AFGHANISTAN

PAKISTAN
1) Ethnic and Religious Conflict
Difference in religion and race

2) Palestinian / Israeli Conflict

Fighting over the creation of Israel after WWII

3) Western Influence and Intervention

Western countries from North America and Europe influence or actively intervene in
culture and politics

4) Secularism vs. Religious Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism = Strictly following religious laws
Secularism = non-religious
 The Ottoman Empire ruled over
the Middle East territory for
600 years
 After the fall of the empire, there was still a sense of
nationalism even though there were many different
ethnic groups that did not get along.

That changed in 1922 when the Republic of Turkey was

created
the rest of the empire was divided without
thinking about how the ethnic groups would be
affected.
Many groups that were enemies were forced to
be in the same country.
Checkpoint #1
True or False:
1. Which of the following is 1. The Ottoman Empire was
not a point of conflict in the
previously in control of the
modern Middle East?
A. Israeli/Palestinian
Middle East.
Conflict 2. The Ottoman Empire officially
B. Ethnic Conflict ended with the creation of
C. Peaceful religions Israel.
D. Western Influence
3. Nationalism is the feeling of
pride and loyalty for a
country/homeland.
 Israel and Palestine
1. The Holy Land is given to the Jews by God.

2. Diaspora: Over the course of 4000 years the Jews choose leave or are forced to leave the Holy Land
Caused by political change (Example: Conquered and exiled or enslaved)
Or lack of resources (Example: Famine)
Each time some Jews return to the Holy Land

3. Each time the Jews leave the region there are other groups of people who remain
Arab Muslims are at home in the region by 638 CE
Jerusalem is a holy city for Islam
Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Oslo Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonian Rome Islamic Migratio United Law of between David Peace voted a non-
s take over Invades Conquest of n to Nations Return Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine creates Palestine the U.N
in the Partition is
1920s plan established
 Israel and Palestine
4. Leading up to WWI (1914-1918) anti-Semitism (hate for the Jewish People) grows

5. As the Ottoman Empire fell apart and was divided Great Brittan was given control of Palestine.
In 1917 the British made promises to protect the religious and civil rights of non-Jewish
Palestinians living in the region. The British do not keep their promises

6. After WWI some Jews who feel unsafe because of anti-Semitism, leave their home countries
and begin to move to Palestine (The Holy land)

Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Oslo Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonian Rome Islamic Migration United Law of between David Peace voted a non-
s take over Invades Conquest of to Nations Return Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine in creates Palestine the U.N
the 1920s Partition is
plan established
 Israel and Palestine
7. After WWII the Zionist movement gains in popularity.
Many people feel that the after the treatment of the Jews by Hitler
that they should be able to return to their ancestral holy land
Put yourself
in their
8. In 1947 The United Nations creates the Partition Plan. shoes how
This plan creates the Jewish state of Israel. They divide the land would you
feel?
giving some to the Jews and allowing the Palestinians to keep
some.
Jewish representatives support this but Palestinian
representatives do not
Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Oslo Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonians Rome Islamic Migration United Law of Return between David Peace voted a non-
take over Invades Conquest of to Nations Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine creates is established Palestine the U.N
in the Partition
1920s plan
 Israel and Palestine
9. In 1950 the Law of Return was established
This law stated that Jews from anywhere in the world
could immigrate to Israel and become a citizen.
There was a huge Jewish population growth
1948 - .8 million Jews in Israel
1964 2.4 million Jews in Israel
Today: approximately 6.5 million Jews in Israel

Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Oslo Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonian Rome Islamic Migration United Law of Return between David Peace voted a non-
s take over Invades Conquest of to Nations Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine creates is established Palestine the U.N
in the Partition
1920s plan
 Israel and Palestine
10. There have been several wars and smaller conflicts between the Israelis
and Palestinians.

11. In 1964 the Palestinian's created the Palestinian Liberation Organization

(PLO). It acted as a government in exile. Yasir Arafat was the leader.

12. 1974 the PLO was recognized by the UN as the official representative of
the Palestinian people.

Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Oslo Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonian Rome Islamic Migration United Law of Return between David Peace voted a non-
s take over Invades Conquest of to Nations Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine creates is established Palestine the U.N
in the Partition
1920s plan
 Israel and Palestine
13. There have been several attempts to get the PLO and Israeli government
to agree to a peace treaty. Each time there has been little success.
Conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians still continue.

14. In 1993 the PLO changes its name to Palestinian Authority and in 2011
petitions for Statehood. Mammoud Abbas is now the leader

15. In 2012 the U.N. voted to recognize Palestine as a state, but not a
member of the United Nations

Diaspora 312-638 CE
Byzantine
Jews 312 BCE Empire 1948 war 1967 war
2000 BCE return Greeks Constantine 1914- 1939- between between 1974 PLO 1993 Oslo
Abraham to conquer converts to 1918 1945 Israel and Israel and recognized Peace
in Israel Israel Israel Christianity WWI WWII Palestine Palestine by U.N. Accord

Hebrews 605 BCE 63 BCE 638 CE Jewish 1947 the 1950 the 1973 war 1979 Camp 2012 Palestine
in Egypt Babylonian Rome Islamic Migration United Law of Return between David Peace voted a non-
s take over Invades Conquest of to Nations Israel and accord member state by
region Israel Jerusalem Palestine creates is established Palestine the U.N
in the Partition
1920s plan
Israel and Palestine today
Palestinian extremist groups
(Hamas & Hezbollah) reject
the right of Israel to exist as
well as all negotiations with
Israel

Violence continues between

these groups and Israel
especially near the Wall and
Jewish settlement in West
Bank
Israel and Palestine today
Palestinians living in Israel live in the West bank or
along the Gaza strip

The Palestinians were the largest group

of refugees in the world today.
80% of the Palestinians left the region
in 1948.
44% of Jordans population are
displaced and refugee Palestinians.
Israel rejects the right of return for
refugees. Once they leave they can not
return.
 At
A
Glance
Checkpoint #2

True or False:

1. Present-day Israel is a Jewish state.

2. Many Palestinians have become refugees.
3. The United States sides with the Palestinians.
4. Both sides are guilty of starting violence.
5. The PLO represents Israeli interests
6. The Palestinian authority is recognized by the U.N.
 Iran Background Info
90% of the Muslims living in Iran are Shiites
Most Iranians are fundamentalists. They act
strictly by their religious law & dont recognize
other sects or religions.
 Iran US Relations
Iran was a monarchy ruled by Shah Pahlevi
He attempted to westernize/modernize Iran, which
upset the fundamentalist Iranians.
Shah was forced to flee the country during the Iranian
revolution in 1979.

After the revolution, Iran became

an Islamic Republic (theocracy),
and was led by Ayatollah
Khomeini.
 Iran US Relations
While in exile, the Shah developed
lymphoma, so U.S. President Jimmy
Carter allowed the Shah to enter the US
for treatment.

Carters actions were humanitarian, rather than

political, however, this action prompted Iranian
students to take over the American Embassy in
Tehran. The American workers in the embassy were
held hostage for 444 days.
 Irans Current Leaders

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the President: Hassan Rouhani was

Supreme Leader - the highest power
in the land (appoints the head of the
judiciary, military leaders, the head of
radio and TV and Friday prayer
leaders. He also confirms the election
of Iran's president.)
elected in June 2013. The president is
responsible for signing treaties,
agreements with other countries,
international organizations etc. He has
the power to appoint ministers,
ambassadors, governors once
approved by the parliament.
 Iran Nuclear Crisis
In the last decade or so, Iran has been devoting
more of its resources to the development of
nuclear power/weapons.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was president

from 2005 to 2013, insisted that Iran had an
"inalienable right" to produce nuclear fuel.

The United Nations has posed several rounds of

sanctions against Iran.
 The Iran Nuclear Deal
In January 2014 - Iran and a group of six world powers completed a deal to
temporarily freeze much of Tehrans nuclear program in exchange for limited
relief from Western economic sanctions.
1. Iran can still enrich Uranium, just not enough to build bombs
2. If Iran complies with all requirements of the deal, the ban will be lifted in 15 years,
although some of the restrictions will last for 25 years.
However, tension between Iran and the West remains constant.
Checkpoint #3
True or False:
a. Fundamentalists are open to any religion.
b. The Shah was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
c. The government of Iran is a democratic republic.
d. The supreme leader of Iran is the president.
e. There are tense relations between Iran and western countries
because of Irans desire to produce nuclear power/weapons.
 Afghanistan
Afghanistan has suffered from chronic instability and conflict
during its modern history.
The country is landlocked and mountainous.
Like Iran, Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic.

How might the geography

of Afghanistan affect its
economy?
 Afghanistan During the Cold War
During the Cold War in the 1970s, a
million Afghans were killed by
Soviet Red Army invasion due to
their proximity to U.S. ally, Pakistan.

Many fled to Pakistan as refugees.

Pakistan
 Formation of the Taliban
Many of the refugees during the Cold War who fled
to Pakistan became members of the Taliban, an
Muslim extremist organization that took over much
of Afghanistan.

Despite some opposition in the local populations,

the Taliban successfully took over most of the
country of Afghanistan.
 The Taliban in Control
While trying to take control over
northern & western Afghanistan, the
Taliban committed massacres against
civilians, Shiite Muslims were specific
targets.

Despite being in control of 90% of

the country by 2001, only 3 world
governments officially recognized
the Taliban government.
 The Taliban and Al-Qaeda

The Taliban produced the al-Qaeda terrorist network,

led by Osama bin Laden.
Al-Qaeda was responsible for over 3,000 deaths on
September 11, 2001 in the U.S. and for introducing
the world to a very wrong perception of Islam
 The Taliban and Al-Qaeda
After the 9/11 attacks, U.S. soldiers began searching for al-Qaeda
terrorists in Afghanistan, partly due to the Talibans refusal to
give up Osama bin Laden.

Osama bin Laden was found and killed in

May of 2011 by U.S. Navy Seal Team 6.
 Afghanistan Today
There was continued instability and declining respect for human rights in
the country over the past year.
Attacks on womens rights
Internal displacement and migration (Refugees)

Government security forces and other

armed groups are known for committing
some of these.
Many groups (both in and out of the
country) have been working to address these
issues.
Checkpoint #4
True or False:
a. Landlocked is a term meaning that a country has no coastline.
b. During the Cold War, many Afghans became refugees.
c. Many Afghan refugees joined the Taliban.
d. The group Al-Qaeda came from the Taliban.
e. Afghanistan is known for great human rights.
Iraqs People

Iraq is made up of 3 different

ethnic groups that are
constantly fighting for
territory and control
Sunni Arabs
Shiite Arabs
Kurds
 Saddam Hussein
The British mandate after WWI established the
Kingdom or Iraq. It was a monarchy from WWI
until a military coup in 1958

In 1979, Saddam Hussein

became president (military
dictator) after the monarchy
was overthrown

Hussein gained power by killing

or arresting his opposition
 The Iran-Iraq War
In 1980, a border dispute between Sunni
and Shiite Muslims flared into a full-scale
war, the Iran-Iraq War. The war lasted 8
years.

Both sides used chemical weapons against

the other.

After the Iran-Iraq War, which ended in

cease-fire in 1988, Iraq was left with a large
debt and a powerful army.
 The Persian-Gulf War
Saddam Hussein accused Kuwait of stealing oil from Iraqi
oil fields.
Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 in what became known as the
Persian Gulf War.

A U.N. force, led by the U.S., drove Iraq out of Kuwait in

1991 (called Operation Desert Storm).
After the war, Iraq was prohibited from producing
weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
Iraqs arms facilities were also subject to inspection by
United Nations officials.
 War in Iraq (Again)
In 2003, the U.S. under President Bush requested military action from
the U.N. against Iraq for violating the WMD ban.

The U.N. denied the request, but a U.S. led coalition invaded Iraq
anyway. A political firestorm ensued over the decision for many years.

Although no WMDs were found, the

US and its allies helped to create a new
democratic government in Iraq after
the old regime fell.
 Modern Iraq
Years later, Saddam Hussein was found in hiding,
was removed from power, and was hanged for
Crimes against humanity.

U.S. military remained in Iraq to ensure a

democracy was in place. The last US troops were
pulled out of Iraq in 2011.
 Modern Iraq
The new government
supported by the U.S.
was weak
Many Iraqis claimed that
the government favored
the Shiites at the
expense of the Sunnis
and Kurds.
Today, Iraq is in chaos.

Sunni rebels, an uneasy alliance between former Saddam Hussein loyalists and ISIS have overrun large
areas of Iraq, including the countrys second-largest city, Mosul
 Checkpoint #5
Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
1. Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq as a military dictator.
2. The Iran-Iraq war left Iraq with a large army.
3. WMDs were found by the United Nations in Iraq.
4. The three groups vying for control in Iraq are the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds.
Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
1. The United Nations granted President Bush access to Iraq.
2. Saddam Hussein was hanged for crimes against humanity.
3. Iraq invaded Kuwait, which started the Persian Gulf War.
4. Since the US has left Iraq, there has been political chaos.
 Syria

Modern day Syria was created

following World War I and
controlled by France.

Syria gained independence in 1946, but

since 1971 has been controlled by Hafez al-
Assad and now his son Bashar al-Assad
through dictatorship.
 Syrias Civil War
Since July 2011 the Free Syrian
Army has been fighting against Syrian
the current government in a Government
violent civil war. Forces

The civil war started as an

uprising to overthrow the
president, Bashar al-Assad, but
has devolved into a three-way
conflict.
Free Syrian Army
ISIS Extremists
(Rebels)
Syrias Civil War
Many civilians have been casualties of
the fighting and have fled to nearby
countries as refugees.
President Obama seriously considered
launching airstrikes against the Assad
regime as punishment for waging
chemical warfare against civilians, but
the Assad government agreed to destroy
its chemical weapons stockpile and the
Obama administration backed down.
The United States has been supporting
moderate Syrian rebels, known as the
Free Syrian Army, but has largely stayed
on the sideline.
Checkpoint #5
Which of the following is NOT true?
1. Syria has been controlled by a dictator since 1971.
2. A civil war has been going on in Syria since 2011.
3. The United States backs the Free Syrian Army.
4. Al-Qaeda is also fighting to take over parts of Syria as part of the
civil war.
 Who is ISIS?
The jihadist group in the Middle East that has oil revenues, arms and
organization, controls vast stretches of Syria and Iraq and
aspires to achieve statehood.
Wait...why
They claim to be running a Caliphate (Islamic State ruled does President
Obama call
by one leader). them ISIL?
They want to enforce their view of conservative
Islamic Traditions
 Where is ISIS?

The Caliphate covers ISIS-

controlled areas in Northern
Syria and Northwestern Iraq.
 How does the ISIS Caliphate Work?

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi

is the self-proclaimed
leader (Caliph)
Caliphs are seen as
the political
successors to the
prophet Muhammad
 ISIS Methods
ISIS has more than 30,000 fighters and are known for their brutality
The beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker shocked the
public and made clear ISIS brutal tactics.
ISIS uses social media to spread fear.
(more than 130,000 Syrians have fled to
Turkey)
It is said to be raising $2 million a day
from oil sales, taxes, extortion (blackmail),
and smuggling.
 Recent ISIS Activity
Since 2014, ISIS has gained control
over more territory in Syria and Iraq.
They have also launched numerous
attacks on targets across the Middle
East and around the world, including
Turkey, Belgium, Germany, and the U.S.
in 2016 (just to name a few).
They continue to gain more followers
world-wide.
 Checkpoint #6
True or False:
a. ISIS is not well funded.
b. ISIS is known for their brutality.
c. ISIS and ISIL refers to the same group.
Saudi Arabia
During the Ottoman Empire the region was
ruled by many different tribes. In 1938 Ibn
Saud unified the tribes with Britains
support. He established an absolute
monarchy.

Shortly after the formation of the monarchy

they found oil which greatly expanded the
Kings power.

Most Saudi Arabians are Sunni Muslim. The

majority are from a fundamentalist sect
called Wahhabism
 Saudi Arabia
U.S. Feelings about
Saudi Arabia On paper, Saudi Arabia
is an ally to the United
States, although we
Positives Negatives dont agree with some of
their policies.

Unlimited Government
Oil (Absolute Monarchy)

Helped with Human Rights Issues (womens

Operation Desert rights, harsh court punishments,
Storm in the 90s religious persecution)

Did not help with the 2003 invasion

of Iraq
 Saudi Arabias Oil
Saudi Arabia is one of the
U.S.s biggest oil suppliers.
It has approximately 25%
of the worlds known oil
reserves.
 Formation of OPEC
Since 1960, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait & Venezuela formed OPEC (Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries). Since then, 9 more countries have joined OPEC.
They are very powerful because of the worlds dependency on oil, and they set the price &
amount of oil produced.
1973- OPEC placed embargo on Israeli-allied countries, like the U.S., and gas prices went sky
high due to lower supply
Led to gas rationing (specific day purchases)
Schools went half-days to conserve on heating cost
 Checkpoint #7
Which of the following is false?
a. Saudi Arabia is an important country
to Muslims.
b. Saudi Arabias biggest export is
wheat and rice.
c. Saudi Arabia has a poor human
rights record.
d. Saudi Arabia is a US ally.
True or False:
a. Saudi Arabia is a poor country.
b. Saudi Arabia has crude oil.
c. OPEC is not a powerful world
influence.
d. The US and Saudi Arabia
relationship status = its
complicated.
 Egypt
Until the 1920s, Great Britain had
absolute control over Egypt.

Since then, Egypt has been through

multiple government changes.

The economy is based on agriculture,

oil exports & tourism.
 Egypt and the Suez Canal
Most of its money comes from the use
of the Suez Canal.
Built in the mid-1800s to compete with
western nations.
Created a shorter sea route between
Europe and Asia.
Egypt has closed off the Suez
a few times, typically during
war. For example, it was closed
during the Six Day War with
Israel in 1967.

Today, an average of 50 ships navigate the canal daily,

carrying more than 300 million tons of goods a year.
 Egypt and Israel
After the 6 Day war Egypt lost control
of the Sinai Peninsula

Under the presidency of Anwar Sadat,

Egypt became the first Arab state to
sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.

Egypt eventually regained control over

the Sinai Peninsula in 1982.
 Egypts Revolution
For years, human rights organizations have regarded Egypt as having a
poor record.
Specifically, they were scrutinized for lacking democracy, torture tactics & arbitrary
detentions and trials.
Due to the lack of rights and
issues, such as unemployment,
corruption & food price inflation,
Egyptians protested and rioted in
the streets of Cairo.
President Hosni Mubarak, the
Prime Ministers & the Parliament
were overthrown in 2011.
 Egypt Today
Following the revolution, Egypt was led by President
Mohammed Morsi.
President Morsi defended the work of the Islamist controlled
parliament to write a new constitution for Egypt. However,
many felt Morsi is abusing his power like Mubarak did.

Morsi was removed from office and

replaced. Retired Field Marshal Abdel
Fattah al-Sisi was elected president in
May 2014
 Checkpoint #8
Which of the following is false?
a. Egypts political history is stable.
b. Most of Egypts money comes
from the Suez Canal.
c. The Sinai Peninsula belongs to
Egypt.
d. In 2011, Egypt had a revolution
that overthrew their dictator.
True or False:
a. Great Britain formerly
controlled Egypt.
b. The people started the
revolution in 2011, against the
government.
c. Since 2011, the people have
favored the president and
constitution.
The Arab Spring
 What was the Arab Spring?
The Arab Spring was a series of demonstrations and protests (both non-violent
and violent), riots, and civil wars in the Middle East that began in December
2010.
By December 2013, rulers had been forced from power in Tunisia, Egypt (twice),
Libya, and Yemen; civil uprisings had erupted in Bahrain and Syria; major
protests had broken out in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Israel and
Sudan and minor protests occurred in several other countries.
The goal for these protests and riots was to establish democracy in these
countries.
 Was the Arab Spring Successful?
While many harsh dictators were ousted during the Arab Spring (including
Mubarak in Egypt and Gadhafi in Libya), democracies have not been
successful established in any of these countries.
Civil war continues in several countries,
including Syria.
 Why isnt there Peace in the Middle East?

1. Conflicts between modern & traditional 2. Religious conflicts like the continuing
ideas like womens rights differences between Sunni & Shiite
Muslims, for example
 Why isnt there Peace in the Middle East?
3. Environmental issues like water rights and oil drilling
4. Displaced peoples and refugees
5. Terrorism