US INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA

SS7H2 – d. Explain U.S. presence and interest in Southwest Asia; include the Persian Gulf conflict, invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

WHY DOES AMERICA CARE ABOUT SW ASIA?

U.S. found vast supply of oil in Middle EastAmerican scientists looking for oil in Saudi Arabia in the late 1920s

Played diplomatic role following break-up of Ottoman Empire

Supported creation of State of Israel in 1948

Drill hits oil for the first time in Saudi Arabia (1938)

OIL

Conflict Over Oil – one of the main US interests in Southwest Asia (the Middle East) is economic – Oil, also known as petroleum, is found in the largest quantities on Earth in and around the Persian Gulf.

PERSIAN GULF WAR

August 1990

Iraq invades Kuwait for their oil

Saddam Hussein claimed Kuwait should have been part of Iraq

Creation of Kuwait in 1920 eliminated coastline from Iraq

United Nations and United States got involved because large portions of oil come from Kuwait

This effort was known as Persian Gulf War or Operation Desert Storm

WHY DID THE US BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR IN 1991? A. to eliminate the Taliban from Afghanistan

B. to remove Iraqi soldiers from Kuwait

C. to gain control of oil fields in eastern Saudi Arabia

D. to avenge the Iranian hostage crisis

The answer is B

WAR IN AFGHANISTAN

2001-2014

After 9/11/2001 tragedies, the U.S. began military action in Afghanistan

Al-Qaeda: terrorist organization responsible for the attacks

Osama bin-Laden was born in Saudi Arabia but lived in Afghanistan and carried out the attacks of 9/11

Taliban was name of government in Afghanistan and they allowed Al-Qaeda to hide

Al-Qaeda was trying to end western influence in the Middle East https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrEXibbXqUs 5 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpa3Tsva4aw 8.5 minutes

WAR IN IRAQ

2003 - 2011

United States invades Iraq claiming Saddam Hussein had chemical weapons Remember Saddam Hussein has used chemical weapons in the past

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Saddam Hussein government collapsed quickly

Problems followed due lack of a plan to reorganize the country

Different religious and ethnic groups are competing with each other for power as they try to reorganize

END OF AN ERA. THE DICTATORSHIP OF SADDAM HUSSEIN IS OVER. GOVERNMENT TOPPLED IN 2003. THREE WEEKS AFTER US INVASION!

VOTING IS A PRIVILEGE –NOT A RIGHT! FIRST DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN IRAQ 2005