Middle East ConflictsMiddle East Conflicts

Iraq Iran 1980Iraq Iran 1980Soviet Afghan 1980Soviet Afghan 1980

Persian Gulf War 1991Persian Gulf War 1991Taliban – US invasion 2001Taliban – US invasion 2001US invasion of Iraq 2003US invasion of Iraq 2003

Iran Iraq War 1980-88Iran Iraq War 1980-88

IRAQIRAQ– Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire– ArabArab– Saddam controls the Saddam controls the

gov’t = Sunni Muslimgov’t = Sunni Muslim– Ba’th Party - secularBa’th Party - secular

IRANIRAN– Persian EmpirePersian Empire– PersiansPersians– Shiite MuslimShiite Muslim– Fundamentalist Fundamentalist

Shiite gov’t under Shiite gov’t under Ayatollah KhomeiniAyatollah Khomeini

Iraq Iran War 1980 - 88Iraq Iran War 1980 - 88

1979 – Saddam comes to power in Iraq 1979 – Saddam comes to power in Iraq

1979-80 - Iranian Revolution1979-80 - Iranian Revolution– The US-backed Shah is out; Ayatollah in The US-backed Shah is out; Ayatollah in – Iranian Hostage Crisis (US diplomats taken Iranian Hostage Crisis (US diplomats taken

hostage)hostage)

1980 - Iraq invades Iran 1980 - Iraq invades Iran – Uses the excuse that SW Iran, which is mostly Uses the excuse that SW Iran, which is mostly

Arabs, rather be a part of Iraq not IranArabs, rather be a part of Iraq not Iran– Really wanted control of Shatt al ArabReally wanted control of Shatt al Arab

Iraq Iran War 1980 - 88Iraq Iran War 1980 - 88 The The US backed IraqUS backed Iraq

– We had US diplomats being held by the We had US diplomats being held by the Iranian gov’tIranian gov’t

Saddam uses Saddam uses chemical weaponschemical weapons on the on the Kurds – gasses entire villages in the northKurds – gasses entire villages in the north

Murders many ShiitesMurders many Shiites in the south as a in the south as a part of the warpart of the war

After 8 years the After 8 years the UN intervenesUN intervenes and sets and sets up a up a cease fire agreementcease fire agreement – Both countries go back to pre war boundariesBoth countries go back to pre war boundaries

Soviet Afghan War 1980-88 Soviets invade in an effort to support the PDPA

(People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan), which is a Marxist party trying to control the country

Mujahideen rebels from the country side resist Soviet occupation US backs the Mujahideen

Soviets were not prepared for the guerilla warfare of the Mujahideen (or US weapons) over 15,000 Soviets died and 1 million Afghans died

Soviets withdraw 1988 amid pressure from home

Persian Gulf War 1991Persian Gulf War 1991 Aug 1990 – Iraq invades KuwaitAug 1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait

– After talks break down over After talks break down over oil productionoil production and and debt repaymentdebt repayment

– Saddam declares Kuwait is the 19Saddam declares Kuwait is the 19thth province of province of IraqIraq

US & Saudis believe that Iraq will invade US & Saudis believe that Iraq will invade Saudi Arabia next due to their vast oil Saudi Arabia next due to their vast oil suppliessupplies

UN places UN places economic sanctionseconomic sanctions in the form in the form of a of a trade embargotrade embargo on Iraq on Iraq

Saudis asks Pres Bush for troop protection & Saudis asks Pres Bush for troop protection & he agrees = he agrees = Operation Desert ShieldOperation Desert Shield

Persian Gulf War 1991Persian Gulf War 1991

Saddam continues troop build up and Saddam continues troop build up and ignores a ignores a UN resolutionUN resolution demanding him demanding him to withdraw from Kuwaitto withdraw from Kuwait

Jan 1991 – Congress approves Jan 1991 – Congress approves warwar against against IraqIraq

Feb 22 - Feb 22 - UNUN demands that Iraq withdraw demands that Iraq withdraw within 24 hours; if not, troops will be sentwithin 24 hours; if not, troops will be sent

Feb 23 – Saddam doesn’t withdrawFeb 23 – Saddam doesn’t withdraw

Persian Gulf War 1991Persian Gulf War 1991

US ground troops sent in on Feb 24; known US ground troops sent in on Feb 24; known as as Operation Desert StormOperation Desert Storm

It took It took 4 days4 days to defeat Saddam to defeat Saddam

As the Iraqi army retreats, they As the Iraqi army retreats, they set fire to set fire to all oil wellsall oil wells creating an environmental creating an environmental disaster that will be felt for years to comedisaster that will be felt for years to come

Saddam uses this opportunity to crack down Saddam uses this opportunity to crack down on on Shiite and Kurds – more killedShiite and Kurds – more killed

Persian Gulf War 1991Persian Gulf War 1991

Official Official cease firecease fire signed on April 6 signed on April 6thth

US sets up US sets up no fly zonesno fly zones in the north and in the north and south to try and protect Kurds (north) and south to try and protect Kurds (north) and Shiites (south) – see mapShiites (south) – see map

Saddam is Saddam is not ousted from powernot ousted from power– The objective was to get him out of The objective was to get him out of

Kuwait not take him out of power Kuwait not take him out of power – Bush did not want to deal with that Bush did not want to deal with that

mess! (taking a leader out of power)mess! (taking a leader out of power)

Taliban in Afghanistan (play video)

Who are the Taliban? Students of Islamic Knowledge Movement (primarily Sunni

Muslims) A group of Mujahideen that formed during the Soviet

occupation

How did they come to power? After Soviets leave the communist gov’t fell to the

Mujahideen Too many warlords trying to take over = civil unrest Taliban emerges as the strongest group & take control of

Kabul in 1994

Taliban in Afghanistan

Imposed very strict Islamic law Men required to grow beards Women couldn’t leave the house without a male

relative escorting them Public beatings for indiscretions No TV, radio, internet or KITE FLYING!

Gave safe haven to well known terrorists Can you say Osama bin Laden???

Taliban – US invasion

Civil war breaks out due to harsh rule, famine, internal factions between warlords

Biggest threat to the Taliban was the Northern Alliance 2001 Taliban kills N. Alliance leader

Sept 01 – US pressures Taliban to give up bin Laden and they refuse, so we invade! War on Terror begins (play video – “war on terror”)

US enlists the help of Northern Alliance (friendly mujahideen fighting against the Taliban) to try and find bin Laden

No LUCK…bin Laden escapes! But the US is successful in deposing the

Taliban and installing a friendly regime Hamid Karzai becomes acting President in 01

Elections are held in 04 and 09 - Karzai wins Taliban deposed,

but not gone! Taliban reemerge ‘09 –

US refocuses the War on Terror to Afghanistan

US War in Iraq 2003 US War in Iraq 2003 UNFINISHED BUSINESS!!!UNFINISHED BUSINESS!!!

– War on Terror shifts focus to IraqWar on Terror shifts focus to Iraq

US claims Iraq US claims Iraq – Is a Is a hub for terroristshub for terrorists including bin Laden including bin Laden– has has WMDWMD, which was not far fetched considering , which was not far fetched considering

Saddam Saddam kicked out IAEA inspectors in the 1990’skicked out IAEA inspectors in the 1990’s

No evidence of either was ever found – blamed on No evidence of either was ever found – blamed on bad intelligencebad intelligence

Most credible reason – Saddam was a Most credible reason – Saddam was a brutal brutal dictator that killeddictator that killed many of is people (Shiites & many of is people (Shiites & Kurds)Kurds)

US War in IraqUS War in Iraq US could not get the UN to back the warUS could not get the UN to back the war

““Coalition of the Willing” – 49 countries said Coalition of the Willing” – 49 countries said they supported our efforts to take down they supported our efforts to take down SaddamSaddam

A multinational force led by the US invaded A multinational force led by the US invaded Iraq in March 2003 Iraq in March 2003 – Operation Iraqi FreedomOperation Iraqi Freedom– Only 4 of the 49 supplied troops for the Only 4 of the 49 supplied troops for the

invasioninvasion UK, Poland, Australia, and DenmarkUK, Poland, Australia, and Denmark

US War in IraqUS War in Iraq Saddam was captured by US forces in Dec. 2003Saddam was captured by US forces in Dec. 2003

– Put on trial by Iraqi judiciary, convicted, and hangedPut on trial by Iraqi judiciary, convicted, and hanged

Led to counter-insurgency – Led to counter-insurgency – al Qaeda in Iraqal Qaeda in Iraq – led by al-Zarqawi, who would later be killed by US troopsled by al-Zarqawi, who would later be killed by US troops– Responsible for most US & UK casualties – IEDResponsible for most US & UK casualties – IED

Interim Iraqi government is createdInterim Iraqi government is created– Made up of Sunnis, Shiites, KurdsMade up of Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds

Elections held in 2005 & 2010Elections held in 2005 & 2010– Suspected fraud in the 2010 elections lead to an outbreak of Suspected fraud in the 2010 elections lead to an outbreak of

violenceviolence

Iraqi & LeadershipIraqi & Leadership

President President TALIBANITALIBANI – Chief of military & Head of Chief of military & Head of

statestate– Kurd, Sunni MuslimKurd, Sunni Muslim– Pres since 2005; reelected Pres since 2005; reelected

2010 2010

Prime Minister Nouri al-MalikiPrime Minister Nouri al-Maliki – Head of GovernmentHead of Government– Shiite Muslim (majority)Shiite Muslim (majority)– Political party is Islamic orientedPolitical party is Islamic oriented– Financial support from IranFinancial support from Iran

US Withdraw from IraqUS Withdraw from Iraq

US War in Iraq very unpopular at US War in Iraq very unpopular at homehome

The Taliban gain momentum in The Taliban gain momentum in Afghanistan Afghanistan

Obama pledges US withdraw from Obama pledges US withdraw from Iraq starting in August 2010 Iraq starting in August 2010

US troops leave Iraq, but many are US troops leave Iraq, but many are redeployed to Afghanistan to face the redeployed to Afghanistan to face the increasing threat from the Talibanincreasing threat from the Taliban

The Battle for InfluenceThe Battle for Influence

US & NATO troops vs. TalibanUS & NATO troops vs. Taliban US & NATO trying to rebuild Afghan US & NATO trying to rebuild Afghan

infrastructure and show farmers infrastructure and show farmers effective farming techniqueseffective farming techniques

Taliban trying to convince farmers to Taliban trying to convince farmers to grow poppies that will be used to make grow poppies that will be used to make opium opium

Drugs funding terror (Sound familiar?)Drugs funding terror (Sound familiar?)

Fueling Terror – Poppy Farming Fueling Terror – Poppy Farming

““WE GOT HIM”WE GOT HIM” May 1, 2011 - US Navy Seals locate bin May 1, 2011 - US Navy Seals locate bin

Laden living in Abbottabad, Pakistan Laden living in Abbottabad, Pakistan Bin Laden, surprised and unarmed, is shot Bin Laden, surprised and unarmed, is shot

in the head and chest. His body is dumped in the head and chest. His body is dumped at see within 24 hours.at see within 24 hours.

DOES THIS END THE JIHADIST WAR DOES THIS END THE JIHADIST WAR AGAINST THE WEST OR FUEL IT? AGAINST THE WEST OR FUEL IT?

WILL THIS PUSH THE US TO WITHDRAW WILL THIS PUSH THE US TO WITHDRAW FROM AFGHANISTAN?FROM AFGHANISTAN?

How much did How much did the Pakistani the Pakistani government/ government/ military know military know

about bin about bin Laden’s Laden’s

whereabouts? whereabouts?