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MENA Review
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Why is the term “Middle East” eurocentric? | The phrase Middle East centers around Europe’s perspective, describing the region relative to Europe rather than from the people who live there. |
| Describe desertification | Process where fertile land becomes desert (due to drought, deforestation, inappropriate agriculture). |
| Where is the Strait of Hormuz and why is it significant? | It is a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Significant because it is a critical point for oil transport shipments. |
| Where does the US get most of its oil? | The US imports significant amounts of oil from Canada. |
| What is the difference between Arab and Muslim? | Arab: cultural/ethnic identity (people who speak Arabic and share cultural traditions) Muslim: someone who practices Islam regardless of ethnicity. |
| Who are the Kurds? | Ethnic group in the Middle East with their own language and culture. Living primarily in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Seek autonomy and independence, but don’t have a strong sovereign state. |
| What is the Shia Crescent? | Term describing region of countries with significant Shia Muslim populations stretching from Iran through Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. |
| What are the 2 definitions of nationalism? | Pride of loyalty to a nation or shared culture/language. Belief that a group should govern itself in its own independent state. |
| What is the significance of Abraham and his covenant to all 3 religions? | Abraham is shared as a patriarch in all three traditions. His covenant with God symbolizes both faith and chosen relationship. These are symbols that are foundational to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. |
| What is the diaspora? | The dispersion of Jewish people from their historic homeland into many regions around the world. |
| What is kosher? | Dietary laws in Judaism dictating what foods are allowed and how they must be prepared. |
| What is a messiah and who is the messiah according to Christians? | A savior or liberator, Christians hold the belief that Jesus is the Messiah who fulfills the Old Testament prophecies and will return. |
| What is a sacrament - give an example | A sacred ritual in Christianity that is believed to convey divine grace. Examples: baptism, confirmation, matrimony (marriage) |
| What are the 5 Pillars of Islam? | Shahada : declaration of faith Salat : prayer 5 times daily Zakat : charity Sawm : fasting during Ramadan Hajj : pilgrimage to Mecca |
| Who was Mohammed? | The Prophet of Islam, Muslims believe he received revelations from God that make up the Quran. |
| What is the significance of the Dome of the Rock for all 3 religions? | The Dome of the Rock is a holy site in Jerusalem that is sacred to Jews (ancient Jewish temple), Christians (biblical connections), and Muslims (Muhammad ascended to heaven there). |
| What was the Balfour Declaration? | A 1917 statement from the British that supported the concept of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. |
| Explain the impact of the Sykes Picot Agreement on the area | The deal (1916) divided the Ottoman Middle East into British and French spheres. This shaped modern borders and caused long-term tensions regionally leading to conflict, instability, and resentment. |
| Contrast the Jewish and Palestinian claims to the land that is Israel | Jewish: Ancestral homeland and birthplace of Judaism. The Holocaust also led to the demand for a safe sovereign Jewish state. Palestinian: centuries of continuous residence in the region (hundreds of years) and national home. |
| Describe the 1947 UN Partition Plan | The UN proposed the separation of Jewish and Arab states with Jerusalem being international territory. Jews accepted it while Arab states rejected it. |
| What happened in the 6 Day War? | In 1967 Israel fought with it’s neighboring Arab states, capturing the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai and Golan Heights. |
| Know the leaders at the Camp David and Oslo Accords and what happened to them | Camp David (1978) : Begin (Israel), Sadat (Egypt) and Carter (US) - Peace between both Egypt and Israel. Oslo Records (1990s): Rabin (Israel), Arafat (PLO) - mutual recognition of limited Palestinian self ruling. |
| Who are the current leaders of Israel and Palestine? | Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Palestinian: President Mahmoud Abbas and Vice President Huseein al-Sheikh |
| Why did the US and British overthrow Mohammed Mossadegh? | He nationalized Iran’s oil industry which threatened British profits; The US feared that Iran may drift towards the Soviet Union during this time which would benefit them. |
| Why did the people of Iran overthrow Shah Reza Pahlavi? | He ruled as an authoritarian and silenced critics of his actions such as the push for Rapid Westernization, corruption and inequality under his rule. He ignored religious and political opposition. |
| What role did the Ayatollah Khomeini play in the Iranian Revolution? | He was the leader and symbol of the revolution and united both religious and political groups, returning from his exile in 1979 and becoming the Supreme Leader of the new Islamic Republic. |
| Why did Iran take US hostages in 1979? How were they finally released? | Because the U.S. let the Shah enter America and feared another U.S. coup. They were released through the Algiers accords in 1981, 444 days later. |
| What story does the movie Argo tell? Why was it able to be told now? | Argo tells the story of six Americans who escaped Iran using the fake identities of a Canadian film crew. This was revealed decades later because the CIA declassified the mission. |
| Why did the British take Iraq from the Ottomans after WWI? | Because the Ottomans lost WWI and Britain wanted control over the oil and strategic land. Iraq was taken over as a League of Nations mandate. |
| What does sectarian mean? | Conflict/division based on religious sects (example: Sunni and Shia). |
| How did Saddam Hussein treat the Kurds? | He treated them extremely poorly and violently, killing thousands. |
| Why did the US invade Iraq in 2003? | Because the U.S. claimed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and supported terrorism, overall needing a regime change. However, no weapons of mass destruction ended up being located. |
| What was the insurgency? | Armed groups such as the Sunni and Shia militants as well as al-Qaeda in Iraq fought against U.S. forces and the new Iraqi government post 2003. |
| What was the British interest in Afghanistan? | To utilize it as a buffer zone against Russian expansion during the 1800s (known as “The Great Game”). |
| Why was Afghanistan considered the Soviet Union’s “Vietnam”? | Because the Soviet Union got stuck in a long costly guerrilla war that they were unable to win, similar to the U.S. struggles during the Vietnam war. |
| Give 2 reasons why the Taliban enforce the burqa? | BEcause of their strict interpretation of Islamic law and belief in controlling women’s public appearance to preserve both modesty and male guardianship of females. |
| Where did the Arab Spring begin? When? Why? | In Tunisia, December 2010. This was triggered by unemployment, corruption, and high prices and abuse from police. |
| Who was Mohamed Bouazizi? | A tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire after experiencing harassment from police, sparking the Arab spring. |
| Explain what happened in Egypt with Mohammad Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood | Morsi from the Muslim brotherhood won Egypt’s free election (the first) in 2012. In 2012 the military removed him after protests of him consolidating power. |
| Who was Bashar al Assad? | President of Syria whose violent crackdown on protests led to Syrian Civil War. |
| In what ways was Syria a proxy war? | Foreign powers supported different sides of the war. Iran and Russia supported Assad while the U.S. gulf states and Turkey supported rebel groups - outside countries were fighting indirectly through local forces in the war. |
| Refugee vs IDP vs Asylum Seeker | Refugee: person who flees to another country for their safety IDP (Internally Displaced Person): flee danger but stay inside their own country Asylum Seeker: someone requesting refugee protection, but is not yet approved |
| What status do these countries have with regard to the above: Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Yemen and Syria? | Afghanistan: Refugee producing country Turkey: Refugee hosting country (ex: syrians) Iran: Host of Afghan refugees Yemen: IDPS Syria: Refugee producer + IDS |
| How did ISIS form in Iraq? | Grew out of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Isis took advantage of the chaos following the U.S. invasion and eventually expanded into Syria. |
| Who were the Mujahideen and why did the US help them? | Afghan fighters resisting Soviet invasion, were aided by the U.S. to help weaken the USSR during the cold war. |
| Who are the Taliban and how did they come to power? | Group of mujahideen students who promised order in civil war after defeating rival warlords in 1996. |
| Explain the Bush Doctrine. | After 9/11 the U.S. stated they would fight terrorism anywhere, attack states harboring terrorists and use pre-emptive strikes if necessary. |
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