History of the History of the Middle EastMiddle East

• Mandate (in the League of Nations) = following WWI, countries were given the right to control the government and affairs of a former Turkish territory or German colony. – To the victors go the spoils

IraqIraq

• 1920- given to Great Britain as a “mandate” (result of WWI, just like Palestine)

• 1932 gained independence from Britain– Kingdom of Iraq (Monarchy)

• 1979 Saddam Hussein becomes president– declares war on Iran (Iraq-Iran War)– Kurdish Genocide: killing of 50,000-

100,000 Kurds by Saddam’s govt. via chemical attack

– Persian Gulf War: Saddam invades Kuwait; U.S. led coalition forces Iraq out of Kuwait

• 2003 2nd Gulf War: U.S. invades Iraq; topples Saddam’s govt.; democracy est.

LebanLebanonon

• Post-WWI mandate of France• 1943 granted independence by

France• 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War:

– Maronite Christians supported by

Israel and the West vs. Arab nationalists, Muslims, and Palestinians supported by Soviets

– Outcome:120,000 deaths & 1 million wounded

• 2006 Conflict with Israel– Hezbollah bases located in Lebanon (Islamic militant group)

• 2010 Arab Spring protests – minor/no changes

SyriSyriaa

• Post-WWI mandate of France• 1946 granted independence

by France• 1970 Hafiz al-Asad overthrows

govt. in a bloodless coup• 2000 Bashar al-Asad (son)

becomes president• March 2011-Present Syrian

Civil War: rebels revolt against govt.

Reasons for revolutionReasons for revolution

• President Bashar al-Assad: followed in the same footsteps as his dad

• Large divide between rich and poor

• Population growth• Corruption• Violence against the citizens• New media made this possible

(Twitter, facebook, texts, pictures, videos)

• NEWS PAPERS

AfghanistAfghanistanan

• Mid-1800’s • Durand Line creates boundary between Afghanistan

and Pakistan dividing Pashtuns. – politically dividing two ethnic groups who live on both sides

of the border (India all over again)– one of the most dangerous borders in the world

• smuggling of weapons• Kidnappings and murders are frequent• How does this lawless land hurt/help America’s was on terrorism?

• 1978 communist govt. created• Mujahideen fighters (Muslim Afghan

opposition youth groups trained in Pakistan)

• 1979-1989 Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan (Soviets defeated)

• 1989-1996 Afghan Civil War = Taliban seizes control of Afghanistan• Taliban (Islamic militant political group created

from religious schools for Afghan refugees in Pakistan)

• 1996-2001 Taliban rule of Afghanistan• Strict Islamic law = Human rights violations• Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan since 1997

• 2001 Operation Enduring Freedom• Allied invasion of Afghanistan • overthrow Taliban and est. Democracy

• 2009-2012 Taliban insurgency and Peace Talks