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Conflicts

“Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday appointed Dennis Ross a seasoned Middle East negotiator under Republican and Democratic presidents, as her special adviser for the gulf and Southwest Asia, a portfolio that will include Iran.” http://www2.onu.edu/~dsmith3/westasia.pdf.

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Conflicts

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  1. “Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday appointed Dennis Ross a seasoned Middle East negotiator under Republican and Democratic presidents, as her special adviser for the gulf and Southwest Asia, a portfolio that will include Iran.” http://www2.onu.edu/~dsmith3/westasia.pdf

  2. Conflicts • Arab-Israeli conflict • 1948 Arab-Israeli War • 1956 Suez War • 1967 Six Day War • 1970 War of Attrition • 1973 Yom Kippur War • 1982 Lebanon War • 1987-1993 First Intifada • 1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict • 2000-2007 al-Aqsa Intifada • 2006 Lebanon War • 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict

  3. Contemporary SW Asia/N Africa • The Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa. • It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The term "Middle East" was popularized around 1900 in the United Kingdom. • The Middle East is also the historical origin of three of the world’s major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. • The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate, with several major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas. • Many countries located around the Persian Gulf have large quantities of crude oil. • In modern times the Middle East remains a strategically, economically, politically, culturally and religiously sensitive region.

  4. Unifying Factors • GEOGRAPHY • Oasis-village type of organization • Beyond the oases – Nomadism • Plateau & mountain regions (Egypt & Tigris/Euphrates region: Villages – dependable water supply for irrigation • CULTURE • Islam – official religion or leading religion of all but Israel • Arabic language a bond despite their linguistic differences • Social order of Islam • Region central to other monotheistic in faiths

  5. Unifying Factors • COMMON HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE • Product of 20th century conflicts/interests of outside powers

  6. Boundaries of Ottoman Empire

  7. Islam • Other “indigenous” religious traditions: • Zoroastriansim (confined to Persia) • Judaism (Babylonians  Romans) • Christianity (shifted to Rome) • Muhammad the Prophet (AD 571-632) • Mecca: 45 mi. from Red Sea • receive revelations from Allah (God) AD 613 • “recitation” = Qur’an (Koran) • Muhammad  Arab society  gained enemies • fled Mecca  Medina (Hejira: AD 623)

  8. Islamic precepts • New faith and new set of values Arabs • Five Pillars of Islam: • repeat basic creed • daily prayer • fasting  observe month of Ramadan • giving alms to the poor • pilgrimage to Mecca

  9. The Spread of Islam • By AD 1000: large empire • spread by Arab armies • Islam not an “Arab” religion • Arab capitals: Medina, Damascus, Baghdad • Spatial Diffusion process: • expansion diffusion • relocation diffusion

  10. Islam: leadership crisis • Muhammad dies AD 632 • blood relative? (Arab culture) • any devout Muslim? • Muhammad’s successor (Caliph) • Abu Bakr (Muhammad’s wife’s father) d.634 • Umar (d.644), Uthman (d.656) • Ali, a cousin of Muhammad (d.661) • Husayn ibn Ali & Karbala (AD 680) • Sunni & Shiites (Shia: “follower”)

  11. Islam • Secularism vs. fundamentalism? • Ayatollah (leader under Allah) vs. Shah (King) • Islamic Republics & Sharia criminal code • Ottoman Empire -- 1453-1918 • Ottoman provinces  colonies: boundaries? • Fragmented pop.  borders drawn before oil

  12. Gross National Product per capita

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