History of the Modern Middle

East

The Arab LeagueDefinition: an organization of 22 Middle Eastern and African

nations where Arabic is the spoken language that promotes

political, economic, cultural, and social relations among members

Additional Information:• founded in 1945• council of representatives from member states work to settle disputes peacefully• has had difficulty living up to goals•ARABSAT (satellite systems)

O.P.E.C.Definition: an association of 12 countries that

depend heavily on oil exports for their incomes and work

together to increase revenue from oil exports.Additional

Information:• founded in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela• OPEC nations produce 40% of world’s oil• OPEC nations possess 70% of world’s oil• OPEC have a direct impact on world oil prices along with: world conflict, global demand, and stock market speculation

• Birthplace of Islam• Has the world’s largest amount of oil

reservesand largest exporter of oil in the world

• Government: Monarchy• Current Leader: King Abdullah bin

Abdul Aziz• Law Code: Sharia Law (strict Islamic

law)

Saudi Arabia

• UAE is a federation of 7 emirates (sovereign state)• Great Britain expand influence in 1800’s and early

1900’s• Independence in 1971• Economy dominated by oil exports (70’s, 80’s, 90’s)• Economy hurt by 2008-09 global recession and

banking crisis• Result: call of political & economic reforms

United Arab Emirates

• Economy: Open Market (growing economy)•Government: constitutional federation of absolute monarchies

Iran-Iraq War• Began Sept. 22, 1980 when Iraqi President

Saddam Hussein orders invasion of Iran• Ended Aug. 20, 1988 with a cease-fire

agreementAdditional Information:• longest war between two nations in the 1900’s• Reasons for the war:

- Iraq thought Iran was in a weak state

- Iraq (and other Arab nations) feared Iran’s Shiite revolution

- Iran and Iraq had territorial disputes

- Iraq saw a chance to control Iran’s oil

Terrorism• Definition: The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or govts.

Types:• State Sponsored• Domestic• Religious

Hamas• Definition: Islamist political party that currently

governs the Gaza portion of the Palestinian territories

Additional Information:• founded in 1987 during the 1st Intifada• ideals are based on the principles of Islamic fundamentalism • carry out suicide attacks, rocket attacks, and guerilla warfare against Israel•classified as a terrorist group by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Israel, & Japan

Hezbollah• Definition: Shi’a Muslim group and political party based in Lebanon; known as a resistance movement of the Arab & Muslim world; currently hold seats in Lebanon’s government

Additional Information:•emerged in 1982 as result of 1st Lebanon War• carry out suicide attacks & rocket attacks against Israel• armed & funded by Iran and Syria•classified as a terrorist group by Great Britain, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Israel, & Australia

Al Qaeda• Definition: militant Islamist

organization

Additional Information:• created in 1988 in Saudi Arabia by Osama bin Laden• labeled as a terrorist group by the U.S., U.N., European Union, NATO, Australia, India, Japan, Russia, Turkey, South Korea, others• Goal: Jihad against the United States and the West• Osama bin Laden killed in 2011 by Navy Seals• Power and Strength in decline since mid Iraq War

Map of major attacks attributed to al-Qaeda1. The Pentagon, US – Sep 11, 2001 4. Aden, Yemen – Oct 12, 20002. World Trade Center, US – Sep 11, 2001 5. Nairobi, Kenya – Aug 7, 19983. Istanbul, Turkey – Nov 15, 2003; Nov 20, 2003 6. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – Aug 7, 1998

1

6

3

5

4

2

The Persian Gulf War• Began in response to President

Saddam Hussein and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on Aug.2, 1990

• U.N. coalition (Desert Shield) began bombing Jan. 17, 1991

• Coalition forces launched ground attack (Desert Storm) into Kuwait and Southern Iraq in February

• U.N. coalition ended military operations Feb. 28, 1991

Additional Information:• first international crisis after Cold War • tested U.S. and Russia’s ability to cooperate• split Arab world between Iraq & Coalition• Results in Iraq: environmental issues, refugees, casualties, revolts, economic hardships

Iran: Background• Known as Persia till 1935 (Reza Pahlavi becomes

Shah-monarch-)• 1979 Iranian Revolution (Ayatollah Khomeini

overthrows Shah and establishes a theocratic-Islamic- government)

• 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis (radical students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for

444 days)

• 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War (Saddam Hussein orders Iraqi invasion of Iran)

• 2005-2012 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

current president of Iran

Iran: Current Issues

Iran: Current Issues

Afghanistan: Background

• Problem: Afghanistan is “TRIBAL” - Created by the West placing various ethnic

groups together as one nation

Ethnic groups:42% = Pashtun 4% = Aimak27% = Tajik 3% = Turkmen9% = Hazara 2% = Baloch9% = Uzbek 4% = Other

Fact: “-stan” means “land of”

Afghanistan: History• 1747 Founded in modern Afghanistan

in1747• Mid-1800’s British expand influence

from Pakistan• Durand Line creates boundary between

Afghanistan and Pakistan dividing Pashtuns.

• 1919 Afghanistan sovereign from British influence

• 1973-1978 bloodless coup creates democratic govt.

Afghanistan: History

• 1996-2001 Taliban rule of Afghanistan

• Strict Islamic law = Human rights violations

• Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan since 1997

• 2001 Operation Enduring Freedom

• Allied invasion of Afghanistan • overthrow Taliban and est.

Democracy

• 2009-2012 Taliban insurgency and Peace Talks

• 1978 communist govt. created• Mujahideen fighters (Muslim Afghan opposition

youth groups trained in Pakistan)

• 1979-1989 Soviet Union invades Afghanistan

• 1989-1996 Afghan Civil War = Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan• Taliban (Islamic militant political group created

from religious schools for Afghan refugees in Pakistan)

The Iraq War• Began March 2003 when the U.S. and

coalition of 39 nations launched an invasion of Iraq

• Mid-April 2003 Saddam Hussein and Iraq’s govt. fell

• U.S. President George W. Bush ends combat operations May 1, 2003

Operation Iraqi Freedom:• May 2003 to August 2010• 2004 Sunni violence against Shia Iraqi govt. and U.S. forces• 2007 U.S. adds troop build-up• Aug. 31, 2010 U.S. ends combat operations• Dec. 31, 2011 U.S. troops expect to leave Iraq

Arab SpringDefinition: revolutionary movement via civil uprising

(protests)in the Arab world against their governments

Additional Information:• Began in Tunisia on December 18, 2010• Nations affected: Tunisia. Egypt, Yemen, Oman, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, Lebanon• Rulers has been forced from power in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen• Protests and Clashes continue in Syria (to date)