on foreign oil has grown steadily over the years;
currently about 55 percent of the oil consumed in the U.S. is imported. This reliance on foreign oil leaves the country vulnerable to
unilateral political and economic acts by oil producing countries. For example, although the U.S. advocated economic sanctions against
Iraq after the Gulf War, 9 percent of the oil used by Americans after the war still came from Iraq, shipped through other countries.
25. Saudi’s distrust their government. What are some of the reasons they feel this way? Do you think they have a legitimate reason for
disliking the USA?
The positive and negative faces of oil
Oil money has created both opportunities and problems for the region.
An empty filling station, Portland, Oregon, November 1973. The Arab oil embargo caused a huge shortage of gasoline in Western countries.
Middle Eastern nations have learned to manipulate their production of oil as an international strategy. After the unsuccessful
Yom Kippur War with Israel in 1973, an OPEC oil embargo by Arab nations demonstrated a new way to influence European
and American policy. Oil prices quadrupled from $3 a barrel in 1972 to $12 a barrel in 1974. In the U.S., the era of cheap gas
came to an end, stimulating research on increasing energy efficiency, conservation, and alternative fuels as well as
exploration for alternative sources of oil.
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
An organization formed in 1961 by several Gulf States. Its primary mission is to stabilize petroleum prices
around the world.
Uneven distribution of petroleum deposits has created a disparity of wealth and power in the Middle East. Gulf countries with relatively
small populations have the most oil. When workers from countries with large, poor populations, such as Egypt, come to the Gulf region
to work, they are often treated as second-class citizens. Meanwhile, wealthy Saudis and Kuwaitis may vacation in Egypt, openly
drinking alcohol and displaying other behaviors that would not be permitted in their home countries. Even within oil-rich nations
themselves, there is a large gap between rich and poor.
26. As the gap keeps widening between rich and poor people how do you feel about the widening of this gap in the USA? Explain your
thoughts.
(Tuesday ) The future of oil
Members of anti-Taliban forces survey the landscape in Kandahar, Afghanistan, following the overthrow of the ruling Taliban regime, January 17, 2002
Oil will continue to be an important regional and global issue. In fact, some question whether one reason the U.S. seeks to
maintain influence in Afghanistan after the overthrow of the Taliban is American interest in Central Asian oil and a possible
pipeline through Afghanistan. Some estimates show that by 2050, landlocked Central Asia will provide more than 80
percent of the oil distributed to the U.S. As a result, the control of pipelines through Afghanistan or Turkey to distribution centers will be
of increasing importance to the United States.
Taliban
Literally translated as "God's Students," this is a radical Islamic group formed in Afghanistan in 1994, whose intention
is to turn the country into a "pure" Islamic state, subject to their own strict interpretations of the sharia. Throughout the
1990s, the Taliban committed public executions, stonings, and amputations to enforce sharia, and prohibited
gambling, music, videos, and more. Women are to remain as invisible as possible.
Water, water, but not everywhere
Another resource of vital importance to the region is water. Egypt, Iran, and Turkey are the only countries in the region with abundant
fresh water resources. Roughly two-thirds of the Arab world depend on sources outside their borders for their water supply.
Water wars
The Tigris River on the border between Turkey and Iraq. Scarcity of water is a longstanding source of much tension among many Middle Eastern states.
The scarcity of
Boutros Boutros-
water is a major cause of tension between states in the region. Former U.N. Secretary General
Ghali has said that the next war in the Middle East will be fought over water.
The Jordan River provides 75 percent of Jordan's water and 60 percent of Israel's. In the early 1960s, Arab nations worked to divert the
headwaters of the Jordan away from Israel and towards Jordan. One of Israel's objectives in the Arab-Israeli Six Day War of 1967,
among others, was to control the Golan Heights and prevent this plan from being carried out. Israel is still reluctant to restore control of
the Golan Heights to Syria. Though often ignored in Western analyses, water is one of the most contentious issues in the discussion of
any peace plan for the Jordan Valley.
The Euphrates River, which originates in Turkey, provides most of the water for eastern Syria and almost all of Iraq. Turkey plans to
build almost two dozen hydroelectric power dams for its growing population and industries. These dams, joining the completed Atatürk
Dam, would drastically reduce the water available to Syria and Iraq. Syria, in turn, has dammed part of the Euphrates under its control,
further choking off the water supply to Iraq. International complaints and protests are often challenged on the grounds that the dams are
domestic infrastructure projects.
27. Water like oil is a natural resource. Reading these short analyzes about the water situation in the middle east what is your opinion
on some of the problems? What would be some ways to solve these problems’?
Agricultural resources
While most Americans may think of the Middle East as primarily desert, agriculture has been important for millennia, with farmers
adapting to environmental conditions in different locations.
A man working an Egyptian cotton field in the 1930s
The history of cotton in Egypt is a good example of how Europeans have exploited the region's agricultural resources. During the
American Civil War, American cotton grew scarce, and Egyptian cotton became increasingly important to England. Agreements signed
in 1880 with European powers meant that no tariffs were applied to cotton. This meant that more and more farmable land was used to
grow cotton instead of food crops. Most of the profits were taken by Egypt's small ruling elite and the Europeans. This system remained
in place until the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, when the era of state-sponsored industrialization and a movement toward self-sufficiency
began, reducing the amount of cash crops, like cotton, that were exported.
Middle Eastern cotton and textile products, however, are still an important export of the region. More and more garments in American
malls, for example, carry a "Made in Turkey" label. Other important agricultural exports found in supermarkets around the world include
citrus, dried dates, figs and apricots, and olive products.
28. Many countries want to produce and EXPORT their own goods. Why would the export of products be important to any country?
Explain.
Related sites
Oil Prices on the Rise:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east /july-dec99/oil_11-23.html
NewsHour discusses Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's decision to cut off his country's oil exports to push up prices around the world.
Afghanistan's Agony:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/jan- june01/afghanistan_3-29.html
NewsHour reports on the devastating drought and political turmoil in Afghanistan. (March 2001)
Oil Price History and Analysis:
http://www.wtrg.com/prices.htm
A discussion of crude oil prices, the relationship between prices and rig count, and the outlook for the future of the petroleum industry.
Is America Stuck in the Middle East?:
http://www.pbs.org/thinktank/show_978.html
Is Middle East oil still crucial to American security?
Global Issues - Middle East:
http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/MiddleEast.asp
Modern Middle Eastern geopolitics have always been about oil. Given the vast energy resources that form the backbone of Western
economies, the Middle East has been of paramount importance.
Energy Matters - The Mideast Oil Crisis:
http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/history/mideast.html
A brief history of the Mideast oil crisis in the 1970s and reasons for the embargo
Water Diplomacy in the Middle East:
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~jpap/dolat.htm
This site explains how access to water is a key environmental factor in the politics of the Middle East.
People, Land and Water:
http://www.idrc.ca/research/xplaw_e.html
Articles and research dedicated to land and water issues in the Middle East and Africa
Water in the Middle East:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/mideast /cuvlm/water.html
A list of links from Columbia University's Middle East and Jewish Studies Department related to water issues in the Middle East
Commanding Heights Web Site:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/
An economist's look at world history and development from 1910 to the present
Despite the physical distance between the United States and the Middle East, U.S. influence has been felt in every country within the
region. Throughout the 20th century, strategic interests, including a longstanding competition with the Soviet Union, have provoked a
variety of U.S. interventions ranging from diplomatic overtures of friendship to full-blown war.
American economic interests -- particularly in assuring access to Middle Eastern oil -- have long motivated presidents and lawmakers to
intervene in the region. In addition, strong cultural ties bind American Jews, Arab Americans, Iranian Americans, and Turkish
Americans, among others, to the area, and these interest groups seek to make their voices heard in the U.S. foreign policy arena.
Entering the Middle East
For most of the 20th century and now into the 21st, the U.S. has had global interests and a global reach to match. In the Middle East,
the U.S. has made itself a key player by using its diplomatic, economic, and military power in support of its national interests.
President Wilson leaving Denver's Brown Palace to deliver a speech in support of the League of Nations, September 25,
In 1919, in an effort led by President Woodrow Wilson, the League of Nations (a precursor to the current United Nations) was formed.
The League soon handed down a series of mandates laying out the colonial boundaries of the Middle East in the territories of the nowdefunct Ottoman Empire. These boundaries continue to shape many of the region's political realities.
League of Nations
Established at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Like its
successor, the United Nations, its purpose was the promotion of
international peace and security. It was officially dissolved in 1946
Ottoman Empire
From 1300-1922, an empire based around Turkish sultans. At its peak (1683-1699) it extended through
parts of Europe, the Balkans, Africa, and Asia.
The U.S. enjoyed a generally positive reputation in the region at the end of World War I. Nationalists cited President Wilson's Fourteen
Points Proposal for ending the war, which enshrined the principle of self-determination, in justifying their demands for selfrepresentation. After the war, the U.S. sent a commission to the region to ask local populations what political arrangement they would
prefer. All wanted complete independence, but if that was impossible, they hoped for supervision by the U.S. rather than by the British
and French mandatory powers that were actually installed as a result of the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916.
Fourteen Points Proposal
A proposal for ending World War I put forward by U.S. president Woodrow WiIson in a speech to Congress
on January 8, 1918. In it, Wilson established the basis of a peace treaty and the foundation for the League
of Nations
The U.S. began to involve itself more deeply in regional politics in the late 1940s. It acted to support what it saw as its national interests,
the most important being fighting the Communists during the Cold War, ensuring a steady supply of oil, and making sure that no single
power dominated the region. More recently, it added fighting terrorism. The U.S. has supported leaders and governments it considered
to be stable allies, like the Saudi royal family, Israel, and Egyptian governments since Anwar Sadat.
30. How has the War on Terrorism changed our political goals? Do you feel that we are doing the right thing by supported various
leaders to advance our viewpoint?
The changing U.S. relationship with Egypt
The United States was distrustful of the regime of Gamal Abd al-Nasser after the Egyptian Revolution deposed King Faruq. The U.S.
under President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles expressed distaste for the government of Nasser and his
policies of non-alignment and Arab socialism. After Washington turned down his request for assistance to build the Aswan High Dam,
Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal in 1956 to pay for the dam construction. Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal was met by a
joint attack on the Canal and Sinai peninsula by Britain, France, and Israel, but they were forced to withdraw by the United Nations, with
U.S. and Soviet support.
Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and U.S. president Richard Nixon converse as their wives look on near the pyramids at Giza, June 12, 1974.
Egypt turned toward the Soviet Union and Eastern bloc to build the Aswan High Dam, buy arms, and import wheat. U.S.-Egyptian
relations suffered until President Anwar Sadat ousted the Soviet advisors and began orienting his economic and foreign policies toward
the West. After the historic Camp David Accords resulted in a treaty between Egypt and its neighbor Israel, the U.S. rewarded
President Sadat's peace initiative with a substantial, long-term aid package.
31. The U.S. and Iran
VIDEO After watching this movie please write 10 historical points made in this movie. (This
video is 1 hour long)
Concerned about growing Soviet influence in Iran during the Cold War, the U.S. toppled the regime of Iran's elected prime minister
Mohammed Mossadeq, who intended to nationalize the Iranian oil industry. The U.S.-backed coup against Mossadeq in 1953
reinforced the power of the young Mohammed Reza, Shah of Iran.
President Carter chats with Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, the Shah of Iran, in the Oval Office, November 15, 1977.
Wednesday - The pro-Western Shah was viewed by many in Iran as increasingly autocratic and oppressive. He tried to institute many
Western social reforms by decree, and his secret police, SAVAK, viciously silenced opposition voices. A 1979 Islamist revolution
against the Shah's regime swept a new kind of Islamic state into power, the Islamic Republic of Iran, governed by Islamic jurists and
scholars. The popular hatred of the Shah also tarred his American supporters, and the revolution's anti-American passion led to the
storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, where 53 hostages were held for more than a year.
autocracy
A form of government in which a single person possesses unlimited political power; despotism.
SAVAK (Sazamane Etelaat Va Amniate Kechvar)
An Iranian intelligence organization for the Shah, founded in 1957 with CIA assistance. Its primary purpose was to
eliminate threats to the Shah. SAVAK's tactics included censorship, torture, and execution. When the Shah was
ousted in 1979, SAVAK was singled out as a primary target for reprisals, and the organization was dissolved.
Saddam Hussein and the United States
The U.S. supported Iraq's Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), when Iran's new post-revolutionary Islamic regime
appeared to be the region's biggest threat.
A U.S. fighter plane flies over a Kuwaiti oil well, still burning in the aftermath of the Gulf War, August 1, 1991
Hussein, however, has since become a significant focus of American anger because of his invasion of Kuwait in 1990 -- which led to
the Gulf War -- in an effort to control more of the region's oil. His known desire to develop weapons of mass destruction is also a
concern. The U.S. began bombing Iraqi targets during the Gulf War and continues to enforce a no-fly zone.
The U.S.-led economic embargo of Iraq, intended to force Hussein from power and keep Iraq from rearming and further developing
weapons of mass destruction, has had a devastating impact on the health and living conditions of the Iraqi people, and sympathetic
Arabs hold this grievance against the United States.
32. What is your opinion about the hatred of Hussein after the Iran and Iraq war? Why did this happen? Explain
33. The U.S. and Israel -- and the Palestinians
VIDEO
After watching this movie please write 5 historical points made in this
movie. (11 minutes)
P alestine - A Unifying Symbol?
Friday – (until 38)The product of an energetic Zionist effort that began before the turn of the century, Israel was intended to be a
national home for Jews and a place for them to return to their roots, both spiritually and physically. Many, including nearly 75,000
European Jews escaping persecution from Nazi Germany, found refuge there. But its creation came at a price. In addition to the many
Jews who died struggling to create the new state, many Arabs were killed -- and hundreds of thousands of Arabs were either displaced
by Jewish settlers from areas where they had been living or became unwilling citizens of Israel.
Zionist
(Mount) Zion is an ancient Hebrew term for Jerusalem and symbolizes national-religious hopes for a Jewish
homeland. In the 1890s Theodor Herzl authored the pamphlet "The Jewish State," which served as a
catalyst to the development of modern Zionism, the goal of which is the political and spiritual renewal of the
Jewish people in it ancestral homeland in Palestine and other parts of the Middle East
President Truman (left) accepts a gift from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion of Israel, in the Oval Office, as Israel's American ambassador, Abba Eban, looks on,
1951.
U.S. support for Israel began when President Harry S. Truman extended U.S. recognition to the Jewish state immediately after its 1948
declaration of independence. Continued U.S. support for Israel has varied in form and intensity over time, but this support has remained
a pillar of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. U.S. support for Israel is based on several factors: a commitment to one of the few
democratic states in the region, a need for stable allies, a sense of a shared Judeo-Christian religious tradition, and as a market for the
products of the American defense industry.
U.S.-made aircraft were critical to the Israeli victory in the 1967 Six-Day War that pitted Israel against an alliance of Arab powers. And
when the Yom Kippur War of 1973 again threatened the Jewish state, a massive U.S. airlift of war material was crucial to Israel's
survival in the conflict.
President Reagan's defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger (left), meets with Ariel Sharon, then his Israeli counterpart, in Weinberger's Pentagon office.
Recently, the U.S. has backed Ariel Sharon and his Likud government in Israel, even as Sharon has authorized military strikes against
the Palestinian Authority and militant groups in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. At a time when Israeli
soldiers are regarded by many Arabs as agents of an oppressive army of occupation, unconditional U.S. support for the Jewish state in
its struggle with the Palestinians has challenged American relationships with nations long considered allies, like Egypt and Saudi
Arabia. These Arab allies argue that American principles like human rights and freedom of the press are not promoted in Israel in the
same way that Americans push for reform elsewhere.
Likud
Formed in 1973 when the Free Center, Laam, and Gahal parties
merged. The Likud has become one of Israelís major
conservative parties. Leaders of the Likud party have included
Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, and Binyamin Netanyahu, all
former prime ministers. Likudís platform includes a peace treaty
based on "peace for peace," maintaining the status quo in
religion/state issues and reforms in public health, education, and
welfare.
Palestinian Authority
The official name of the Palestinian republic, which exercises self-government in parts of Gaza and the West
Bank. Its leader since 1969 has been Yasser Arafat
Occupied Territories
Regions of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Golan Heights that
have been occupied by the Israelis since the Six-Day War of 1967.
Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, U.S. president Jimmy Carter, and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat meet during the 1978 Camp David Summit.
For many decades, the U.S. has been active in its attempts to broker peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Notable
achievements include the 1978 Camp David meeting that negotiated peace between Egypt and Israel and the 1993 Oslo interim peace
agreement that established a framework for negotiating peace between the Israelis and Palestinians and set in motion the process for
achieving a Palestinian state.
Supporters of the Palestinians, however, believe that the U.S. has not done all that it can to bring about peace. After all, because much
of the support to Israel is in the form of American military equipment, the American economy and American jobs are tied to a continually
upgrading Israeli army. Some Palestinians argue that the United States is too committed in its support for Israel to make unbiased
decisions and is unwilling to pressure the Israelis to negotiate a fair peace.
34. What do you think the reason is that American and Israel are allies? Explain
Promoting stability or democracy?
Despite many U.S. State Department proclamations that American interests lie in promoting the creation of democratic governments
around the world, U.S. power has at times supported oppressive regimes in the Middle East. During the Cold War with the Soviet
Union, many key policymakers saw a stable ally -- dictatorial or not -- as far preferable to an unstable regime that might side with the
Soviets.
Even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, U.S. dollars and military assistance continue to flow to regimes cited by human rights
monitors for violations of human rights or lack of democracy, including Saudi Arabia (where a Wahhabi regime limits women's rights),
Turkey (which has suppressed the movement for Kurdish autonomy), Israel (which doesn't enforce equal rights for its Arab citizens),
and the Egyptian government of Hosni Mubarak (where an Egyptian American was jailed for encouraging voter participation).
The U.S. also supported the military coups in Tunisia (to depose President Bourguiba) and in Algeria, when the Islamists appeared
close to winning a national election -- and winning it fairly. Recently, the U.S. supported the transfer of power in Syria from the late
Hafez al-Asad to his son despite Syria's supposedly republican form of government.
35. Do you think that America should support countries that do not have a very good record of human rights? Explain why or why not.
U.S. military action
The bombed-out remains of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, where 241 American servicemen were killed in April 1983.
U.S. troops have seen limited action in the Middle East. As peacekeepers in Lebanon after Israel's 1982 invasion, U.S. forces fared
poorly. Two hundred forty-one Marines were killed when their barracks was hit by a suicide truck-bomb in October 1983, prompting a
U.S. withdrawal from Beirut to offshore warships.
After a 1986 discotheque bombing in West Berlin was traced to Libya, the U.S. bombed that country, killing three dozen civilians,
including Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi's adopted daughter.
The most significant direct U.S. military intervention came in response to the Iraqi invasion of oil-rich Kuwait in August of 1990, which
led to the Gulf War. Although the invasion didn't directly threaten American territory, a vital U.S. economic interest -- oil -- was at stake,
along with principles of international law that protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.
The Gulf War won the U.S. the gratitude of the oil-rich states of the Persian Gulf for eliminating the Iraqi military threat, but these
regimes have had to deal with increased internal criticism for allowing U.S. troops to remain in Saudi Arabia.
A member of the U.S. Air Force hands out candy to Kurdish children in a village in northern Iraq, August 1995.
The Gulf War also left charges that the U.S. had abandoned some of its most vulnerable allies. The Kurds and Shiis of Iraq were
encouraged to revolt against Saddam Hussein by the U.S., with assurances of U.S. support. But little support materialized when the
uprising actually got under way, and Iraqi retaliation against both rebelling groups was harsh. Limited U.S. intervention allowed the
creation of Kurdish safe havens in the north and assisted Shii refugees fleeing into Iran in the south, but charges that the U.S.
abandoned its regional allies linger to this day, leading to skepticism that George W. Bush's call for a new government in Iraq would be
accompanied by full American support.
Kurds
A non-Arab Middle Eastern minority population that inhabits the region known as Kurdistan, an extensive
plateau and mountain area extending across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Armenia. In the late '90s,
estimates projected that the Kurds number more than 20 million. The majority of Kurds are devout Sunni
Muslims.
Shii Muslims (also Shiite, Shi'ite, Shi'a)
Shii Muslims make up 10-15 percent of the world's Muslim population today. The They believe that true
Islamic leaders must be the descendants of Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali. Members of Shii communities vary
from each other on important issues, but all often differ radically from Sunna, especially regarding
interpretation of the Quran, jurisprudence, and worship.
The U.S. and oil
While American interest in the region isn't motivated by the pursuit of fossil fuels alone, the historically complicated U.S. relationships
with Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf states have often revolved around oil -- specifically, ensuring an adequate supply at a reasonable cost.
The Khawr Al Kafka oil terminal in the Persian Gulf
Since Standard Oil's 1936 discovery of massive oil deposits in Saudi Arabia, ensuring access to the region's fossil fuels has been on
America's foreign policy agenda. The 1973-1974 OPEC oil boycott and the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 are both dramatic examples of
how regional forces have challenged U.S. access to fuel. The 1973 boycott was particularly powerful; at the time, Arab nations supplied
37 percent of the oil consumed by the noncommunist world. To this day, ensuring the supply of oil from the region factors heavily in the
development of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
Related sites
U.S. Strategy in the Middle East:
http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm ?PrgDate=04/01/2002&PrgID=5
Talk of the Nation asks experts what the U.S. strategy should be towards the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
U.S. Foreign Aid After September 11th:
http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm ?PrgDate=03/26/2002&PrgID=5
Talk of the Nation discusses the Bush administration's proposed increase in U.S. aid to foreign countries. It is a part of a broader
campaign in the war on terrorism to fight poverty.
Saudi Time Bomb?: Analyses: U.S.-Saudi Relations:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ shows/saudi/analyses/ussaudi.html
Frontline's experts discuss the challenges confronting U.S.-Saudi relations.
Looking for Answers: Why Is America the Target of Militant Islam?:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ shows/terrorism/saudi/whyus.html
U.S. policymakers and Saudi and Iraqi dissidents talk to Frontline about the reasons for anti-U.S. hatred in the Islamic world.
50 Years of US Policy in the Middle East:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/0927/p25s1-wome.html
A timeline from 1947 to 2001 of key events related to United States policy in the Middle East
How U.S. Clout in the Arab World Sank So Low:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0422/p12s03-coop.html
The seeming weakness of U.S. muscle perceived by its friends and allies in the area comes from years of disuse.
A Middle East History:
http://www.theworld.org/archive/mideast/mideast.htm
The World tells the history of the Middle East in an effort to understand the current conflict and tension.
Islamic Revolution:
http://www.pbs.org/visavis/islam_rev_mstr.html
Vis à Vis explores why the '79 Revolution took place and what has happened since then.
Friend or Foe - America and Iran:
http://www.pbs.org/visavis/resources_mstr.html
Students will be able to explain America's role in the Shah's rise to power, explain Khomeini's rise to power and role in the Islamic
Revolution, describe the events leading up to the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran, and identify the changes brought about in Iran by
Khatami's election.
Debating the News: Iraq:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/debate/iraq.html
Students will debate the following questions: Does the U.S. have the right to go into a country and remove its government? Should the
U.S. go to war with Iraq now or wait until Saddam does something against the U.S. directly?
Roots of Terrorism Teachers Guide:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ teach/terror/index.html
In the wake of Sept. 11, Frontline produced a series of documentaries, all of which dealt with the roots of terrorism and the complex
evolution of U.S. policy and Islamic fundamentalism. This guide provides accompanying student lessons.
The Jewish State:
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/6640/zion/judenstaadt.html
"The Jewish State," an 1896 pamphlet by Theodor Herzl
----------------------Politics in the Middle East, far from being solely an issue of Islamic resurgence as is often presented by Western media, actually
reflects a complex mixture of issues that include nationalism, religion, social and economic concerns, anti-colonialist sentiments, tribal
loyalties, and ethnic identities.
Political regimes in the Middle East have different forms of government. There are



parliamentary republics in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen, and post-Taliban Afghanistan;
traditional monarchies in Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia;
constitutional monarchies in Jordan and Morocco.
There are also several unique governing structures, including



Libya's jamahiriya, where local councils are supposed to govern (although Libya is in fact a military dictatorship);
the United Arab Emirates, where several traditionally chosen rulers collaborate in a federation;
the Islamic Republic of Iran, where religious scholars oversee an elected parliament and president.
36.
video
Libya After watching this movie please write 5 historical points made in this movie
All political bodies are a compromise between an individual and a group. How that compromise is negotiated, and by whom, varies a
great deal. Some institutions that reflect greater personal liberty are freedom of the press; free, fair and inclusive elections; multiple
political parties; and the fair treatment of minority groups, whether ethnic or religious.
37. United Arab Emirates Video After watching this movie please write 5 historical
points made in this movie
The role of religion in politics
The late King Hussein I of Jordan and Queen Noor arriving for a visit to the United States
38. From the information already shared what are some areas you would like to explore after we
complete this lesson? Explain why you would like to investigate those areas.
Religion plays a role in political decision-making in virtually all Middle Eastern countries, but in very different ways. In the Islamic
Republic of Iran, for example, the government is run by religious leaders, with a subordinate elected parliament (candidates to which
must be approved by the religious leadership). In Jordan and Morocco, the king bases his legitimacy on direct descent from the
Prophet, but the king is not a religious leader per se.
In Lebanon, parliamentary representation is divided up according to religious affiliation, with proportions reflecting an outdated census
of the population of Lebanon in 1932. Maintaining a tenuous balance of power among the 18 officially recognized religions is an
important governmental concern, but the Lebanese government itself is not composed of religious leaders.
Even in strong democracies, like Turkey and Israel, the support of influential religious parties is often needed by major parties to form a
coalition government. When religious parties are key members or leaders of a coalition, their political clout can push the government to
mold policies in a religious direction.
Tuesday - Pressures for and against democracy in the Middle East
There are both internal and external pressures on Middle Eastern countries for democratic reform, which would allow free and open
political systems to develop. The existing governments, however, have resisted this pressure for a number of reasons. Some
governments and leaders simply want to hold on to power themselves; others fear political instability if they loosen political control too
quickly.
A crowd of Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq. The Kurds are an ethnic minority in the Middle East.
Many regimes oppose the struggles of internal minorities for autonomy (autonomy
The right of a nation to govern itself; independence. ) or independence and restrict political activity related to those efforts. Others face an
internal religious critique, particularly from Islamists.
Islamist
One who seeks to make Islam a more prominent part of the political
and social order, usually by implementing some version of Islamic
law, or sharia. Often used as a more accurate replacement for the
term "fundamentalist."
Many fear that if an Islamist political party were legitimately elected, that party would refuse to relinquish power in future elections.
These pressures against democratization often lead to a cycle of political repression, revolts (sometimes violent), and then further
oppression.
In Egypt, as in many other countries in the Middle East, pressures for real democratization have come from internal opposition groups
(both leftist and Islamist), international observers like the United States, and non-governmental organizations. To date, though, the
governing party allows only a small, controlled group to function as the official political opposition.
Kurdish men, armed with portable rocket launchers
Egypt has followed an uneven policy of economic liberalization over the past 25 years or so. This policy has created a backlash, as
Egyptians judge growing globalization to be damaging to local cultures, witness a growing gap between rich and poor, and decide that
Western-style democracy undermines local control. Since responses to these political and economic pressures cannot be expressed
freely within the political system, there are frequently popular demonstrations and the formation of radical underground opposition
groups.
Both Israel and Turkey are Western-style democracies with regularly scheduled elections. But Israeli Arabs and Turkish Kurds
experience political restrictions, as these groups are seen as threatening to both the security and the identity of the state.
Turkey's efforts to join an even larger political and economic body, the European Union, has motivated many domestic reforms and may
lead to even more. Peer pressure from that group requires that Turkey uphold a standard of human rights that is comparable to the
nations of Western Europe.
Israel is debating a looming political and demographic crisis. The birthrate of Israel's Arab population continues to outpace that of its
Jewish population. Can Israel remain a Jewish state and a democracy if Arabs eventually outnumber Jews in the society? More
fundamentally, how can Israel reconcile its democratic ideals with unequal treatment of Israeli Arabs?
The cult of personality
Iraqi soldiers posing by a mural of President Saddam Hussein [ enlarge ]
Some leaders and political families have been in power for so long that they have integrated themselves into the nation's identity.
These leaders tend to reach their position based on a charismatic personality rather than on specific policies, and once in power, they
can overwhelm any potential rivals. Examples of Middle Eastern demagoguery include Muammar al-Qaddafi in Libya, the late Hafez al-
Asad in Syria, Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and the late Gamal Abd al-Nasser in Egypt. All of these leaders came to power in military
coups, and many used their national military to monitor and attack opposition groups.
39. Identifying enemies as domestic policy
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/deathintehran/view/
Watch this video! – After watching this movie please write 5 historical points made in this movie
Tehran
Like politicians throughout history and across the globe, political leaders in the Middle East often try to deflect public criticism of internal
issues by focusing on external "enemies." This strategy can be effective for diffusing popular anger at the oppression, corruption, or bad
governance of a regime.
As a prime example, many Iraqis oppose Saddam Hussein's repression of all political opposition, his economic policies, and his
concentration of national resources on military expenditure. If, however, the U.S.-led bombing and U.S. policies are more of a threat to
them than Saddam's internal policies, then the Iraqis will support Saddam against the outside enemy. This strategy can be particularly
effective when the state controls all media sources and can give its own interpretation of events without competing explanations.
The government of post-revolutionary Iran similarly used the long war with Iraq and anger at the United States to maintain a focus on
external rather than internal affairs. Since the end of the Iran-Iraq War and a break with relations with the U.S., internal pressures for
reform have begun to mount within Iranian society.
40. Syria
After watching this movie please write 5 historical points made in this movie
Effect of U.S. policies on public opinion
U.S. policies are often a source of tension for many countries in the region. Opposition groups in many Middle Eastern countries say
that U.S. support of authoritarian regimes (such as in Egypt or Saudi Arabia) has prevented the development of any real democracy.
They therefore find the U.S. to be hypocritical and fickle when it demands that groups like the Palestinian Authority institute democratic
changes, or that Saddam Hussein, who was once a U.S. ally, be removed from power. More hypocrisy is seen in American statements
about defending Kuwait on the basis of international law and the right of self-determination, while denying the same rights to the
Palestinians.
U.S. and Saudi Arabian personnel on the tarmac at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj, Saudi
The strong U.S.-Israeli relationship is seen by some as continued Western colonialism in the region. Many observers in the Middle East
think the U.S. seeks to control events in the Middle East. They point to the American military presence during the Gulf War, the
continued presence of troops in Saudi Arabia (the birthplace of Islam), and the use by Israel of American-made weapons against the
Palestinians.
The U.S. does have positive relationships with the governments of many countries in the region. Israel and Turkey (a partner in NATO)
are obvious examples, but the U.S. also has strong diplomatic ties with Egypt, Jordan, and others. But growing popular opposition to
the U.S. policy vis-à-vis Palestine is making it difficult for moderate regimes in the region to continue positive and mutually beneficial
relationships with the U.S.
Related sites
U.S. Strategy in the Middle East:
http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm ?PrgDate=04/01/2002&PrgID=5
Talk of the Nation asks experts what the U.S. strategy should be towards the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Role of Other Arab Countries:
http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnpd01fm.cfm ?PrgDate=04/03/2002&PrgID=5
Talk of the Nation asks experts how the violence in the Middle East affects the political situation in other Arab countries.
King's Ransom: How Vulnerable Are the Saudi Royals?:
http://www.newyorker.com/PRINTABLE/?fact/011022fa_FACT1
In this report, the New Yorker looks at the vulnerability of the Saudi royal family.
King Hussein:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east /jan-june99/hussein_2-5.html
As King Hussein of Jordan was near death at his palace in Amman, Jordan, after undergoing cancer treatments at the Mayo Clinic, NewsHour led a
discussion about his 46-year reign. (February 1996)
The Transformation of Turkey: From Islamic Empire to Modern State:
http://www.pbs.org/thinktank/show_976.html
Think Tank asks, "Can an Islamic nation be modern, democratic, secular, pro-Western -- and still be Islamic?"
Country Studies:
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/
The research division of the Library of Congress provides extensive overviews of various nations.
The World Factbook 2001:
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
The Central Intelligence Agency publishes information on the geography, people, government, and economy of each Middle Eastern country.
Hunting Bin Laden: Interview with Bin Laden:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ shows/binladen/who/interview.html
Osama bin Laden answers questions posed to him by some of his followers at his mountaintop camp in southern Afghanistan. Later, ABC reporter John
Miller is asking the questions.
A Middle East History:
http://www.theworld.org/archive/mideast/mideast.htm
The World tells the history of the Middle East in an effort to understand the current conflict and tension.
Secrets of History: The CIA in Iran:
http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/mideast /041600iran-cia-index.html
A CIA document and New York Times articles and photographs depict the clumsy yet successful 1953 overthrow of Iran's government.
Commanding Heights Web Site:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/
An economist's look at world history and development from 1910 to the present
Arab Human Development Report 2002:
http://www.undp.org/rbas/ahdr/
A report on the Arab world's attempts to advance human development
Understanding History, Religion, and Politics in Jerusalem and Beyond:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/promises/intheclassroom.html
Students will acquire historical knowledge of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the region, learn how to interpret a conflict from multiple
perspectives, advocate for a point of view, and develop greater conflict resolution skills.
Debating the News: Iraq:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/debate/iraq.html
Students will debate the following questions: Does the U.S. have the right to go into a country and remove its government? Should the U.S. go to war
with Iraq now or wait until Saddam does something against the U.S. directly?
Prospects for Peace in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers /lessonplans/middle_east/
Students will examine the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and analyze past and present attempts at peace.
Terror and Tehran:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tehran/
Frontline asks, does America's war on terror hold democracy hostage in Iran?
41. a. Maps of the Middle East
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/maps/pol.html
Develop a map With the countries below
Countries
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Turkey
Wednesday and part of Friday
b.
Pick a Middle East Country. Where in the Middle East is the country you are interest in? What countries are its
immediate neighbors?
c.
How long has this country been an independent nation?
d.
What type of government exists in this country?
e.
How would you characterize U.S. policy toward this country?
f.
Why might the United States have formulated the policy you described?
g.
To the best of your knowledge, has the United States ever had a military presence in this country?
h.
Do we sell this country arms? (America sell to your country?)
i.
How concerned would U.S. leaders be if this country's government fell or changed? Explain
j.
Can you think of circumstances in which the United States might send troops to this country? Explain
k.
Do you believe that U.S. policy toward this country has remained the same or changed over the past 100 years? If it
has changed, what influenced the change? Explain
i.
Between 1945 and today, what have U.S. relations been like with this country? Has the United States changed its
position towards this country since 1945? Explain
j.
Prepare a list of important events that took place between the United States and the country since 1945.
Explain
k.
Prepare a list of important events that took place between the Britain and the country since 1945. Explain
l.
What do the events tell you about the overall U.S. foreign policy toward the country? Go to the Department
of State Web site (link and URL in Resources section) and click on "Country Information" under Department
of State Publications and More. There you can read a U.S. perspective on the history and politics of the
country. Explain
m. Was the country you chose important to the United States during the Cold War? Did this country have better
relations during the Cold War with the United States or the Soviet Union? How did this affect U.S. relations
with the country? What evidence do you have for your answer? Explain
n.
Is the country you chose a regional power? How would you define its power? Is it economic, military, or
something else? Explain
o.
Make a prediction about U.S. foreign policy with this country over the next 10 years. What factors can you
think of that might shape that policy? Does the United States engage in trade with that country? Does the
country possess an important strategic location or important natural resources Explain
p. Would the EU be interested in this country for any natural resources? Explain
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