The Middle East
Sarazin World History
Splendor of Islam
• Muhammad discovers Islam and upon his
death in 632 CE Islam spreads
• Muslims lead the civilized world in arts and
sciences.
• Great cities develop like Baghdad, Cairo,
and Damascus
Clash of Cultures
• Europe languished in the dark ages while
Muslim scholars, artists, and astronomers
flourished.
• European Christians launch a long,
bloody, offensive called the crusades to
take back holy sites.
• Osama bin Laden refers to the US and
European leaders as “Crusaders”
The Great War
• The muslim world declines after World War I and
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most lands of the Middle East were fading grip of
the Ottoman Empire
A new map of the area was created making new
countries - Iraq, Kuwait, Palestine and others
These were created of European necessity
bearing no resemblance to the diverse cultures,
religions, and beliefs. Anger
Birth of a Nation
• From the wreckage of World War II and
the Holocaust, a new nation was born Israel.
• This nation state created anger of
Palestinians who were also promised a
nation in a treaty before WWI
• The refused and still refuse to recognize
this homeland
A new Age of Oil
• The Middle East remains aloof of world
affairs for centuries
• A quirk of Geography- its desert sands
concealed vast deposits of the single most
important commodity - oil
• Wealth and connections with the west
developed in trade
The rise of Islamism
• The development of Israel gives Arab
inhabitants a common enemy
• Arab nationalists, Palestinian Guerrillas,
fundamentalists and west hating terrorists
develop
• Militant Islamism is developed
Stuck in the Middle
• Lebanon is trapped between Israel and the
anti-Israeli states of Syria and Iran
• Lebanon’s Governement is dominated by
Syrian Strongmen
• Hizballah fighters dominate the
government and kill israeli soldiers in 2006
igniting war
• Civil War has dominated this culture
Who’s Who
• Yasser Arafat (1929-2004) Longtime
chairman of the PLO and the first time
President. Sponsored terrorism
• Saddam Hussein - Remorseless Sunni
Muslim who ruled Iraq. Executed
• Osama Bin Laden - Mastermind of a
series of terrorist attacks: 9/11, USS Cole,
National Embassy, Somalia
Women in Islam
• Islam improved life for women in 7th
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Century - Livestock - buried alive
Women are still not equal though
Men are entitled to 4 spouses
A woman’s testimony is 1/2 that of a mans
in court
Cannot sue for divorce
Women Continued
• Wives can be beaten and men get off with very
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little punishment even in honor killings.
Muslims respond to criticism by saying crime
rates are low, pornography illegal, sexual
exploitation and entertainment is nonexistant
Different in cultures and women do not feel it is
all bad with their veils keeping them from
unwanted sexual advances.
Terrorists
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Political Terrorists (1970-1980s)
Freelance Terrorists
Islamist Terrorists (1990’s to now)
“Those who sacrifice their lives to earn the
pleasure of god are real men. They manage to
rid the Islamic nation of disgrace and we hold
them in the highest esteem” Osama bin Laden in
Time Magazine
The impact of Oil
• Oil started World War II when the United states
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shut Japan of from oil
Historically nations that need resources end up
with 1 of 2 fates
Dominate nations with the resources or be
dominated
The US needs support of Middle east for oil.
The development of China and other countries
will only increase the need for foreign oil
Oil Production
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Saudi Arabia
Canada
Iran
Kuwait
UAE
Venezuala
Russia
Libya
264.3
178.8
132.5
101.5
97.8
79.7
60
39.1
The US
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The US burns 20 million barrels a day
25% of the worlds total consuption
12 million barrels is imported
President declares a 75% reduction in
usage of oil from the Middle East upsetting
many countries
• Why less desirable
Christians
• A Christian Minority still exists in the Middle East
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but numbers are on the decline.
12 million Christians find themselves in the
crosshairs of terrorism
Muhammad had brought things only evil and
inhuman to the world. Also questioned Jihad and
said that holy war was unreasonable. Pope
Benedict - Islamic uproar
Timeline of events
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1956
1964
1967
1970
1973
1973
1978
The Suez Canal and Nasser
The P.L.O. and Arafat
The 6 day War
Terror at the Munich Olympics
The Yom Kippur War
The Arab Oil Embargo
Breakthrough at Camp David
Timeline Continued
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1979 Soviets invade Afghanistan
1980-88
Iran Iraq War
1981 Sadat Assassinated
1983 US barracks bombing in Leb.
1988 Saddam attacks the Kurds
1989 Bin Laden becomes boss
Timeline
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1991
1995
1998
1998
2000
2001
2001
Operation Desert Storm
Israel’s Rabin is Assassinated
The US Embassy Attack Kenya
The World Trade Center (1)
The USS Cole destroyed Yemin
9/11 attacks
US topples the Taliban
Timeline
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2003 The Fall of Saddam
2003-2006 The meltdown of Iraq
2005 Irans new leader (Ahmadinejad)
2006 Hamas wins at the polls.
2006 Israel and Hizballah go to war
Questions to consider
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Can Israel be accepted?
Can the cycle of terrorism be stopped?
Is there room for minorities
Will Iran continue to be Hostile?
Can Iraq be stabilized
Where are Islamic Women Going?
Will the walls come down?
Who owns the future?