tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166082762024-03-09T01:20:20.906-05:00THE MIDDLE EAST: FORCES AND ISSUESTexts, Contexts, and Hypertexts in the Study of The Politics of Modern Middle East -- primary documents and discussions pages on major themes of the study of the region. This is a weblog for the Course Forces and Issues in the Middle East (POLS 7851-81), Professor Azly Rahman @ROBISON ANNEX 101.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083954603425152005-11-15T14:45:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:45:54.603-05:00FINAL PAPERS: Forces and Issues in the Middle EastPost edited papers here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083885678602662005-11-15T14:44:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:44:45.676-05:00On Hannah Arendt's "On Totalitarianism"Post comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083837046059072005-11-15T14:43:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:43:57.046-05:00On Hardt and Negri's EmpirePost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083790128673812005-11-15T14:40:00.001-05:002005-11-15T14:43:10.133-05:0036] The Historical Context: The West and Islam<strong><em>The Historical Context: The West and Islam</em></strong><br />by Marco Mua<br /><br /> Bernard Lewis and Edward Said are both intellectuals who have opposite views regarding the relationship between Islam and the West. Lewis strongly believes in Samuel Huntington’s assertion that the major source of global conflict in the future will be cultural. In actuality, Huntington’s popular writings were derived from Lewis’s work! Lewis felt that the Islam versus the West would be a major source of conflict. On the other hand, Said feels that Lewis’s views regarding Islam and the West are much too simplistic.<br /><br /> Lewis points out some interesting historical events. He says that there was violent conflict between the Protestant and Catholic sects of Christianity during the 16th and 17th century. The conflict was violent and intense. Christians believed in crushing or killing non-believers. Violent conflict could be avoided only by depriving religious institutions of their power. This led to secularization which removed religious power from government power. Both powers were separated.<br /><br />Lewis mentions that Islam was very tolerant during historical times. Islam was tolerant to those who had alternative religious beliefs. Therefore, Lewis felt that there was no need for secularism in Islam. I disagree with that point. Turkey had a need for secularism, which derived from their historical experience. Lewis’s points are way too simplistic.<br /><br /> Lewis mentions that historically, the Islamic world emulated and admired the West. During modern times, admiration of the West has changed into an attitude of hostility and rejection. Lewis does a good job of explaining why this is the case. He mentions that western-style economic methods brought poverty in the Middle-East. Western-style political institutions have brought tyranny and oppression to the region. This resulted in a desire for Islamic rule and institutions.<br /><br /> I agree with Lewis in regards to why the Islamic world switched from admiring the West to rejecting the West. I would like to add that Western institutions and political structures that have been imposed on the Middle East are designed to serve the West! No wonder why Middle-Easterners reject western institutions and values.<br /><br />These western values are imposed on the Middle-East in order to serve the West. In other words, economic and political structures are designed to give America and Great Britian control over oil and other Middle-Eastern resources. These structures are designed to benefit Western politicians and corporations! That is exactly why most Muslims turned to Islamic institutions. The trouble with this is that Islamic leaders are not well educated in finance or science. They are only educated in Koranic studies. Most religious leaders weather they are Jewish, Christian, or Muslim are poorly educated. That is why I believe their power should be curbed or put in check.<br /><br /> Said disagrees with Lewis on one key point. He disagrees with Lewis and Huntington about Islam and the West being the main source of future conflict. Said feels that generalizing people into such simplistic categories such as the West and Islam, is way too simplistic. He feels that the reality is much more complicated. Said believes that identity and culture are hugely complicated matters that cannot be generalized into the categories of the West versus Islam.<br /><br /> The major conflict in most cultures is in regards to how to define and interpret each culture. Huntington puts civilization and identity into simplified groups. This has allowed for imperial conquest and religious wars to take place. Politicians make these simplified generalizations in order to mobilize collective passions in order to support political ideals. A good example of this is George W Bush stating, “You are either with us or against us.”<br /><br />Said did an excellent job of pointing out that Huntington and Lewis’s view of the<br />West versus Islam is way to simplistic. It is also very dangerous. Said believes that education and learning about why other cultures favor certain systems is a good way of preventing future conflict. That will make it harder for politicians to convince us in supporting war and violence. Said makes a stronger case the Lewis.<br /><br />The West and Islamic world isn’t as different as politicians make it out to be. American Idol is obviously a Western creation. On the BBC I saw pictures of Libyan idol! Gaddafi personally approved this. It is too simplistic for Lewis to say the Middle-East completely rejects the West in modern times. Many Middle-Easterners watch American movies, listen to American music, wear European and American clothes, and eat fast food. I agree with Said’s assertion that the world is too interconnected to have such a blatant cultural divide as the West versus Islam.<br /><br />Future sources of conflict will continue to be over natural resources such as oil, water, and cultivable land. The world is too interconnected for cultural conflicts. Whenever there is a cultural conflict, it is usually caused by politicians trying to advance their interests. It does not occur on it’s own. The imaginary Shia versus Sunni divide is an example of this. Said understands that the reality of the world is disorganized and complicated, while Lewis’s world view is overly simplistic and not grounded in reality.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083640147630322005-11-15T14:40:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:40:40.146-05:0035] The Policy DebatePost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083599432401912005-11-15T14:39:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:39:59.433-05:0034] The Threat of Osama bin Laden and American ResponsesPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083520437801502005-11-15T14:37:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:38:40.436-05:00Terrorism, War, Global ResponsibilityPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083435218266792005-11-15T14:36:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:37:15.216-05:0033] Modern Islamic RadicalismPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083374628215952005-11-15T14:35:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:36:14.626-05:0032] Early Ideologues of Islamic RadicalismPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083302055015592005-11-15T14:34:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:35:02.056-05:0031] Egypt and Lebanon: Secularism and ConfessionalismPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083226394781092005-11-15T14:32:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:33:46.396-05:0030] Wars at the end of the Twentieth Century and the Beginning of the Twenty-FirstPost comments hereDr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083112137848612005-11-15T14:31:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:31:52.136-05:0029] OPEC and the World EconomyPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132083044907207412005-11-15T14:29:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:30:44.906-05:0028] Intervention and Revolution in IranPost comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1132082975524604442005-11-15T14:28:00.000-05:002005-11-15T14:29:35.523-05:0027] U.S. Presidential Policies, 1947 - 2002Post comments here.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1131483087968878212005-11-08T15:50:00.000-05:002005-11-10T07:38:28.046-05:00PROPOSALS: FINAL PAPER TOPICS<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/1600/image002.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/320/image002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Please post your outline for your final paper. Others will comment.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1131482974717567792005-11-08T15:47:00.000-05:002005-11-10T07:39:33.246-05:00CRTICAL REVIEW PAPER 2: Empire, a critical analysis<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/1600/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20017.0.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="344" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/320/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20017.0.jpg" width="213" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/1600/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20018.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/320/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20018.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I hope you had a wonderful time reading the text.<br />Please post your review of Empire in this thread.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1131482795557225322005-11-08T15:44:00.000-05:002005-11-10T07:40:29.563-05:00CRITICAL REVIEW I: FOUNDATIONAL PAPERS<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/1600/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20020.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="320" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6233/827/320/STINGRAYS%20latest%20and%20ASTORIA%20Mid-East%20dinner%20020.jpg" width="289" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In the comment box, please post your first critical review paper.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1131482266570883342005-11-08T15:36:00.000-05:002005-11-08T15:37:46.586-05:00The Gaza Withdrawal: Comments by Pavel ShubMIDDLE EAST ASSIGNMENT 5<br />by: PAVEL SHUB<br /><br />Posting 1<br /><br />Now that Israel has completed its withdrawal from Gaza and Western donors have began funneling funds into the Palestinian Authority, optimists believe themselves justified in seeing these developments as the beginning of a viable Palestinian state. Similarly, pessimists observe the expansion of existing Israeli settlements in the West bank and increased Israeli presence in East Jerusalem as yet another example of Israeli duplicity condoned by the “Imperialist West” bent on the seizure of the valuable petrochemical resources so prized by Arab nationalists. While pundits and demagogy debate which of these views is more correct than the other, the PA is concluding deals with the usual array of French, German, and Russian, arms dealers to supply it with armored vests, armored amphibious personnel carriers, infantry weapons of all calibers and sizes, and enough ammunition to engage even the best armed military. Purely offensive in nature, these weapons signal the imminent escalation of tensions within Gaza that will prompt ever greater responses from the IDF.<br /><br />According to the PA all of this firepower is necessary to enable it to effectively combat Hamas and Hezbollah radicals who continue to attack Palestinian police and its supporters within the PA. While Mahmoud Abbas continues to call for a cessation of violence at home and more aid from abroad for the construction of viable infrastructure for the new Palestinian state, potential donors and would be neighbors are frightened by the rising provenance of Islamic extremists who use Marxism-Stalinism to justify their wanton rampages through Palestinian towns and the recently abandoned Israeli settlements.<br /><br />Given that the current phase of the U.S.-led war on terror will not subside for at least two more years and that economic aspirations will continue to supplant ideological considerations among the citizens of the disparate Arab states, it is not implausible to consider the possibility of a bi-lateral PA engagement of Israel within the very near future. At the moment roughly two thirds of the Palestinian population are 25 or younger almost equally divided between men and women. While most of these youths lack the skills necessary to readily assume their place within a modern high tech economy, the presence of such an economy and the requisite educational institutions within Israel could aid in the requisite deradicalization of the Palestinian public. Should the Palestinians discard the destructive ideologies of the past and finally direct their energies toward the much wanting reconciliation of the differences among the disparate Palestinian factions, the goal of peace within the Middle East would be much closer to reality than it had ever been before.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130264157488599262005-10-25T14:14:00.000-04:002005-10-25T14:15:58.260-04:0026] Impasse and New IntifadaTBA.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130264081866283962005-10-25T14:12:00.000-04:002005-10-25T14:14:41.980-04:0025] The Peace ProcessComment on the following articles:<br /><br />a) Principles of a Peace Agreement-- Oslo, Norway.<br />b) Yitzhak Rabin, "The Price of Occupation,"<br />c) The Taba NegotiationsDr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130263903101296982005-10-25T14:08:00.000-04:002005-10-25T14:11:43.263-04:0024] Transformation of Palestinian PoliticsComment on the following articles:<br /><br />a) Yasser Arafat, "We recognize Israel'<br />b) Hannan Mikhail-Ashrawi, "The Meaning of the <em>Intifada</em>"<br />c) Charter of the Islamic resistance Movement of Palestine (<em>Hamas</em>)Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130263676336496132005-10-25T14:04:00.000-04:002005-11-15T14:19:53.913-05:0023] Reaching for Peace: United Nations Security Council Resolutions<strong><em> Chapter 23. Reaching for Peace</em></strong><br />by Marco Mua <br /><br /> After the 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israeli wars, the UN passed two resolutions in order to create peace. These resolutions remain unimplemented. Also, Israel and Palestine interpret the requirements of the resolutions very differently.<br /><br /> UN Resolution #242 was passed in 1967. It stated that Israel must withdraw from occupied territories. The problem with establishing peace is that UN resolutions are written in ambiguous language that can be interpreted very differently from various parties. The UN did not state which territories Israel is supposed to withdraw from. Israel interprets resolution 242 as meaning that Israel has to withdraw from some but not all territories.<br /><br />Israel feels that they already met the requirements of the resolution by returning the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. Instead, the Palestinians interpret resolution 242 as requiring Israel to return the Golan Heights to Syria, and return all of the West Bank and Gaza strip to Palestinian control. I want to add that even if this UN resolution was written in less ambiguous language, it would still be irrelevant because the UN has little power to enforce their resolutions. The UN cannot even enforce their resolution pertaining to the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.<br /><br />The UN ruled that Eritrea had to give up the small and poor town of Badame to Ethiopia. Eritrea refused to give the town up, and the UN has not been able to enforce their ruling on the border dispute. If the UN cannot enforce resolutions between 2 poor African nations, then they certainly won’t have the power to resolve anything in the Middle East.<br /><br /> UN resolution #338 calls upon a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine. This is impossible. Palestine will continue to launch suicide bombing attacks against Israeli citizens. They will continue to do this as long as their land is occupied and their communities continue to get bulldozed by Israeli’s. Palestinians are sick of living in an open-air prison environment that resembles a refugee camp.<br /><br />Many Palestinian homes are bulldozed by the Israeli military. That is what’s causing the anger. They are being humiliated by an outside force in their own land. Unless this changes, then the suicide attacks will continue. Of course, Israeli will continue to attack Palestinians since innocent Israeli’s are getting blown up on buses and in cafes. The closest these two sides came to peace was when Israeli Prime Minister Rabin recognized Palestinian self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated. Prime Minister Sharon succeeded Rabin and is a well-known hawk. Sharon has rapidly expanded Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land, which is causing even more violence and resentment. Recently, Sharon uprooted most settlements on the Gaza strip and returned the entire Gaza strip to the Palestinians. This is not as significant as it sounds. The Palestinians gain valuable coastal land from the Israelis. However, the Israeli still control the airspace, borders, and ports. Israeli fighter jets still fly over the coastal strip. I’m guessing Israeli’s economy will continue to benefit from the Gaza strip, while Palestine will remain poor.<br /><br /> In conclusion, I feel the Israel/Palestinian conflict has been prolonged due to American interests in the region. As I mentioned in class, America openly supported Iraq during the 1980-1989 Iran-Iraq war. America supported Iraq, while they were secretly supporting Iran at the same time. America wanted to prolong the war and ensure that both sides would be tremendously weakened as a result of the long fighting.<br /><br />The US did not want to see a winner. They wanted to prolong the war for as long as possible. The weaker the Middle-East is, the more control the US will have over valuable Middle-Eastern oil reserves. It seems to have worked for the US. The Middle-East is still underdeveloped and weak today. Especially Iran and Iraq. That allows for the US to dominate and control Middle-East oil. With that being said, I strongly believe the US has the same goal in regards to Palestine. Israel is an American weapon that is used to further weaken the oil-rich Middle-East. Israel exists in order to weaken the Middle-East and to prevent further Middle-Eastern sovereignty.Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130263441957695672005-10-25T14:01:00.000-04:002005-10-26T15:15:57.890-04:0022] Arab Assertions: Out of Despair Revive NationalismComment on the following articles;<br /><br />a) Nizar Qabbani, 'The Catastrophe of Arab Defeat"<br />b) Palestinian National council, 'The National Charter"Dr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130263241150230622005-10-25T13:57:00.000-04:002005-10-25T14:00:41.150-04:0021] The Creation of the State of IsraelComment on the following articles:<br /><br />a) UN General Assembly, "The Partition Plan: Resolution #181'<br />b) UN General Assembly, "Palestinian Right of Return; Resolution #191"<br />c) The Israeli Knesset, the Law of ReturnDr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16608276.post-1130263011505477672005-10-25T13:52:00.000-04:002005-10-25T13:56:51.506-04:0020] Palestine on the Eve of World War IIComment on the following articles:<br /><br />a) Ted Swedenburg, "The Palestinian Revolt, 1936-1939"<br />b) The Arab Response to the Proposed Partition of Palestine<br />c) The British Government's White Paper on Palestine<br />d) The Biltmore ProgramDr. AZLY RAHMANhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07437908281114330911noreply@blogger.com0