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The Rest of the Middle East . Egypt: The Gift of the Nile. Most populous Arab country in the Middle East Dependant on one river for life Historically produced some of the greatest technological and cultural achievements . Egyptians used basin irrigation
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Egypt: The Gift of the Nile • Most populous Arab country in the Middle East • Dependant on one river for life • Historically produced some of the greatest technological and cultural achievements
Egyptians used basin irrigation • Barrages used when occupied by British • Salinization • Used to be major exported in food but…. • Egyptian cotton
Cairo, largest metropolis in the Middle East and all of Africa • An unfavorable trade balance had occurred • Tourism helps, but the violence doesn’t • U.S. is chief non-Arab ally. • Uses Egypt to help control the ME
Afghanistan • High, rugged, arid and mountainous • Only land locked country in the ME • One of the poorest countries in the World • Ethnic groups • Pashtuns • Tajik • Hazara • Kabul is capital
Opium problem • Mostly rural agricultural and pastoral • Most successful crop is Opium • Taliban used revenues to supply arms • Worlds largest opium producer • 2001 Taliban bans cultivation • No harvest till U.S. ousted Taliban • Now back up to producing ¾ of world opium
Afghanistan in World Affairs • USSR invades in 1979 • Mujahideen- anti-soviet rebel bands • supplied by the U.S. • Turns into USSR’s “Vietnam War” • Afghanistan’s 15 mil. hit hard • 1million dead • 2million displaced from homes • 6 million refugees in Iran and Pakistan
Start to slip out of the worlds thoughts….. • Osama bin Laden develops al-Qa’ida • “the base” • to wage wider jihad • Taliban takes control in 1996 • Take Women out of work force • No education for girls • Outlawed “un-lslamic” practices
Northern Alliance • Opponent of Taliban • Wants to bring peace back to people • Supported by US, Russia, neighboring countires • Wild West like bounty for Osama after 9/11 • U.S./ British/Northern Alliance take out Taliban and al-Qa’ida strongholds • Osama and Taliban leader Mullah Omar slip away
Rebuilding • HamidKarzai and U.S. • Help rebuild government • much of power remains with warlords • Al-Qa’ida and Taliban personnel still at large • On the positive side • Public services being built • Reforestation • Possibly have world largest copper deposit
50% of Jordan’s pop. is Palestinian • Similar to other ME countries • Lebanese Civil War • Started because religious factions • 1982 War beings in Israel and Syria
The Maghreb: Northwestern Africa • Morocco • Algeria • Tunisia • Western Sahara