conflicts in sw asia iran israeli-palestinian conflict iraq afghanistan
TRANSCRIPT
Conflicts in SW Asia
IranIsraeli-Palestinian Conflict
IraqAfghanistan
Iran
Persepolis, built during the Persian Empire around 515 BC
Iran
1. Persians-not Arabs! Speak Farsi, Muslim (Shi’ite majority)
History/Background
Iran
2. 1925-Reza Khan became shah (ruler) & modernized Iran
– Built schools, roads, RRs, encouraged industry, more rights for women, redistributed land, improved literacy
– Able to do this b/c of oil profits3. 1941- Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Reza Khan’s son) took power- continued modernizing, considered oppressive
History/Background
Iran prior to the revolution
Iran in the 60’s (before the revolution)
Iran
4. Conflict b/t modernizers & conservative religious leaders (ayatollahs)
5. Shah imprisoned Ayatollah Khomeni (denounced the government) after protests; later he was exiled
History/Background
Iranian Revolution• Iranian Revolution_ refers
to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy (Pahlavi dynasty) under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution.
Iran
1. Corruption/harsh leadership (note: US supported Shah)
2. Not everyone benefited under Shah
Reasons for Conflict – Iranian Revolution
So… 1979 – Iran becomes Islamic Republic
Students drag statue of the Shah
Pro-Ayatollah demonstration (1979)
Iran
1. Iran = Islamic Republic (under Ayatollah Khomeini)2. Got rid of Western influences3. Harsh form of Sharia law
-Islamic law
Results – Iranian Revolution
Women protested mandatory hijab in 1979
Ayatollah- Grand Leader
Iran
4. Urged other Arab nations to overthrow gov’ts and establish Islamic republics
5. 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War
Results – Iranian Revolution
Iran
1. Khomeini died 1989, President Rouhani in power claims to
be moderate2. Protests after last election –
pressure to change, didn’t happen!
Today
Iran
3. Tension w/ US over nuclear power4. Opened 1st nuclear power plant in 20115. Economic Sanctions against Iran
Today
Iran Today
• Life in Iran• Argo• Women in IranIranian Revolution
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
1. Jews established 1st kingdom over 3000 years ago– Jews believe Israel is “promised land”
2. Over time, Jews forced to leave – “Jewish Diaspora”
History/Background
Jews driven out by Assyrians, Babylonians (722-586 BC) later Romans (70 AD)
Palestinians moved in after Jews left creating Palestine
100 BC-Romans rule (Christians)
All 3 religions have roots here!
Israeli- Palestinian Conflict• The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing
struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the early 20th century over the land that is currently Israel.
3. Jews immigrated to Palestine4. Jerusalem = holy city for all 3 religions!
Reasons for Conflict1. Zionism (1897) –
belief that Jewish state should be est. in Palestine
2. After WWII – many agreed that Jews should have homeland- anti- Semitism in Europe and Russia
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Wailing Wall and Dome of the Rock
Reasons for Conflict
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
5. U.N. proposed the partition and the creation of a Palestine (Arab nation) and Israel (Jewish nation) and U.N. controlled Jerusalem
6. Arabs didn’t agree with the U.N.7. Israel declared independence and created a nation in 1948
Selected Conflicts linked to Israeli- Palestinian Conflict
• Arab-Israeli War (1948)- fought b/t Israel and Arabs who opposed Israel’s creation (Israel declared independence from the British
• Six Day War (1967)- Israel vs Egypt, Syria, and Jordan; Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem
Selected Conflicts linked to Israeli- Palestinian Conflict
• Yom Kippur War (1973)– Yom Kippur- holiest day in
Judaism– Syria and Egypt invaded
Israel (U.S. supported); led to OPEC oil embargo- aimed at U.S.- oil prices increased 70%
• Ground invasion of Gaza (2009)- Israel vs. Hamas
Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal on October 7
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
• Many peace agreements & ceasefires signed• Split b/t 2 Palestinian groups (Hamas, Fatah)
– Hamas- Palestinian political party with military, want a Palestinian country; considered terrorist
– Fatah- Palestinian political party, part of PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), want a Palestinian country; not considered terrorist
Results
Hamas Logo
Fatah Logo
Results (continued)
• Thousands of casualties (data difficult to find)
• Humanitarian crisis for Palestinian people
• Continued rocket fire / terrorist activity
• No freedom of movement• Continuous diplomatic effort• Constant warfare for Israeli
& Palestinian people
Israeli- Palestinian Conflict
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Many agree that Israel should be divided into Israel and Palestine, however, many issues remain:
• Borders - what land will become Palestine? Security for Israel a concern
• Holy places - who will control?• Mutual recognition-many Palestinian groups
don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist• “Right of Return”- should Palestinian refugees
be allowed to come back?• Israeli settlements - out of Gaza, but still in
West Bank• Division of resources - water!• Palestine = split in 2- Gaza and West Bank, how
to govern?• Palestinians still a stateless nation• is peace out of reach?• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r1EmEni
2Rw
Today
Iraq
Iraq
1. 75-80% Arab, 15-20% Kurdish
2. British controlled until 1920’s & separated Kurds, Sunnis and Shi’a
3. 1979-Saddam Hussein in power
IRAQ History/Background
Iraq
4. Modernized/ Westernized- more rights for women, infrastructure, education, agriculture- only Arab country who did not impose Sharia law
5. Kurdish minority = stateless nation, conflicts vs. Turkey, Iran & Iraq
History/Background
Conflicts• Iran- Iraq War (1980-88)- oil
• 1st Persian Gulf War (1990-91)- Saddam invaded Kuwait- oil
• 2nd Persian Gulf War (2003-2011)- U.S. and U.K. invaded Iraq- weapons of mass destructions
Iraq
1. Oil – cause for all conflicts
2. Tension between Iran-Iraq after Islamic revolution in Iran
Reasons for Conflict – Iran/Iraq War
Iraq
1. Debt (over $50 B)2. Kurdish rebellion (were aided by Iran) use of chemical weapons3. 180,000 Kurds killedVideo
Results – Iran/Iraq War
Iraq
Reasons for Conflict – Persian Gulf War I
1. Pressure from Kuwait to repay debt2. Iraq invades Kuwait (1990)- wanting access to
oil3. Kuwait close to oilfields of Saudi Arabia (US
interests threatened)
Results – Gulf War I1. Biggest environmental disaster in history (burning of Kuwaiti oil fields)
2. Kuwaiti gov’t reinstalled3. Iraqi military power diminished4. Saddam Hussein stays in power5. UN economic sanctionsVideo
Iraq
Iraq
Reasons for Conflict – Persian Gulf War II
1. Refusal to comply w/ UN inspections (WMDs)
Iraq
Results – Persian Gulf War II
2. Democratically-elected government in place
3. Power shift to majority Shi’ites
1. Saddam Hussein out of power, arrested, hanged
Iraq
Today
1. Permanent constitution ratified 20052. No Weapons of Mass Destruction discovered
(black eye for US)3. Decreasing insurgent attacks, increasing security
Iraqi security forces
Iraq
Today4. Economy up (back to oil production levels
before 2001)5. US troops withdrew in 2011
Iraq
Afghanistan
History/Background1. Many different ethnic groups w/ diff languages & customs BUT 99% Muslim2. Buffer state between British & Russians, many wars, neither could conquer
people or terrain
Afghanistan
Afghanistan
1. Religion vs. atheism (Afghanistan’s socialist gov’t = pro-Soviet)
2. Traditional vs. modern ways of life
Reasons for Conflict – Soviet-Afghan WarThe Soviet war in Afghanistan (Dec. 1979- Feb. 1989) was a nine-year conflict during the Cold war involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahidin (people who fight in a jihad- holy war) guerrilla movement-Soviets supported Afghanistan-U.S. supported the mujahidin
Afghanistan
1. Soviets lost – guerilla tactics used by mujahidin2. Gov’t & economy weakened3. Taliban government emerges as a force (1996)4. Extremely harsh form of sharia law5. Harbored terrorists known as Al-Qaeda. Al- Qaeda are fighting b/c of JIHAD- a holy war against non
Muslims6. Osama Bin Laden was the leader of Al- Qaeda (dead)
Results – Soviet-Afghan War
U.S- Afghan War
• The War in Afghanistan, also called the Afghan war, began on October 7, 2001, – United States of America, the United Kingdom,
Australia, and the Afghan United Front (Northern Alliance- non Taliban)
US Special Forces with Northern Alliance troops on horseback
US and British troops during a patrol in Helmand Province
Afghanistan
1. 9/112. Afghani government’s
refusal to hand over terrorists
Reasons for Conflict – US-Afghan War
Afghanistan
1. Taliban out, power greatly reduced
2. Transitional government
Results – US-Afghan War
Hamid Karzai, President
Afghanistan
Today1. Extremely poor (GDP per capita = $900)2. Shortages of water, housing, jobs, electricity3. Inability to control countryside- Taliban controls
villages
Afghanistan
Today
4. Poppy cultivation ($3B)- supports terrorists5. IMR = 154, life expectancy = 446. United States troops leaving Afghanistan
When the Taliban Ruled Afghanistan
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=F68B7335-6C6D-447E-9DDB-48B295154744&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
A Relentless Enemy
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/?pid=3OROxzDQ3UpO8jrKAqqyIu4ceSxbllal
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aECcjCr2foM
Why I joined the Taliban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndfOya1lBo
AFGANISTAN VIDEOS