War and Peace in the Middle East

Connor Carew1/4/11

AP History

Post Ottoman Syndrome

• During and after World War I Britain made many promises. – Greatest was the Belfour Declaration in which

Britain promised to support a national home for the Jews in Palestine.• Britain also set boundaries and set the leadership for

this countries.

Post Ottoman Syndrome cont…

• Britain assumed Arabs and Jews could live peacefully in Palestine– In 1937 Britain wanted to portion

Palestine for Arabs and Jews.• Arabs rejected this idea• In 1948 Israelis extended their

boundaries past UN lines• Arab Hostility also began at this time

period.

Britain moves out and USA moves in

• With Britain now moving out of the Middle East picture, America moved in, because of fear of Soviet communism moving through the middle east– USA offers aid to any country that is facing the

pressure of communism from the Soviet Union

America is permanent factor in the Middle East

• Goals– Contain the Soviet Union– Keep Oil safe– Curb Arab radicalism– Commitment to Israel

Contain the Soviet Union

• Soviet southern boarder was adjoined with the Middle East.

• Combated Soviet’s supplying of arms to Iraq by supplying arms to Iran

• Bankrupted the Soviet Union by out spending them.

U.S.A control of Oil

• America knew about the instability in the Middle East and also realized how the world’s main source of oil was in the Middle East.

• When Saddam invaded Kuwait, America defended Kuwait in order to keep Saddam Hussein from having control of 40% of the worlds known natural oil reserved

America between Arabs and Israel

• America was able to curb Radicalism between Arabs and keep Israel secure.

• America was in close ties with the Shah family.– Once they collapsed backed Iraq during the Iran-

Iraq War– Collapse of Soviet’s also collapsed radicals.

America between Arabs and Israel

• America related to Israel because they shared the same values.

• America backed Israel economically and socially because Israel held the same interests as America. (Nixon Doctrine)

• America’s problem was they were never in search of spreading democracy but instead just wanted to have power.

Conclusion

Since America refused to introduce democracy to the middle east instead of just Governing and supplying arms support and money, they saw chaos break loose constantly and peace would never be achieved.

Bushed preached a New World order but when the Kurds and Shiites wanted to over throw Saddam, Bush quickly back off.