Transcript Why is there Turmoil in the Modern Middle East?

Why is there Turmoil in the Modern
Middle East?
Jerusalem
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Jews: Abraham was
prepared to sacrifice
Isaac/Temples.
Christians: Jesus was
crucified.
Muslims: Muhammad
ascended into heaven;
Dome of the Rock.
Christians v. Muslims
The Crusades
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Pope Urban II –
launched the First
Crusade in 1095 to take
back Jerusalem from
the Muslims (Turks)
Jerusalem was
captured in 1099 and all
the Muslims and Jews
were slaughtered.
YouTube - Crusades 1
The Crusades
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Saladin recovers Jerusalem
for the Muslims in 1187. He
spares the lives of all the
Christians; truce is declared;
Muslims allow Christian
Pilgrims to travel to the Holy
Land.
Other Crusades were
organized, but were never as
large as the First Crusade.
Turks become “Protectors of
the Faith” in Islam.
YouTube - Crusades 2
Jewish Discrimination
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Removed from Jerusalem 2000 years ago
by the Romans.
Faced with discrimination
Prohibited from certain jobs
Tortured and killed for their beliefs
Examples of Historical Discrimination
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Black Plague
Expulsion from France and England
Exodus from Spain in 1492
“Christ Killers”… Pontius Pilate frees
Barabus not Jesus
Jewish people are faced with discrimination
everywhere they go
Discrimination in the years leading up
to World War I (1914)
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Russian Pogroms (“Devastation”)
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Organized campaign to instill fear and cause
harm to Jewish people.
French Dreyfus Affair
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Jewish general falsely accused of sending secret
documents to German embassy in Paris.
Will be straightened out eventually, however, this
event was used as propaganda against the
Jewish people.
Theodor Herzl
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Founder of Zionism
Nationalism- every ethnic
group deserves a home
Will increase in popularity
as anti-sentiment
increases in time.
Zionism
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The Jewish people’s
desire to obtain a
homeland.
Balfour Declaration: A
letter from British
government (James
Balfour) to Walter
Rothschild.
“Foreign Office,
November 2nd, 1917.
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's
Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations
which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet:
"His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a
national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to
facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing
shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing nonJewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by
Jews in any other country".
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the
Zionist Federation.
Yours sincerely
Arthur James Balfour ”
Nazi Holocaust
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Hitler—uses the Jewish people as a
scapegoat for all the problems of the once
great, fallen empire.
Concentration Camps
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Three types of camps:
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Concentration
Labor
Death
Jewish People Killed under Nazi Rule
Original
Population
3,300,000
Killed under % Surviving
Nazi’s
2,800,000 15%
Soviet Union
2,100,000
1,500,000
29%
Hungary
404,000
200,000
49%
Romania
850,000
425,000
50%
Germany/
Austria
270,000
210,000
22%
Poland
Netanyahu
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Likud party- “consolidation” (unification)
Campaign: national security
Likud party: will never agree to the return of
the pre-war 1967 borders
Will not negotiate with terrorists
Accusation against Livni of giving up
Jerusalem
Livni
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Kadima party – “forward”
Willing to possibly make concessions to
Palestinians.
Used to work for Mossad
1980s- Ran missions to kill Palestinian
Terrorists.
“Terrorist Killer” in the past… possibly more
willing to make concessions than the Lukid.
Quote on Livni:
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“Tzipi was not an office girl… She was a
clever women with an IQ of 150. She
blended in well in European capitals,
working with male agents, most of them excommandos, taking out Arab terrorists.”
Questions?
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Why are these elections being held?
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Under the presidency of Barack Obama, what would you infer
is the current United State’s stand on the issue?
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Ehud Olmert resigns… accused of corruption
Negotiate for peace with both political parties.
The Kadima party is slightly more promising than the others
Why do you think it is difficult for Middle Eastern leaders to
make peace?
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Extremist groups don’t want peace on BOTH sides…
Yitzhak Rabin assassinated in 1995 by one of his own for
negotiating with PLO’s Yasser Arafat.
Cold War
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Why is the United States hesitant to directly
support Israel against the Arab nations?
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USA with Israel --- Soviet Union with Arabs
Hypothetical situation
Add into the mix: Nuclear Bomb
Cold War was a very intimidating time for
the US, USSR, and the entire world.
Partitioning of Palestine
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After World War II ends in 1948, the British and United
nations decide to divide Palestine into two regions
UN General Assembly Resolution 181
Provinces
Jerusalem- an international city, where
all could travel to freely
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Sound familiar?
West Bank- Arab Territory
Gaza Strip- Arab Territory
Golan Heights- Arab Territory
Israeli Conflicts
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War of 1948- Israel Created… one day
later attacked by six nations…
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Egypt
Jordan
Lebanon
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Iraq
Israel defeats Six Nations
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HOW???
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Arab nations have trouble coordinating with one
another…. Don’t listen to one another
Israel supported financially (if not militarily) by
many nations/ Golda Meir
Infrastructure of Israel already exists
Backed into a corner… fighting for survival
Israeli Conflicts
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1956- Suez Crisis…
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“"Hospitality is one thing,
surrendering the canal is
another”
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Gamal Abdel Nasser
-Originally controlled by British
-Taken over by Egypt
-In response, British will ask Israel to reclaim the canal.
-Israel easily invades and will seize control…
Golan Heights- Syria
1) Strategic for military
purpose
2) Control of water ways
(Jordan River)
Nasser continued
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“We are eager for
battle in order to force
the enemy to awake
from his dreams and
meet Arab reality face
to face.” -- 1967
Six Day War (1967)
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Fear of an imminent attack from bordering
Arab nations force Israel to attack first.
Extremely successful
In a little less than six days, Israel defeats
Arab Nations… only losing 800 troops in
opposition too the Arabs 15,000
(approximately 1:16 ratio)
“IDF soldiers Zion Karasanti, Yitzhak Yifat and Haim Oshrí, at Jerusalem's
Western Wall shortly after its capture on June 7, 1967 and 40 years later.”
How and why would the Arab World
attempt to strike at the US for its
support of Israel?
1.
2.
Terrorism – Islamic Fundamentalism
Economics – OPEC Oil Embargo
Recap of the Arab-Israeli Wars
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Who seems to have the upper hand in the
conflict?
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What are the main issues that the Israeli’s
and Arabs are fighting over?
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Is there a simple solution to the problem at
hand?
Islamic Fundamentalism
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1967 - Six Day War had shown many Muslims
that God had turned away from them; Decisive
victory for the Jews; It was a humiliating defeat for
Muslims.
Islamic Fundamentalism – the only way back to
God was to return to pure religion.
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Islam at its founding – the time of Mohammed
Strict interpretation of the Koran; Sharia Law
Jihad – wage war against those that insult Islam.
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“Near Enemy” – impure Muslim society; secular
“Distant Enemy” – the West; secular; pro Israel
Sayyid Qutb
Arrested under
Nasser
administration. Why?
 Very intelligent
 Studied in Greeley,
Colorado @ Colorado
State Teachers
College
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Qutb continued
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Developed hatred towards
American way of life
In charge of newspaper
that went against Nasser’s
western peace policies.
Will be hanged under
Nasser administration
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Ran a newspaper
Accused of trying to plan a
revolt against Nasser
Left- Anwar Sadat
B. Left- Younger Golda
Meir
Down- Golda Meir
Surprise Attack in 1973
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On Yom Kippur, Anwar Sadat (Nasser’s
successor) sends army out to catch
Israeli’s off guard.
Success at first, but land will be reclaimed
by Israel, under prime minister Golda Meir.
Truce is agreed too for the time being.
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Known as the Yom Kippur War.
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Cold War
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Why is the United States hesitant to directly
support Israel against the Arab nations?
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USA with Israel --- Soviet Union with Arabs
Hypothetical situation
Add into the mix: Nuclear Bomb
Cold War was a very intimidating time for
the US, USSR, and the entire world.
OPEC
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Formed in Baghdad 1960
Stationed in Vienna,
Austria
Goal: To regulate oil prices
Original members
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Iran
Iraq
Kuwait
Saudi Arabia
Venezuela
US Interferes in Yom Kippur War
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Help to re-supply the
Israeli’s after the
Arabs surprise attack
them via airlift.
Tensions increasing
between US and Arab
nations.
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US has supported
Israel since 1948
Oil Embargo of 1973-74
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American demand for
resources
American cheap prices
What would be the best
way to get back at the
United States for being
sympathetic for Israel?
Organization of Arab Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OAPEC)
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Punishment to America for helping Israel during Yom
Kippur conflict
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Stop shipping oil to the US
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“You should pay more for oil. Let’s say ten times more.”
–1973 Shah of Iran
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increasing prices by 70% to America's Western European allies.
Overnight, the price of a barrel of oil to these nations rose from
$3 to $5.11. [In January 1974, they raised it further to $11.65.]
What does the United States do?
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$1 Million to $400
Million
Alternative energy
resources
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Solar Power
Wind Power
Arctic Drilling?
Case Study: General Motors (GM)
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1970s- Number 1 Car
Maker in the World
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Had begun research on
alternative fuels
Electric cars using Fuel
Cells
How does this work?
Similar to a battery…
except runs on a
never ending cycle.
If GM began this research, and were the leading
researcher, then why are we not driving them today?
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Profit: General Motors could make more
money selling gas guzzling SUVs
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Who leads in Fuel Cell research today?
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Is it too late for General Motors to make the
shift over?
Prudhoe bay- Population in 2000: 5
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1977- 20% of US oil
consumption comes
from Alaska.
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Risks involved?
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Is this the right
solution? What are
some other
alternatives?
Review
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1.) What event caused the Arab world to
direct there attention towards the United
States?
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Yom Kippur War
2.) What are the two ways they try to strike
back at America?
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OPEC (economics)
Terrorism (guerilla)
Outline
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Two attempts for peace
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Camp David Accords
Oslo Agreements
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The Two State Solution- is it a good idea?
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Camp David Peace Accords
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US President Jimmy Carter hosts a
negotiation conference between Egypt and
Israel.
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After 13 days, Egypt recognized Israel as a
nation.
Israel returned Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.
30 years of hostilities end?
Anwar Sadat receives Nobel Peace Prize
1977 Times Magazine
Man of the Year
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"We used to reject you, true. We refused to meet
you anywhere, true. We referred to you as the 'socalled Israel,' true. At international conferences our
representatives refused to exchange greetings with
you, true. At the 1973 Geneva Peace Conference
our delegates did not exchange a single direct word
with you, true. Yet today we agree to live with you in
permanent peace and justice. Israel has become an
accomplished fact recognized by the whole world
and the superpowers. We welcome you to live
among us in peace and security." --Anwar Sadat
Reaction to Camp David Accords
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Sadat will be
assassinated by
Muslim Extremists
Acts of terrorism
increase in Israel as a
result
Intifada- “uprising” of
the Palestinians
Oslo Peace Accords
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Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin agrees to
grant Palestinians self-rule
in Gaza Strip and West
Bank (Two State Solution)
Will result in the
assassination of Rabin by
an Israeli extremist
Second Intifada- Suicide
Bombers
Rabin is assassinated by
Jewish extremists
Failure to find peace
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The more attempts
that are made for
peace, the angrier
Islamic
fundamentalists get.
Around 2000, the
Second Intifada
begins
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Suicide Bombings
Qassem Rockets
Two State Solution?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/23/60minu
tes/main4749723.shtml
Peace Negotiations Ultimately Fail
Iran
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Shah: Mohammed Reza Pahlavi- Westernized
Ayatollah: Ruholla Khomeini- Fundamentalist
Iranian Revolution (1979)
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1953- Overthrow the
Democratically elected
government of Mohammad
Mosaddeq
USA restores Shah to power
Shah Pahlavi embraces
Western governments & oil
companies
Cultural Clash: Modern West
vs. Traditional Islam
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Ayatollah Khomeini: Iranian
conservative Muslim leader lives in exile for speaking
against Pahlavi.
1978 - Khomeini sparks riots in
Iran; Shah flees
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Theocratic government
established; Sharia Law
Anti-Western; AntiAmerican
1979 – Shah seeks treatment in the
United States… Iran demands his return
Muslim radicals take control in Iran increasing tensions with Iraq (secular)
Perspectives
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United States
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Occurs before Yom Kippur
War and Oil Embargo
Need Oil to keep up living
standards for typical
Americans
Consider Iranian actions to
be communist
WWI/WWII success; riding
the wave
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Iran
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US has no right to interfere
in Iranian politics
American government is
greedy
Actions are not acceptable,
revenge is necessary.
US= “The Great Satan”
Want the Shah to undergo
trial
How do they do this?
American Hostage Crisis
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Khomeini takes control of Iran
Encourages extremists to seize US
Embassy in Tehran
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66 American hostages
444 days
Demand that the US make Shah Pahlavi face
trial
Will release everyone by 1981
What was life like for these 444 days?
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“But the student radicals knew little of the world and its ways,
let alone the difference between a diplomat and a spy. They
saw an operative with James Bond-like powers in every
corner. One interrogator questioned State Department
security officer Alan Golacinski about his digital watch,
convinced that it was a secret radio.”
“Some hostages were badly beaten. Others faced terrifying
mock executions. A few were thrown in solitary confinement.
Bowden skillfully gets inside the minds of the hostages,
vividly describing their churning emotions and harrowing
experiences.“
-- Guests of the Ayatollah
Iran vs. Iraq: Who does the US favor?
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Iran
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Had just undergone a
revolution
Khomeini does not like
the United States
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Iraq: Saddam Hussein
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5th President of Iraq:
Dictatorship
Ran a secular
government
Followed Nasser as a
model
Thought of himself as
one who would bring
modernization to Iraq
Conflict with Iran
1980- Iraq invades Iran
 Border Disputes
 WWI?
 Trenches, Poison Gas, over 1,000,000 die
 Nothing is settled, UN negotiated ceasefire
in 1988
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Interference: From who else?
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US will tend to take
Iraq’s side in the war.
Interesting side note
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1983: Ronald
Reagan/Donald
Rumsfeld
January 2001December 18, 2006.
US Secretary of
Defense
1990- Iraq invades Kuwait
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Out of fear of a Saudi invasion, they invade
first and take control of oil fields in Kuwait
UN economic sanctions fail
By early 1991, 39 nations declared war on
Saddam Hussein and Iraq
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Who are most of these nations?
Iraq leaves Kuwait and agrees to a cease fire
Persian Gulf War aka
Operation Desert Storm
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Scorched Earth
Policy
Burning of Oil
Effects? Then?
Now?
Effects of Kuwait
War 3:05-6:30
United States on Arabian Penninsula
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Following the Gulf
War, the US Coalition
remains.
Infuriates
fundamentalists
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Believe that they would
contaminate the holy
sights
Infidel army angers
those such as Osama
Bin Laden
How about Afghanistan?
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1950s Soviet
influence increasing
1979 Soviets invade
1980s“Mujahedeen”
”holy warriors” stage a
revolt
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Looming Tower
War in Afghanistan (1979-89)
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1979 - Soviets invade Afghanistan
Muslims come to defend Afghanistan; Holy
War- Soviet Infidels
Muslim Rebels (Mujahedeen) fight guerilla war
against Soviets with U.S. weapons
1989 - Soviets withdraw; Holy Warriors defeat a
Superpower – Taliban rises; Base for Al Qaeda
The Looming Tower: Hijira
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1.) The title of the
chapter is Hijira. Who is
Osama Bin Laden
comparing himself to?
How does he try to make
that connection?
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Comparing himself to
Muhammad, the prophet of
Islam
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Osama: Saudi Arabia to
Afghanistan
Muhammad: Mecca to
Medina
-Angry Muslim child. Why? A
Danish publication of Muhammad
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2.) What was
Afghanistan like when
Bin Laden arrived?
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Suffering from 20 years of
war
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Highwaymen: Depiction of
chaos
Insufficient funds… would
take a child
Government had been
turning towards modernity
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4.) Who are the
Taliban? Who made
the Taliban into a
“formidable” army?
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Were unorganized, but
powerful
Were able to take over
from President Rabbani
Supported by Pakistani
intelligence
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5.) Define Wahhabism.
Where is it popular?
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Ideology: A return to
fundamental practices of
first three generations of
Islamic history.
Saudi Arabia
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6.) What other
country supported
the Taliban and what
was the connection?
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Pakistan
Had set up schools that
had helped many
Taliban students
Mullah Omar
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Well known for having
been a fierce fighter in war
against the Soviet Union.
What do we know about
him?
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Not much
Refused to be
photographed
Tall; about 6’6”
Wounded while battling
Soviets from shrapnel
7.) Who was Mullah Mohammed Omar? What was his
vision? How did he succeed in achieving his goal?
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Ruled Taliban in Afghanistan; declared himself
“The Ruler of All Muslims”.
Vision: To put an end to chaos brought about
by the War with USSR
Supported by many people
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Ancient robe/parades around with hands in the
sleeves/cholera epidemic/rapture
People want one ruler and stability
“Corruption and moral disintegration had gripped the
land.”
Quick Question
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Mullah Omar and the Taliban would be
considered Islamic Fundamentalists who
takes his beliefs to the extreme. Is there a
such thing as a Christian Fundamentalist?
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Evangel Pentecostal Christians
North Dakota Summer Camp
Documentary called Jesus Camp
Jesus Camp
Sharia in America?
8.) What do the madrassas teach the refugee boys that
attend them? Why do they live in the shadows of their
fathers?
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The fundamentals of
Wahhabism
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Studied the Koran/Sharia
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Portrayed as sissies and
beggers
Glorification of the Jihad
War against infidels
Success of fathers
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Had taken down a
superpower
Mujahideen eager to get
their own glory
Taliban fueled by 3 streams
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1.) Money and arms from
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
2.) Afghan refugee
students from Pakistan
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Exclusively male world
Studied Koran/Perfection
of a Muslim World
3.) Opium- Under Taliban,
Afghanistan became the
number one Opium
exporter in the world
9.) Why was Opium significant to the
Taliban?
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Served as the main
source of income for
Taliban.
Number 1 poppy
exporter in the world
Worked alongside
drug dealers and
smugglers
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10.) What is the
Islamists dream, and
how does Omar tap
into this?
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To find stability and
unification under one
ruler.
Omar tried to be this
man
Wearing of the cloak
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11.) What happened to
women under the
Taliban? What effect
did this have overall?
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Stay in residences
Loss of self-expression
Health Care/Civil
Service destroyed
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40% doctors
50% gov’t workers
70% teachers
12.) What were some of the things
banned by the Taliban?
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Kite flying
Dog racing
Trained
pigeons
Unclean
Things:
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Pork, pig, pig
oil, anything
made of
human hair
Cinema,
Satellite
dishes
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Cameras
Pool Tables
Chess
Masks
Alcohol
Tapes
Computers
VCR
Television
Sexual
propaganda
• Wine
• Lobster
• Nail Polish
• Firecrackers
• Statues
• Sewing catalogues
• Pictures
• Christmas cards
Plato: Allegory of the Cave
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People accept the reality of which they are given.
13.) “Throw reason to the dogs, it
stinks of corruption.” - Taliban
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This sign was posted on
the office of the religious
police.
People embrace it:
desperate and exhausted
from twenty years of war.
How is this similar to the
enlightenment?
Enlightenment served as a
means of exposing
corruption… the Taliban,
by American standards, an
anti-enlightenment
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14.) Why do most
Afghani’s embrace the
Taliban rule at first?
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Desperate
Didn’t think that things
could get any worse
15.) What is symbolic of the cave in
Islam? How does bin laden use it?
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Seen as an escape from
Western world
Stalactites- drips that hang from
caves, often used in Islamic art.
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Muhammad in cave in Medina had
encounter with Gabrielle.
Enemies pursue, protected by magic
spider web
Tora Bora: Modern cave with
‘enhanced’ defense (computers and
ammunition).
16.) How does bin Laden see himself
as personifying the Umma?
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Umma- Muslim
Community
Attack on one is an attack
on all
Bin laden, seeing himself
as the prophet, sees
himself as the ideal leader
of the Umma
Wants to start a war of
terror against the United
States
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17.) When bin Laden
declares war on the US,
what grievances does he
mention?
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1.) “Declaration of War
Against the Americans
Occupying the Land of the
Two Holy Places.
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Medina and Mecca after
first Gulf War
2.) US interest in middleeastern oil.
18.) Who is Khaled Sheikh Mohammed? Who
is his nephew? Why do you think Mohammed
sought out Bin Laden?
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Man who visits Osama
bin Laden at Tora Bora
cave.
Nephew: Ramzi
Yousef
Mohammed wanted to
discuss plans with bin
Laden about how they
could try to terrorize
the United States.
19.) What are some schemes
Mohammed and bin Laden discuss?

Plan to bomb 12 American jumbo jets (called Operation
Bojinka)


An assassination of Bill Clinton in 1994


Planned to get priest cassocks.
These plans were encrypted on Yousef’s hard drive, which
was captured


Had route sketched out while visiting Manila in 1994
An assassination of Pope John Paul II


Actually happened, was a success
Flying airplanes into buildings
Bin laden claims not to know Mohammed personally
1993: World Trade Center Bombing




Planned by a group
including Ramzi Yousef;
Khaled Sheik
Mohammed’s uncle.
Plan
Car bomb in parking deck
supposed to knock North
tower into South tower,
bringing them down.
Kills 6, injure about a
thousand, but ultimate
goal is a failure.





Intentions
Before the attack, Yousef
sent a demand to NY
newspapers to:
A.) US stops sending aid
to Israel
B.) Stop having diplomatic
relations with Israel
C.) US stops interference
with all Middle Eastern
countries

How did many of the things discussed
in this chapter come together in a
“perfect storm,” culminating with the
September 11th attacks?
September 11, 2001


Rationale: “Injustices against
Muslim people by Israel and
the United States.”
“… if killing those who kill our
sons is terrorism, then let
history be witness that we
are terrorists.”—Osama Bin
Laden
US Invades Afghanistan (2001)

Operation Enduring Freedom




Capture Bin Laden
Destroy Al-Qaeda
Remove Taliban regime who allowed a safehaven for Al-Qaeda
International Security Assistance Force


Created by the United Nations
Coalition of over 30 nations
US invades Iraq (2003)

Reasons for Invading





Weapons of mass destruction
Supporting Al-Qaeda
Abuse of Human Rights and financial assistance
to Palestinian suicide bombers.
Saddam Hussein Executed at Camp
Justice in Baghdad
Sunni vs. Shiite?
What is the best way to find peace?

Land for Peace: US
Perspective



Israel: Give back land to
Palestinians that they
acquired in Six Day War.
Israel: Leave Arab
area’s and allow them
self-rule
Palestinians: Peace and
recognition of Israel
Extra Credit Opportunity (+2)

3-5 minute presentation on:

Terrorist attacks of:





1998 US Embassies in Africa (Tanzania and Kenya)
2000 USS Cole
5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why
Significance
Relation to any current events?