27-1 The Middle East in Transition

1. 27-1 The Middle East in Transition Political Directions From World Cultures A Global Mosaic and Wagnall's Encyclopedia

2. Themes • Arab Nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism reflected the desire of the Muslim nations of the Middle East to end western domination.

3. Lesson Questions • What role has pan-Arabism played in the Middle East? • What different kinds of government have emerged in the Middle East? • Why did civil war break out in Lebanon? • What changes do Islamic fundamentalists seek?

4. Gamal Abdel Nasser • Code word “Lesseps Lesseps” • Nasser, the leader of Egypt, said the name of the French engineer who constructed the Suez Canal on the Egyptian radio • His military knew it was time to take over the Suez Canal from the British and French officials • This led to a war in 1956 • Egypt versus Britain, France, and Israel

5. Lesseps (1805-94), French diplomat and engineer, born in Versailles.

6. Lesseps, Ferdinand Marie, Vicomte de • He entered the consular service in 1825 and held many diplomatic posts. While assistant vice-consul (1832-37) in Egypt, he began to plan a project for constructing a canal across the Isthmus of Suez. Work was begun on April 25, 1859, and the canal was formally opened on Nov. 17, 1869. De Lesseps was awarded many honors for his remarkable engineering and executive ability. Because of his success with the Suez Canal, he was chosen president of the French company that worked on the construction of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama from 1881 to 1888. The project was given up for political and financial reasons. Scandals concerning the direction of affairs resulted in an investigation. De Lesseps and his son Charles (1849-1923) were tried for mismanagement and misappropriation of company funds. They were fined and sentenced to prison, but the sentences were never executed.

7. Gamal Nasser, president of Egypt 1956-1970 • First president of Egypt. This Egyptian army officer and political leader became the first president of the republic of Egypt, 1956-1970, although he ruled as a dictator. Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company in 1956, an event that caused Britain and France to seize the canal. Nasser later led Egypt during the Six Day War, in which Israel routed the combined forces of Egypt, Syria and Jordan, and seized the Sinai Peninsula

8. Gamal Abd al-Nasser (1918-1970) • At the 1963 Organization of African Unity meeting in Addis Ababa. An Egyptian army officer, Nasser helped engineer the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952 and emerged after a power struggle as prime minister in 1954. He attempted unsuccessfully to unify the Arab world, and also sought to implement socio-economic reforms in Egypt. The 1967 defeat by Israel was a bitter humiliation for him. Nasser's death in 1970 evoked a huge outpouring of emotion in Egypt and the Arab world.

9. Gamal Abdel Nasser

10. President Nasser of Egypt Dies (1970)

11. Pan Arabism By 1950, most Middle Eastern nations had won independence However, most still felt great effects from western imperialism Muslims wanted western technology but not all Muslims wanted western culture Pan Arabism sought to unite all Arab nations with a common language and customs To promote this, the Arab League was formed in 1945 by nationalists Flag of the Arab League

12. Arab League -1945 • Formal name the League of Arab States, voluntary association of independent countries whose peoples are mainly Arabic-speaking. Its stated purposes are to strengthen ties among the member states, coordinate their policies, and promote their common interests.

13. The league was founded in Cairo in 1945 by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (now Jordan), and Yemen. • Countries that later joined, listed alphabetically, are the following: • Algeria (1962), • Bahrain (1971), • Comoros (1993), • Djibouti (1977), • Kuwait (1961), • Libya (1953), • Mauritania (1973), • Morocco (1958), • Oman (1971), • Qatar (1971), • Somalia (1974), • Sudan (1956), • Tunisia (1958), • United Arab Emirates (1971).

14. The League of Arab States continued • Palestine (as represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization) was admitted in 1976. Egypt's membership was suspended in 1979, after it signed a peace treaty with Israel, and the league's headquarters was then moved to Tunis. The league voted in 1987 to allow its members to restore diplomatic ties with Egypt; in 1990 the league's headquarters was moved back to Cairo.

15. Remember that the Middle East is a cultural term the west uses to describe most of southwest Asia

16. The Arab League • It has managed to settle some Arab disputes and to limit conflicts such as the Lebanese civil wars of 1958 and 1975-76. The league has been more effective in activities fostering economic, social, and cultural cooperation among Arab states.

17. United Arab Republic (1958) • Egypt and Syria joined together but was short-lived when Egypt dominated its government.

18. United Arab Republic (1958)

19. Obstacles To Unity Nationalism – Countries were loyal to their own nation and not an Arab nation No Geographic unity Too many different ethnic groups Too many different types of government Economic differences (Oil) Rich – Have Natural Resources Poor – No Natural Resources

20. Political Traditions- Forms of Government • Most states built powerful central governments • Different types of government • Republic – Egypt, Iraq, and Iran • Monarchy – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kuwait • Old Law – The teaching of the Koran • Modern Law – Western law • Turkey and Israel have multiparty systems

21. Political Traditions • Iraq became a dictatorship under Saddam Hussein and the Baath party

22. Saddam Hussein

23. King Faisal (ca.1906-1975), King of Saudi Arabia • King Faisal (ca.1906-1975), King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975, meeting with President Richard Nixon in 1971. Faisal was the son of Ibn Saud, founder of the Saudi state, and oversaw the Arabian kingdom during its rise to power as a major world exporter of oil. Fiercely anti-communist, Faisal sought good relations with the United States, as this photo illustrates, but was frustrated by American support for Israel. The U.S. government sought to keep oil policy separate from the Arab-Israeli conflict, and largely succeeded until the 1973 war when the Arab oil embargo occurred. Faisal was assassinated by one of his nephews in 1975.

24. Saudi Arabia, an Absolute Monarchy

25. Saudi Arabian leaders, Khalid and Fahd • Khalid ruled Saudi Arabia from 1975 until his death in 1982; he was succeeded by his half-brother Fahd. Despite the dizzying social changes brought about by huge oil revenues in recent decades, the Saudi political system remained in its traditional form, under the control of the Saudi ruling family. The Saudi regime continued to affirm its Islamic identity, taking seriously its responsibility for the holy shrines of Mecca and Medina. Nevertheless, the Islamic revolution in Iran and the war between Iran and Iraq threatened to destabilize the Saudi government

27. King Abdullah (noted as prince in your textbook)

28. Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia • Not long ago a sleepy, mud-walled town, by 1974 Riyadh had grown into a city of about 660,000 people. Its growth has been due in large part to the development of the Arabian-American Oil Company.

29. The city of Jiddah, Saudi Arabia's major Red Sea port. • It had more than a half million inhabitants in 1974. Oil revenues have allowed Saudi Arabia and the other states of the Persian Gulf to erect modern buildings and to add urban refinements in their cities.

30. An old town in central Saudi Arabia. • During the middle ages the people of Arabia who lived in cities built them in this fashion, using mud bricks.

31. Carved cliff tombs at Madain Salik, in present-day Saudi Arabia. • These are the tombs of wealthy Nabataean merchants, who controlled the caravan trade routes of the Near and Far East. These tombs are about 2000 years old. On the left is a "battlement tomb," so-called because of the shape of its frontispiece. At right is a "staircase tomb."

32. A closer view of the green dome of the Mosque at Medina, where Muhammad is buried. • The four successors to Muhammad, known as the "Rightly Guided" caliphs, consolidated and then expanded the Islamic state founded by Muhammad. Because Muhammad had left no clear process of selecting his successor prior to his sudden death in 632 A.D., there was dissension over who merited selection as caliph. Those who favored Ali became the founders of the Shi'ite faction. The four caliphs and dates of rule were Abu Bakr (632-634), Umar (634-644), Uthman (644-656), and Ali (656-661).

34. Pilgrims arriving at Mecca to perform hajj.

35. Islamic Law • Islam in the past has been a religion and basis of government • The Koran is held by Muslims to be the revealed word of God. • It is the highest authority of Islamic law. • Islamic Law is called Shariah • It governs all aspects of life. • It provides guidance for political, social, and economic life, as well as for private behavior.

36. Islamic Law continued • Saudi Arabia and Iran rely on Shariah. • Most Middle Eastern countries have western style law codes. • Nonetheless, the legal ideas of Shariah effect the region.

37. A Koranic school in Cairo in the late 19th century Literacy has been highly prized throughout the Islamic world. The educational system was founded on the Quran, as the source of law and wisdom. Here the master is teaching the students Arabic, utilizing the Koran as the text.

38. Challenges to Stability • Reasons • Minority ethnic groups such as the Kurds have demanded self-rule. • Rapid Population growth • Urbanization • Widespread poverty • Illiteracy

39. Civil War in Lebanon • One of the most unstable places in the Middle East • Beirut, its capital, has sometimes been ranked as the most deadliest city in the world • Muslim and different Christian groups live there • The Lebanese constitution divided power amongst the groups • Muslims were given less political power even though their population is increasing • In 1975 civil war broke out lasting 16 years • Palestinians also fled to Lebanon from Israel • The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) launched terrorist attacks on Israel from bases in Lebanon.

40. Ruins of Beirut residential neighborhood, 1982

41. (PLO) Palestinian Liberation Organization

42. Foreign Involvement in the Civil War in Lebanon • Syria, Israel, Iran, and the United States all became involved in the struggle. • Syria and Israel occupied parts of Lebanon • Thousands of Lebanese died • The economy and infrastructure were destroyed • 1991 – the Lebanese government gave more power to Muslims • Peace was finally restored

43. Name:Period:Date: Lebanon Civil War • Year Main Idea

44. The Force of Islamic Tradition • Many of the conflicts in the Middle East are based on traditional Islamic culture versus Western culture • After many Middle Eastern nations gained independence, they also inherited any elements of western culture • Islamic law or Shariah was replaced with western secular law codes • In cities, many young people listened to western music, dressed in western clothing, and embraced western values • Women gained more rights, were allowed in public, and did not have to cover their heads and faces

45. The Islamist Movement • Westernization was viewed as colonialism, an evil force undermining Islamic society • Some Muslims wanted to return to the values of the Koran and a time before western domination • Supporters wanted more power given to religious leaders • Wanted a strict separation of men and women in public places (workplace and schools) • A religious revival that seemed to counter a rapid social and economic change in the Middle East

46. Extremism • Most Islamist opposed violence but one branch resorted to terrorism • al Qaeda is one group that used violence and terror, they claim to be involved in a holy struggle against the enemies of Islam • The opposed the US for spreading its culture as a new form of imperialism • They also dislike the US for supporting the state of Israel • Most Middle Eastern leaders reject the actions of Islamic extremists and believe that westernization is a natural process, not the fault of any one country • Governments such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Algeria cracked down on terrorism even before 9/11

47. Al Qaeda