War Peace in the Middle East

War & Peace in the Middle East • • Palestine is regarded by Jews as their biblical homeland After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in WW 1, Britain administered Palestine as a League of Nations mandate

Israel & the Arabs • During the 1930 s & 40 s, many Jews came to Palestine seeking refuge from anti. Semitism & the Holocaust • Palestinian Arabs resented the influx fearing the newcomers would displace them • Relations became increasingly hostile

The Road to War • Unable to stop the violence, Britain surrendered Palestine, turning the problem over to the U. N. • In 1947 the U. N. partitioned Palestine into separate Jewish & Arab states

Independence & War • The Palestinian Jews accepted the U. N. decision & proclaimed the independent state of Israel in 1948 • The Palestinian Arabs rejected the plan. So did the neighboring Arab countries • Seeking to destroy the new Jewish state, they launched a joint attack against Israel (the 1 st of 4 such wars)

Plight of the Palestinians • To escape the fighting, about 75% of the Arab population of Israel fled to neighboring countries • They expected to return after the war but were unable to do so • Although the host countries permitted the Palestinians to stay, they kept them apart from their own people

The Seeds of Future Discord • The Palestinians settled into refugee camps where they had little opportunity to provide for their families or lead normal lives • For their survival, the Palestinians had to depend on aid from international charities • Terrorists would find willing recruits in such conditions

Video clips: Arab-Israeli Wars The Arab-Israeli Conflict, part 1 - Land Division (10 min 5 sec)

Video clips: Arab-Israeli Wars 1948 war (8 min 22 sec)

Video clips: Arab-Israeli Wars 1956 war (Suez Crisis— 10 min 4 sec)

The Six Day War (3 rd Arab-Israeli War) • Fought in June `67 • Began with an Israeli surprise attack on Egypt • The outcome was a swift & decisive Israeli victory. It took control of the Gaza Strip & the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the W. Bank & E. Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria • The status of the territories captured during the war & related refugee problem are central concerns in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict

The Yom Kippur War (4 th Arab-Israeli War) • Was fought in Oct. `73 • Began when the Arab nations launched a surprise attack on the holiest day in Judaism Its far-reaching implications: • Ended the perception of Israeli invincibility • Prompted U. S. initiated efforts at peacemaking

The 1973 Oil Embargo • The 1973 oil crisis started in October, when the Middle Eastern members of OPEC proclaimed an oil embargo for the U. S. support of Israel during the Yom Kippur war • The promise of a U. S. negotiated settlement between Israel & Syria prompted the oil producers to lift the embargo in March 1974 • It had a powerful impact on western economies, caused a rift between the U. S. & Europe and began to affect U. S. consumer behavior & energy policies

O. P. E. C. • The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' is a cartel of 12 countries which meet regularly to promote the interests of these major oil producers • OPEC's influence on the market has at times been criticized (ex: the 1973 “oil weapon”)

U. S. Energy & Foreign Policies Intersect • As U. S. energy consumption & its dependence on foreign energy sources have climbed, America has been forced to fight to protect its interests

U. S. Energy & Foreign Policies Intersect (cont’d. )

Camp David Accords - 1978 • Carter’s greatest accomplishment (received 2002 Nobel Peace Prize) • Israel cedes control of the Sinai, while Egypt becomes the 1 st Arab state to recognize Israel’s right to exist; “Land for Peace”

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan 1979 -1988 • In 1979 the USSR invaded Afghanistan to maintain a pro. Soviet leader in power • Soviet troops fought a “Vietnamlike” war against Afghan guerillas • Afghan forces were aided by the CIA & foreign fighters, including bin Laden, who wished to wage jihad against the atheist communists • After the Soviet withdrawal in 1988, civil war engulfed Afghanistan • In 1996 an Islamist militia group called the Taliban gained control

Origins of The Iran Hostage Crisis • The U. S. helped install the Shah in the 50 s • The Shah was an autocratic ruler determined to transform Iran into a western-style state • In 1979 an Islamic revolution began led by the Ayatollah Khomeini

The Iran Hostage Crisis 1979 -1981 • The exiled leader of Iran was granted permission to enter the U. S. • Revolutionaries seized the U. S. embassy, took its staff hostage & demanded the return of the Shah

Iran Hostage Crisis • April `80: Carter authorized a failed rescue attempt • November `80: Carter loses re-election • January `81: Reagan is sworn in & on that same day the 444 day ordeal ends

Iran-Iraq War (1980 -1988) • Began in 1980 when Iraq attacked Iran • One of the causes was over territory controlling access to the Persian Gulf • The war was also a test of which country should be the dominant regional power… • Iraq: secular society, governed by Sunni Muslims (Saddam Hussein) • Iran: Shi‘ite fundamentalist society led by Khomeini

Iran-Iraq War (cont’d. ) • WW 1 style: use of WMDs, appalling casualties, little territory changing hands • The West tended to favor Iraq, particularly because of fear of Islamic fundamentalism sweeping the region • However, in 1990 they again were taking up arms against Iraq in the Gulf War • Video (2: 42)

The Persian Gulf War (1990 - 1991) • Aug. 90: Iraq, saddled with debt from its war with Iran, hoping to expand its access to the Persian Gulf, seizes Kuwait • It is now poised to take Saudi Arabia, leaving Saddam Hussein in control of 1/2 the world’s oil supply

Operation Desert Shield August 2, 1990 -January 16, 1991 • The U. N. Security Council passes a resolution condemning the invasion & authorizing the use of force • The U. S. leads an international coalition of troops (including Arabs) assembling in the Persian Gulf awaiting the Jan. 15 deadline

Operation Desert Storm • Jan. 16: The U. S. & its allies stage a massive air assault against Iraq • Feb. 23: Allies launch a ground offensive from Saudi Arabia • Feb. 28: President Bush announces a cease-fire

End of the Gulf War: A “New World Order? ” • Iraq was driven from Kuwait quickly & with minimal allied casualties • Hussein remained in power, defying UN weapons inspectors for another 12 yrs • Liberals criticized the war as a bloodbath, while conservatives criticized Bush for leaving Hussein in power • Most Americans supported the war, feeling it had ended the specter of Vietnam

Terrorism… • Definition: premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by clandestine agents • Terrorism is NOT a uniquely Middle Eastern or Islamic phenomenon. Nor is it a new creation

…in the Middle East Jewish Groups: 1. Irgun • • • King David Hotel, Jerusalem Founded: 1931 Goal: end British rule Infamous act: 1946 bombing of the British military H. Q. 2. Lehi • • Founded: 1940 after Ingrun agreed to a truce with Britain Infamous act: 1944 assassination of the British Minister of State for the Middle East Yitzhak Shamir - was a member of both the Irgun & Lehi. He later worked for the Mossad & was Prime Minister during the 1980 s The assassination of Lord Moyne was controversial among Zionist militant groups as the British responded with a massive man-hunt

Terrorism in the Middle East Islamic Groups: 1. The P. L. O. • Founded: 1964 • Goal: "liberation of Palestine" through armed struggle • Infamous act: killing of Israeli athletes at the `72 Olympics 2. Islamic Jihad • Infamous act: 1983 killing of 241 U. S. Marines in Beirut • NBC Video (2: 30)

September 11, 2001 Timeline: • 7: 58 am: U. A. Flight 175 departs Boston for LA. with 56 passengers & 9 crew members. It is hijacked after take off & diverted to N. Y. • 7: 59 am: A. A. Flight 11 departs Boston for L. A. , with 81 passengers & 11 crew. It is also hijacked & diverted to N. Y.

9. 11 Timeline (cont’d) • 8: 01 am: U. A. Flight 93, with 38 passengers & 7 crew, leaves Newark for San Francisco • 8: 10 am: A. A. Flight 77 departs Washington for L. A. , with 58 passengers & 6 crew. It is hijacked after take off • 8: 46 am: A. A. 11 crashes into the North Tower at the World Trade Center

9. 11 Timeline (cont’d) • 9: 03 am: U. 175 crashes into the South Tower of the W. T. C. , signaling this was no accident The F. A. A. shuts down all N. Y. area airports • 9: 21 am: Bridges & tunnels leading into N. Y. C. are closed • 9: 25 am: The F. A. A. grounds all domestic flights

9. 11 Timeline (cont’d) • 9: 45 am: A. A. 77 crashes into the Pentagon • 10: 05 am: The South Tower of the W. T. C. collapses & The White House is evacuated

9. 11 Timeline (cont’d) • 10: 10 am: U. 93 crashes in Shanksville, PA. after passengers confront hijackers • 10: 28 am: The North Tower of the W. T. C. collapses • 2, 985 people died: • All but 13 people died on that day • There were 266 people on the 4 planes, including the 19 hijackers • 2, 595 people died in or near the World Trade Center including: • 343 firefighters & paramedics • 60 police officers • 327 foreign nationals • 125 people died at the Pentagon

The U. S. Responds • Pres. Bush “declares war” on terrorism • USA Patriot Act is enacted to facilitate counter terrorism surveillance • Dept. of Homeland Security is created to bolster domestic security • US troops invade Afghanistan to destroy Al Qaeda

• Oct: U. S. & British Afghanistan, 2001 -? forces invade destroying Al Qaeda bases & removing the Taliban govt. • A pro-Western govt. , led by Hamid Karzai, was established

War in Iraq (2003 -? )

War in Iraq (cont’d)

WMDs

Religious Fundamentalism

Jerusalem

The End of Colonialism