Conflicts in SW Asia

IranIsraeli-Palestinian Conflict

IraqAfghanistan

Iran

Persepolis, built during the Persian Empire around 515 BC

Iran

1. Persians-not Arabs! Speak Farsi, Muslim (Shi’ite majority)

History/Background

Iran

2. 1925-Reza Khan became shah (ruler) & modernized Iran

– Built schools, roads, RRs, encouraged industry, more rights for women, redistributed land, improved literacy

– Able to do this b/c of oil profits3. 1941- Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Reza Khan’s son) took power- continued modernizing, considered oppressive

History/Background

Iran prior to the revolution

Iran in the 60’s (before the revolution)

Iran

4. Conflict b/t modernizers & conservative religious leaders (ayatollahs)

5. Shah imprisoned Ayatollah Khomeni (denounced the government) after protests; later he was exiled

History/Background

Iranian Revolution• Iranian Revolution_ refers

to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy (Pahlavi dynasty) under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution.

Iran

1. Corruption/harsh leadership (note: US supported Shah)

2. Not everyone benefited under Shah

Reasons for Conflict – Iranian Revolution

So… 1979 – Iran becomes Islamic Republic

Students drag statue of the Shah

Pro-Ayatollah demonstration (1979)

Iran

1. Iran = Islamic Republic (under Ayatollah Khomeini)2. Got rid of Western influences3. Harsh form of Sharia law

-Islamic law

Results – Iranian Revolution

Women protested mandatory hijab in 1979

Ayatollah- Grand Leader

Iran

4. Urged other Arab nations to overthrow gov’ts and establish Islamic republics

5. 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War

Results – Iranian Revolution

Iran

1. Khomeini died 1989, President Rouhani in power claims to

be moderate2. Protests after last election –

pressure to change, didn’t happen!

Today

Iran

3. Tension w/ US over nuclear power4. Opened 1st nuclear power plant in 20115. Economic Sanctions against Iran

Today

Iran Today

• Life in Iran• Argo• Women in IranIranian Revolution

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

1. Jews established 1st kingdom over 3000 years ago– Jews believe Israel is “promised land”

2. Over time, Jews forced to leave – “Jewish Diaspora”

History/Background

Jews driven out by Assyrians, Babylonians (722-586 BC) later Romans (70 AD)

Palestinians moved in after Jews left creating Palestine

100 BC-Romans rule (Christians)

All 3 religions have roots here!

Israeli- Palestinian Conflict• The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing

struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the early 20th century over the land that is currently Israel.

3. Jews immigrated to Palestine4. Jerusalem = holy city for all 3 religions!

Reasons for Conflict1. Zionism (1897) –

belief that Jewish state should be est. in Palestine

2. After WWII – many agreed that Jews should have homeland- anti- Semitism in Europe and Russia

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Wailing Wall and Dome of the Rock

Reasons for Conflict

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

5. U.N. proposed the partition and the creation of a Palestine (Arab nation) and Israel (Jewish nation) and U.N. controlled Jerusalem

6. Arabs didn’t agree with the U.N.7. Israel declared independence and created a nation in 1948

Selected Conflicts linked to Israeli- Palestinian Conflict

• Arab-Israeli War (1948)- fought b/t Israel and Arabs who opposed Israel’s creation (Israel declared independence from the British

• Six Day War (1967)- Israel vs Egypt, Syria, and Jordan; Israel gained the Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem

Selected Conflicts linked to Israeli- Palestinian Conflict

• Yom Kippur War (1973)– Yom Kippur- holiest day in

Judaism– Syria and Egypt invaded

Israel (U.S. supported); led to OPEC oil embargo- aimed at U.S.- oil prices increased 70%

• Ground invasion of Gaza (2009)- Israel vs. Hamas

Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal on October 7

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

• Many peace agreements & ceasefires signed• Split b/t 2 Palestinian groups (Hamas, Fatah)

– Hamas- Palestinian political party with military, want a Palestinian country; considered terrorist

– Fatah- Palestinian political party, part of PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), want a Palestinian country; not considered terrorist

Results

Hamas Logo

Fatah Logo

Results (continued)

• Thousands of casualties (data difficult to find)

• Humanitarian crisis for Palestinian people

• Continued rocket fire / terrorist activity

• No freedom of movement• Continuous diplomatic effort• Constant warfare for Israeli

& Palestinian people

Israeli- Palestinian Conflict

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Many agree that Israel should be divided into Israel and Palestine, however, many issues remain:

• Borders - what land will become Palestine? Security for Israel a concern

• Holy places - who will control?• Mutual recognition-many Palestinian groups

don’t recognize Israel’s right to exist• “Right of Return”- should Palestinian refugees

be allowed to come back?• Israeli settlements - out of Gaza, but still in

West Bank• Division of resources - water!• Palestine = split in 2- Gaza and West Bank, how

to govern?• Palestinians still a stateless nation• is peace out of reach?• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r1EmEni

2Rw

Today

Iraq

Iraq

1. 75-80% Arab, 15-20% Kurdish

2. British controlled until 1920’s & separated Kurds, Sunnis and Shi’a

3. 1979-Saddam Hussein in power

IRAQ History/Background

Iraq

4. Modernized/ Westernized- more rights for women, infrastructure, education, agriculture- only Arab country who did not impose Sharia law

5. Kurdish minority = stateless nation, conflicts vs. Turkey, Iran & Iraq

History/Background

Conflicts• Iran- Iraq War (1980-88)- oil

• 1st Persian Gulf War (1990-91)- Saddam invaded Kuwait- oil

• 2nd Persian Gulf War (2003-2011)- U.S. and U.K. invaded Iraq- weapons of mass destructions

Iraq

1. Oil – cause for all conflicts

2. Tension between Iran-Iraq after Islamic revolution in Iran

Reasons for Conflict – Iran/Iraq War

Iraq

1. Debt (over $50 B)2. Kurdish rebellion (were aided by Iran) use of chemical weapons3. 180,000 Kurds killedVideo

Results – Iran/Iraq War

Iraq

Reasons for Conflict – Persian Gulf War I

1. Pressure from Kuwait to repay debt2. Iraq invades Kuwait (1990)- wanting access to

oil3. Kuwait close to oilfields of Saudi Arabia (US

interests threatened)

Results – Gulf War I1. Biggest environmental disaster in history (burning of Kuwaiti oil fields)

2. Kuwaiti gov’t reinstalled3. Iraqi military power diminished4. Saddam Hussein stays in power5. UN economic sanctionsVideo

Iraq

Iraq

Reasons for Conflict – Persian Gulf War II

1. Refusal to comply w/ UN inspections (WMDs)

Iraq

Results – Persian Gulf War II

2. Democratically-elected government in place

3. Power shift to majority Shi’ites

1. Saddam Hussein out of power, arrested, hanged

Iraq

Today

1. Permanent constitution ratified 20052. No Weapons of Mass Destruction discovered

(black eye for US)3. Decreasing insurgent attacks, increasing security

Iraqi security forces

Iraq

Today4. Economy up (back to oil production levels

before 2001)5. US troops withdrew in 2011

Iraq

Afghanistan

History/Background1. Many different ethnic groups w/ diff languages & customs BUT 99% Muslim2. Buffer state between British & Russians, many wars, neither could conquer

people or terrain

Afghanistan

Afghanistan

1. Religion vs. atheism (Afghanistan’s socialist gov’t = pro-Soviet)

2. Traditional vs. modern ways of life

Reasons for Conflict – Soviet-Afghan WarThe Soviet war in Afghanistan (Dec. 1979- Feb. 1989) was a nine-year conflict during the Cold war involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahidin (people who fight in a jihad- holy war) guerrilla movement-Soviets supported Afghanistan-U.S. supported the mujahidin

Afghanistan

1. Soviets lost – guerilla tactics used by mujahidin2. Gov’t & economy weakened3. Taliban government emerges as a force (1996)4. Extremely harsh form of sharia law5. Harbored terrorists known as Al-Qaeda. Al- Qaeda are fighting b/c of JIHAD- a holy war against non

Muslims6. Osama Bin Laden was the leader of Al- Qaeda (dead)

Results – Soviet-Afghan War

U.S- Afghan War

• The War in Afghanistan, also called the Afghan war, began on October 7, 2001, – United States of America, the United Kingdom,

Australia, and the Afghan United Front (Northern Alliance- non Taliban)

US Special Forces with Northern Alliance troops on horseback

US and British troops during a patrol in Helmand Province

Afghanistan

1. 9/112. Afghani government’s

refusal to hand over terrorists

Reasons for Conflict – US-Afghan War

Afghanistan

1. Taliban out, power greatly reduced

2. Transitional government

Results – US-Afghan War

Hamid Karzai, President

Afghanistan

Today1. Extremely poor (GDP per capita = $900)2. Shortages of water, housing, jobs, electricity3. Inability to control countryside- Taliban controls

villages

Afghanistan

Today

4. Poppy cultivation ($3B)- supports terrorists5. IMR = 154, life expectancy = 446. United States troops leaving Afghanistan

When the Taliban Ruled Afghanistan

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=F68B7335-6C6D-447E-9DDB-48B295154744&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

A Relentless Enemy

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/60_minutes/video/?pid=3OROxzDQ3UpO8jrKAqqyIu4ceSxbllal

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aECcjCr2foM

Why I joined the Taliban

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndfOya1lBo

AFGANISTAN VIDEOS