PRO/CON: How should the U.S. defeat Islamic State?

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "PRO/CON: How should the U.S. defeat Islamic State?"

Transcription

1 PRO/CON: How should the U.S. defeat Islamic State? By Tribune News Service, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 1,606 U.S. President Barack Obama (right) shakes hands with French President Francois Hollande during their news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Nov. 24, Photo: AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais PRO: Widen the war against the extremist group President Barack Obama has no choice. If he wants to defeat the Islamic State group, he will have to become a real war leader. He may not like it, but putting more troops on the ground is the surest way to win this war. That s nothing new. The terror attacks on Paris were horrific, but no gamechanger. The game changed in 2014, when the Islamic State broke out from Syria, drove the Iraqi military from the field and proclaimed a worldwide caliphate a giant country ruled by Islamic law. The moment the group, also known as ISIS, established a territorial state in Iraq, it posed two grave threats to the United States and its friends and allies.

2 Islamic State's Threat Is Only Growing A country in the heart of the Middle East controlled by Sunni extremists was guaranteed to create friction with Shiite Muslims, the other major Islamic sect. That will lead, inevitably, to a larger regional conflict. Then problems will spill over to Europe. The refugees flooding Europe and Moscow s deepening of its direct involvement in the fighting in Syria foreshadow what lies ahead. The second threat was transnational. With tens of thousands of foreign fighters and sophisticated social networking, the Islamic State already had a global reach. Its conquering of land rich in oil made it the wealthiest extremist group in history. Since then, the Islamic State has demonstrated the capacity to adapt and innovate. It is combining the most effective terror practices developed by extremist groups over the last three decades. Nonetheless, beyond capability, what really makes the Islamic State scary is its intent. To keep up its story as a true caliphate, the Islamic State must live up to its image as a powerful and growing force. And the way to do that is to take the battle to its enemies by mounting terror attacks across national borders. It is folly for Obama to claim that these twin dangers regional and transnational are contained. They are unfolding across Europe as America watches. Clearly, our plan for dealing with the Islamic State has been insufficient. The Islamic State has been tough, absorbing months of drone attacks and light bombing. Russia s entry into the war has helped prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad and perpetuated further conflict. Still, it has not driven the Islamic State from the field. While ISIS has suffered defeats, like when the ethnic Kurds recently took back the city of Sinjar, it has bounced back every time. U.S. Must Fight More In Iraq At this point, the United States should not try to solve Syria. As long as Russia and Iran back Assad, he will stick around as will the war against him. Moreover, it s not reasonable for the United States to lead in the fight to get the Islamic State everywhere. But where the United States could lead is in breaking the Islamic State s territorial control of Iraq. That is a task worth doing because commanding a state is what makes the group a global threat.

3 Without U.S. participation, the prospects for winning a typical war against ISIS are slim. In a conventional war, two military forces fight against each other in open confrontation. Arab states lack both the capacity and expertise to undertake these operations. The Kurds can defend themselves and even win back territory, but liberating the country is beyond them. The Iraqi military is far from ready. Neither Sunnis nor Shiite are ready to risk an all-out war with ISIS. European countries do not have the means to carry out major operations on the ground in the Middle East without the United States standing by their side. Additionally, after conventional forces drive ISIS from the field, they will have to keep them from coming back. Iraq is not stable enough right now to stand up to threats from outside. This is unwelcome news for President Obama. He boasted of ending the war in Iraq and withdrawing U.S. troops. But the absence of U.S. boots on the ground changed the facts on the ground as well. The Islamic State was quick to take advantage of Obama's decision to pull out U.S. troops. Adding force bit by bit 50 special ops troops here, a few more airstrikes there cannot substantially alter the current unpleasant facts on the ground. Delay of meaningful ground action risks allowing the twin dangers of the Islamic State to spread even farther. ABOUT THE WRITER: A 25-year Army veteran, James Jay Carafano is vice president of defense and foreign policy studies for The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org), a conservative think-tank on Capitol Hill. Readers may write him at Heritage, 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C This essay is available to Tribune News Service subscribers. Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Tribune or Newsela. CON: Drastic and hasty actions are not the answer The response to the Paris terror attacks should not be military. The desire for revenge is understandable. French President Francois Hollande speaks of a war against the Islamic State group. It is just like when U.S. President George W. Bush spoke of a war against al-qaida after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.

4 A day or two after the Paris attacks, an Islamic State member threatened to do something similar in Washington, D.C. The threat only heightens the concern. It makes it seem like we must do something drastic to destroy the extremist group, which is also called ISIS. Past Mistakes Haunt U.S. The problem is that a military effort to destroy the Islamic State is not likely to work. President Barack Obama understands that if he were to say he could destroy the Islamic State quickly, he would fail. Then he would have to eat his words. The use of force has gotten us into the fix in which we now find ourselves. Our response to the attacks we suffered on Sept. 11 was military. Our aim in invading Afghanistan in 2001 was to stop terrorism, but we seem only to have created more. We did limit al-qaida s ability to operate in Afghanistan, but they moved elsewhere. The anger we generated with our war in Afghanistan may have brought even more down on us. Our invasion of Iraq in 2003 replaced a Sunni-led government with a government led by the Shiite majority. The Shiites then carried out a vendetta against the minority Sunni population of Iraq. The Shiites had suffered under the Sunnis. While occupying Iraq, we worked to push anyone who had supported Saddam Hussein's government out of their jobs. That left the Sunnis thinking they had no place in the new Iraq. The exclusion of the Sunnis spawned Sunni-led armed groups like the Islamic State. Rabbi Michael Lerner is a philosopher and expert on the Middle East. He wrote, after the Paris attacks, Until the powerful countries of the world are seen as mainly driven by a desire to care for the well-being of everyone else on the planet and the well-being of the planet itself, and care not only out of selfinterest but also out of a new consciousness in which we all come to truly understand our mutual interdependence and oneness, what we saw in Paris this past week is destined to be an increasing reality in the coming decades. How To Best Respond The response to the Paris attacks should be to set the West on a path to dealing with the Middle East. We must do so in a way that undermines the anti-western attitudes that led to the violence we saw on the streets of Paris. The Paris attacks provide a new reason for the West to take action to undercut the hatred of the West.

5 Among the various conflicts, one where we still have a chance to help is the one between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The lack of a solution for that conflict, which has been festering for so long, bears a direct relation to the massacre in Paris. The support of the Western powers, and particularly the United States, of Israel was a battle cry for Osama bin Laden. He used it to gain followers when he first organized al-qaida in the 1990s. The Arab countries were unable to deal with Israel to secure a country for the Palestinians. Bin Laden attracted the youth of the Middle East. He told them that violence was the only way to fight the West and to force Israel to give the Palestinians a country. Bin Laden successfully played on the view that the United States has been bought off by Israel. Many in the Middle East think the U.S. let Israel take over Palestinian land. For years, Israel has built settlements of homes on Palestinian land, and the United States has continued to support Israel. President Obama wisely is not buying into President Hollande s thinking. Rabbi Lerner s approach shows a greater chance of achieving a long-term solution. By changing our policy, we can change the views that have generated these terror attacks. ABOUT THE WRITER: John B. Quigley is distinguished professor of law at Ohio State University. He is the author of 11 books on various aspects of international law. Readers may write to him at Moritz College of Law, 55 West 12th St., Columbus, Ohio This essay is available to Tribune News Service subscribers. Tribune did not subsidize the writing of this column; the opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Tribune or Newsela.

6 Quiz 1 Which sentence from the article OST CLEARLY states James Jay Carafano's opinion on how to defeat ISIS? If he wants to defeat the Islamic State group, he will have to become a real war leader. He may not like it, but putting more troops on the ground is the surest way to win this war. Without U.S. participation, the prospects for winning a typical war against ISIS are slim. Adding force bit by bit 50 special ops troops here, a few more airstrikes there cannot substantially alter the current unpleasant facts on the ground. 2 On which of the following do the authors of the PRO and CON articles AGREE? The United States must get involved in the conflict with ISIS to find a resolution. The United States should lead European nations in an attack on ISIS to prevent further violence. The United States should only get involved in the conflict with ISIS if there are other nations willing to support their efforts. The United States must avoid getting involved in the conflict with ISIS because of the anger that still exists over the invasion of Afghanistan. 3 On which of James Jay Carafano s statements would John B. Quigley MOST STRONGLY disagree? The terror attacks on Paris were horrific, but no game-changer. Nonetheless, beyond capability, what really makes the Islamic State scary is its intent. Without U.S. participation, the prospects for winning a typical war against ISIS are slim. At this point, the United States should not try to solve Syria.

7 4 Which statement BEST explains John B. Quigley's point of view on past U.S. involvement in conflicts in the Middle East? He believes that the United States has the most successful plan to manage Middle Eastern conflicts. He thinks that ISIS was formed by the government that was put in place when the United States left Iraq. He believes that the invasion of Afghanistan has created more anti- American feelings than there were before. He thinks that Barack Obama fears having to admit that he was wrong about removing troops from Iraq.

Syria's Civil War Explained

Syria's Civil War Explained Syria's Civil War Explained By Al Jazeera, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.22.17 Word Count 675 Level 800L A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters,

More information

PRO/CON: Can U.S. governors say no to Syrian refugees?

PRO/CON: Can U.S. governors say no to Syrian refugees? PRO/CON: Can U.S. governors say no to Syrian refugees? By Tribune News Service, adapted by Newsela staff on 12.18.15 Word Count 1,394 Syrian refugees wait at Marka Airport in Amman, Jordan, on Dec. 8,

More information

Syria's Civil War Explained

Syria's Civil War Explained Syria's Civil War Explained By Al Jazeera, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.22.17 Word Count 1,055 Level 1000L A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters,

More information

Recently, the group released videos showing the killing of two American journalists in Syria.

Recently, the group released videos showing the killing of two American journalists in Syria. Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES using the CLOSE reading strategies practiced in class. This requires reading of the article three times. Step 1: Skim the article using these symbols

More information

Syria's Civil War Explained

Syria's Civil War Explained Syria's Civil War Explained By Al Jazeera, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.22.17 Word Count 1,055 Level 1000L A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters,

More information

2-Provide an example of an ethnic clash we have discussed in World Cultures: 3-Fill in the chart below, using the reading and the map.

2-Provide an example of an ethnic clash we have discussed in World Cultures: 3-Fill in the chart below, using the reading and the map. Name: Date: How the Middle East Got that Way Directions : Read each section carefully, taking notes and answering questions as directed. Part 1: Introduction Violence, ethnic clashes, political instability...have

More information

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide By Bloomberg, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.06.16 Word Count 731 Level 1010L TOP: First Friday prayers of Ramadan at the East London Mosque in London, England. Photo

More information

Professor Shibley Telhami,, Principal Investigator

Professor Shibley Telhami,, Principal Investigator 2008 Annual Arab Public Opinion Poll Survey of the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland (with Zogby International) Professor Shibley Telhami,, Principal Investigator

More information

The U.S. Withdrawal and Limited Options

The U.S. Withdrawal and Limited Options Published on STRATFOR (http://www.stratfor.com) Home > The U.S. Withdrawal and Limited Options in Iraq The U.S. Withdrawal and Limited Options in Iraq Created Aug 17 2010-03:56 [1] Not Limited Open Access

More information

War in Afghanistan War in Iraq Arab Spring War in Syria North Korea 1950-

War in Afghanistan War in Iraq Arab Spring War in Syria North Korea 1950- War in Afghanistan 2001-2014 War in Iraq 2003-2010 Arab Spring 2010-2011 War in Syria 2011- North Korea 1950- Began as a result of 9/11 attacks September 11, 2001 Four hijacked planes in the U.S. Two crashed

More information

Why The U.S. Must Stop Supporting Kurdish Forces In Syria BY POLITICAL INSIGHTSApril 3, 2018

Why The U.S. Must Stop Supporting Kurdish Forces In Syria BY POLITICAL INSIGHTSApril 3, 2018 Why The U.S. Must Stop Supporting Kurdish Forces In Syria BY POLITICAL INSIGHTSApril 3, 2018 U.S. policy of over-reliance on Kurds in Syria has created resentment among the local Arab population as well

More information

For sale: Ancient artifacts. Islamic State offers up what it hasn't smashed

For sale: Ancient artifacts. Islamic State offers up what it hasn't smashed For sale: Ancient artifacts. Islamic State offers up what it hasn't smashed By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff on 06.15.15 Word Count 889 In this image made from a militant video posted on YouTube

More information

SIMULATION : The Middle East after the territorial elimination of the Islamic state in Iraq and Syria

SIMULATION : The Middle East after the territorial elimination of the Islamic state in Iraq and Syria SIMULATION : The Middle East after the territorial elimination of the Islamic state in Iraq and Syria Three foreign research institutions participate in the simulation: China Foreign Affairs University

More information

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide By Bloomberg, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.06.16 Word Count 731 Level 1010L TOP: First Friday prayers of Ramadan at the East London Mosque in London, England. Photo

More information

THE ANDREW MARR SHOW INTERVIEW: TONY BLAIR FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNE 14 th 2014

THE ANDREW MARR SHOW INTERVIEW: TONY BLAIR FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNE 14 th 2014 PLEASE NOTE THE ANDREW MARR SHOW MUST BE CREDITED IF ANY PART OF THIS TRANSCRIPT IS USED THE ANDREW MARR SHOW INTERVIEW: TONY BLAIR FORMER PRIME MINISTER JUNE 14 th 2014 Now looking at the violence now

More information

Syria's Civil War Explained

Syria's Civil War Explained Syria's Civil War Explained By Al Jazeera, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.22.17 Word Count 1,166 A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters, hangs on

More information

Palestine and the Mideast Crisis. Israel was founded as a Jewish state in 1948, but many Palestinian Arabs refused to recognize it.

Palestine and the Mideast Crisis. Israel was founded as a Jewish state in 1948, but many Palestinian Arabs refused to recognize it. Palestine and the Mideast Crisis Israel was founded as a Jewish state in 1948, but many Palestinian Arabs refused to recognize it. Palestine and the Mideast Crisis (cont.) After World War I, many Jews

More information

Untangling the Overlapping Conflicts in the Syrian War

Untangling the Overlapping Conflicts in the Syrian War MIDDLE EAST SHARE Untangling the Overlapping Conflicts in the Syrian War By SERGIO PEÇANHA, SARAH ALMUKHTAR and K.K. REBECCA LAI OCT. 18, 2015 What started as a popular uprising against the Syrian government

More information

Executive Summary. by its continued expansion worldwide. Its barbaric imposition of shariah law has:

Executive Summary. by its continued expansion worldwide. Its barbaric imposition of shariah law has: Toppling the Caliphate - A Plan to Defeat ISIS Executive Summary The vital national security interests of the United States are threatened by the existence of the Islamic State (IS) as a declared Caliphate

More information

Island Model United Nations Military Staff Committee. Military Staff Committee Background Guide ISLAND MODEL UNITED NATIONS

Island Model United Nations Military Staff Committee. Military Staff Committee Background Guide ISLAND MODEL UNITED NATIONS Background Guide ISLAND MODEL UNITED NATIONS Dear Delegates, I would like to formally welcome you to the at IMUN 2014. My name is Tyler Pickford and I will be your Director for the duration of the conference.

More information

Assessing ISIS one Year Later

Assessing ISIS one Year Later University of Central Lancashire From the SelectedWorks of Zenonas Tziarras June, 2015 Assessing ISIS one Year Later Zenonas Tziarras, University of Warwick Available at: https://works.bepress.com/zenonas_tziarras/42/

More information

Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks

Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks www.breaking News English.com Ready-to-use ESL / EFL Lessons Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks URL: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0508/050805-zawahri-e.html Today s contents The Article 2 Warm-ups 3

More information

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide

Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide Issue Overview: Sunni-Shiite divide By Bloomberg, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.06.16 Word Count 603 Level 800L TOP: First Friday prayers of Ramadan at the East London Mosque in London, England. Photo

More information

Iraq Iran The Arab Israeli conflict Palestinian Divisions The Lebanese Crisis

Iraq Iran The Arab Israeli conflict Palestinian Divisions The Lebanese Crisis 2008 Annual Arab Public Opinion Poll Survey of the Anwar Sadat Chair for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland (with Zogby International). Professor Shibley Telhami,, Principle Investigator

More information

CUFI BRIEFING HISTORY - IDEOLOGY - TERROR

CUFI BRIEFING HISTORY - IDEOLOGY - TERROR CUFI BRIEFING HEZBOLLAH - THE PARTY OF ALLAH HISTORY - IDEOLOGY - TERROR Who is Hezbollah Hezbollah, an Arabic name that means Party of Allah (AKA: Hizbullah, Hezbullah, Hizbollah), is a large transnational

More information

Before the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Before the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs December 2, 2015 How to Defeat ISIS Prepared statement by Max Boot Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies Council on Foreign Relations Before the Terrorism, Nonproliferation,

More information

ISIS Is Not Waging a War Against Western Civilization

ISIS Is Not Waging a War Against Western Civilization ISIS Is Not Waging a War Against Western Civilization A primer for Marco Rubio P E T E R B E I N A R T N O V 1 5, 2 0 1 5 G L O B A L Ammar Awad / Reuters At least Marco Rubio didn t answer the attacks

More information

United Nations Security Council (CRISIS) BACKGROUND GUIDE

United Nations Security Council (CRISIS) BACKGROUND GUIDE United Nations Security Council (CRISIS) BACKGROUND GUIDE Responding to ISIS Director: Assistant Director: Mohammad Khattak Marcos Seef WHISMUN 2017 February 3-4 Brooklyn, NY WHISMUN 2017 THE HIGH SCHOOL

More information

U.S. Admits Airstrike in Syria, Meant to Hit ISIS, Killed Syrian Troops

U.S. Admits Airstrike in Syria, Meant to Hit ISIS, Killed Syrian Troops http://nyti.ms/2cxkw1u MIDDLE EAST U.S. Admits Airstrike in Syria, Meant to Hit ISIS, Killed Syrian Troops By ANNE BARNARD and MARK MAZZETTI SEPT. 17, 2016 BEIRUT, Lebanon The United States acknowledged

More information

Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks

Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks www.breaking News English.com Ready-to-use ESL / EFL Lessons Al-Qaeda warns of more attacks URL: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0508/050805-zawahri.html Today s contents The Article 2 Warm-ups 3 Before

More information

The Modern Middle East Or As I like to call it

The Modern Middle East Or As I like to call it The Modern Middle East Or As I like to call it How did this. Turn into this Which the US has been in for over TEN years, doing this Modern Middle East Holy City of Jerusalem Dome of the Rock The Western

More information

Syria: to end a never-ending war. Michel Duclos

Syria: to end a never-ending war. Michel Duclos Syria: to end a never-ending war Michel Duclos EXECUTIVE SUMMARY JUNE 2017 There is no desire more natural than the desire of knowledge ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michel Duclos was French Ambassador to Switzerland

More information

DIA Alumni Association. The Mess in the Middle East August 19, 2014 Presented by: John Moore

DIA Alumni Association. The Mess in the Middle East August 19, 2014 Presented by: John Moore DIA Alumni Association The Mess in the Middle East August 19, 2014 Presented by: John Moore The Mess in the Middle East Middle East Turmoil Trends since Arab Spring started Iraq s civil war; rise of the

More information

The Islamic State's Fallback

The Islamic State's Fallback The Islamic State's Fallback June 8, 2017 Its strategy is changing, and our model must change with it. By Jacob L. Shapiro The Islamic State was the world s first jihadist group to make control of territory

More information

Event A: The Decline of the Ottoman Empire

Event A: The Decline of the Ottoman Empire Event A: The Decline of the Ottoman Empire Beginning in the late 13 th century, the Ottoman sultan, or ruler, governed a diverse empire that covered much of the modern Middle East, including Southeastern

More information

The Roots of the Iraq and Syria Wars Go Back More than 60 Years. By Washington's Blog. Global Research, August 16, 2014

The Roots of the Iraq and Syria Wars Go Back More than 60 Years. By Washington's Blog. Global Research, August 16, 2014 The Roots of the Iraq and Syria Wars Go Back More than 60 Years By Washington's Blog Global Research, August 16, 2014 It s Always Been about Oil and Pipelines The same issues which drove war and terrorism

More information

Overview 1. On June 29, 2014, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-baghdadi declared the establishment of the

Overview 1. On June 29, 2014, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-baghdadi declared the establishment of the The Collapse of the Islamic State: What Comes Next? November 18, 2017 Overview 1 On June 29, 2014, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-baghdadi declared the establishment of the Islamic Caliphate by the Islamic State

More information

Islam and Terrorism. Nov. 28, 2016 Clarity in defining the enemy is essential to waging war.

Islam and Terrorism. Nov. 28, 2016 Clarity in defining the enemy is essential to waging war. Islam and Terrorism Nov. 28, 2016 Clarity in defining the enemy is essential to waging war. Originally produced on Nov. 21, 2016 for Mauldin Economics, LLC George Friedman The United States has been at

More information

Iraq s Future and America s Interests

Iraq s Future and America s Interests 1 of 6 8/8/2007 3:00 PM Iraq s Future and America s Interests Published: 02/15/2007 Remarks Prepared for Delivery This is a time of tremendous challenge for America in the world. We must contend with the

More information

Al-Arabiya Television Interview With Hisham Melhem. delivered 26 January 2009

Al-Arabiya Television Interview With Hisham Melhem. delivered 26 January 2009 Barack Obama Al-Arabiya Television Interview With Hisham Melhem delivered 26 January 2009 AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio Mr. Melhem: Mr. President, thank you

More information

War on Terrorism Notes

War on Terrorism Notes War on Terrorism Notes Member of Ba'ath Party Mixing Arab nationalist, pan Arabism, Arab socialist and antiimperialist interests. Becomes president in 1979 Iranians and Iraqis fight because of religious

More information

Regional Issues. Conflicts in the Middle East. Importance of Oil. Growth of Islamism. Oil as source of conflict in Middle East

Regional Issues. Conflicts in the Middle East. Importance of Oil. Growth of Islamism. Oil as source of conflict in Middle East Main Idea Reading Focus Conflicts in the Middle East Regional issues in the Middle East have led to conflicts between Israel and its neighbors and to conflicts in and between Iran and Iraq. How have regional

More information

IRMO BRIE F IRMO. Main Strategic Considerations of Contemporary Israel. By Yossi Peled. Introduction

IRMO BRIE F IRMO. Main Strategic Considerations of Contemporary Israel. By Yossi Peled. Introduction Institut za razvoj i međunarodne odnose Institute for Development and International Relations BRIE F Ured u Zagrebu 05 2018 Main Strategic Considerations of Contemporary Israel By Yossi Peled Introduction

More information

Southwest Asia (Middle East) History Vocabulary Part 1

Southwest Asia (Middle East) History Vocabulary Part 1 Southwest Asia (Middle East) History Vocabulary Part 1 Mandate An official order to carry out something example The government issued a mandate for citizens to carry identification. Partition To divide

More information

OPINION jordan palestine ksa uae iraq. rkey iran egypt lebanon jordan palstine

OPINION jordan palestine ksa uae iraq. rkey iran egypt lebanon jordan palstine aq turkey iran egypt lebanon jordan lestine ksa uae iraq turkey iran egyp banon jordan palestine ksa uae iraq rkey iran egypt lebanon jordan palstine ksa uae iraq turkey iran egypt banon jordan palestine

More information

SW Asia (Middle East) 2 nd Nine Weeks EOTT/Semester Exam Study Guide

SW Asia (Middle East) 2 nd Nine Weeks EOTT/Semester Exam Study Guide SW Asia (Middle East) 2 nd Nine Weeks EOTT/Semester Exam Study Guide #1 Geographically speaking, which country lies between Iraq and Afghanistan? ANSWER Iran lies between Iraq and Afghanistan. #2 The Suez

More information

Oct 2016 Meeting Minutes Discussion of American Muslim Faith and Beliefs

Oct 2016 Meeting Minutes Discussion of American Muslim Faith and Beliefs Oct 2016 Meeting Minutes Discussion of American Muslim Faith and Beliefs What is Muslim Faith? Muslim History In The United States Director Chaaban opened his discussion with a brief history of Muslim

More information

Syria's idealistic revolution becomes a symbol of 21st century catastrophe

Syria's idealistic revolution becomes a symbol of 21st century catastrophe Syria's idealistic revolution becomes a symbol of 21st century catastrophe By Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff on 12.16.16 Word Count 993 Level 1220L Syrian children look at the damage following

More information

Will It. Arab. The. city, in. invasion and of. International Marxist Humanist. Organization

Will It. Arab. The. city, in. invasion and of. International Marxist Humanist. Organization Tragedy in Iraq and Syria: Will It Swalloww Up the Arab Revolutions? The International Marxist-H Humanist Organization Date: June 22, 2014 The sudden collapse of Mosul, Iraq s second largest city, in the

More information

THE IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION S ROLE IN DEFEATING ISIL

THE IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION S ROLE IN DEFEATING ISIL THE IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION S ROLE IN DEFEATING ISIL The summer of 2014 was a fatal summer, not only for the Iraqi Kurdistan Region but also for the Middle East and the rest of the world. It witnessed the

More information

THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION. 5 on 45: On Trump s NATO stance. Friday, April 14, 2017

THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION. 5 on 45: On Trump s NATO stance. Friday, April 14, 2017 THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION 5 on 45: On Trump s NATO stance Friday, April 14, 2017 PARTICIPANTS: Host: Contributor: ADRIANNA PITA THOMAS WRIGHT Director, Project on International Order and Strategy Fellow,

More information

Factsheet about 9/11. Page 1

Factsheet about 9/11. Page 1 Page 1 Factsheet about 9/11 View of the World Trade Center, New York, under attack on 11 September 2001 What happened on 11 September 2001? In the early morning of 11 September 2001, 19 hijackers took

More information

Chapter 22 Southwest Asia pg Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran pg

Chapter 22 Southwest Asia pg Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran pg Chapter 22 Southwest Asia pg. 674 695 22 1 Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran pg. 677 681 Assume the role of a leader of an oil rich country. Why would you maybe need to diversify your country s economy? What

More information

9/11 BEFORE, DAY OF, AND AFTER WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY?

9/11 BEFORE, DAY OF, AND AFTER WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? 9/11 BEFORE, DAY OF, AND AFTER WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT 9/11? Go to TeachTCI.com and take the 9/11 Test. When done write a journal entry telling me 5 things that happened on 9/11.

More information

Supporting the Syrian Opposition

Supporting the Syrian Opposition ASSOCIATED PRESS /MANU BRABO Supporting the Syrian Opposition Lessons from the Field in the Fight Against ISIS and Assad By Hardin Lang, Mokhtar Awad, Ken Sofer, Peter Juul, and Brian Katulis September

More information

"Military action will bring great costs for the region," Rouhani said, and "it is necessary to apply all efforts to prevent it."

Military action will bring great costs for the region, Rouhani said, and it is necessary to apply all efforts to prevent it. USA TODAY, 29 Aug 2013. Syrian allies Iran and Russia are working together to prevent a Western military attack on Syria, the Iranian president said, as Russia said it is sending warships to the Mediterranean,

More information

Peace Index September Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann

Peace Index September Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann Peace Index September 2015 Prof. Ephraim Yaar and Prof. Tamar Hermann This month s Peace Index survey was conducted just at the beginning of the current wave of violence, and it focuses on two topics:

More information

The Countries of Southwest Asia. Chapter 23

The Countries of Southwest Asia. Chapter 23 The Countries of Southwest Asia Chapter 23 The Countries of Southwest Asia (Middle East) Creation of Israel After WWII, Jews had no where to go. In 1948, The United Nations decided to split Palestine between

More information

NATIONAL RESEARCH PROFESSOR JAYANTA KUMAR RAY S book, Cross-

NATIONAL RESEARCH PROFESSOR JAYANTA KUMAR RAY S book, Cross- A PUBLICATION OF THE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR EASTERN AND NORTH EASTERN REGIONAL STUDIES, KOLKATA (CENERS-K) DECONSTRUCTING THE NUCLEUS OF TERRORIS IN PAKISTAN S STATE AND SOCIETY Cross-Border Terrorism: Focus

More information

Aug 26, 1920: 19th Amendment adopted (Women get the right to vote

Aug 26, 1920: 19th Amendment adopted (Women get the right to vote Bell Work Agenda: 9-11/The World We Live In Homework: None Objective: Students will examine the events that led to the 9-11 attacks. 1. Why would 19 Middle Eastern men fly airplanes into buildings? (write

More information

ISIS-ISIL 4th Hour Group Project

ISIS-ISIL 4th Hour Group Project ISIS-ISIL 4th Hour Group Project The Kurds By: Autumn Tomasko, Katrina Gensterblum, Claire Destrampe, Kelsey Hall, Danielle Stowell and Justine Lindquist Who are the Kurds? -The Kurds are an ethnic group

More information

Let me begin, just very shortly and very quickly, with what I did during the first five months when I went there and why I was in the Red Zone.

Let me begin, just very shortly and very quickly, with what I did during the first five months when I went there and why I was in the Red Zone. Thank you very much for the kind words. It is always a pleasure to be here in New York. I was walking this afternoon. It reminded me of when I was still working here. It is always a pleasure. During the

More information

Turkish Offensive on Islamic State in Syria Caught U.S. Off Gua...

Turkish Offensive on Islamic State in Syria Caught U.S. Off Gua... This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers visit http://www.djreprints.com. http://www.wsj.com/articles/turkish-offensive-on-islamic-state-in-syria-caught-u-s-off-guard-1472517789

More information

Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread

Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread May, 03 Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread No Love for Assad, Yet No Support for Arming the Rebels Andrew Kohut, Founding Director, Pew Research Center Pew Global Attitudes Project:

More information

Divisions over the conflict vary along religious and ethnic lines Christianity in Syria Present since the first century Today comprise about 10% of the population: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant; Arabs,

More information

Joint Remarks to the Press Following Bilateral Meeting. Delivered 20 May 2011, Oval Office of the White House, Washington, D.C.

Joint Remarks to the Press Following Bilateral Meeting. Delivered 20 May 2011, Oval Office of the White House, Washington, D.C. Barack Obama Joint Remarks to the Press Following Bilateral Meeting Delivered 20 May 2011, Oval Office of the White House, Washington, D.C. AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly

More information

In11965 the British writer and

In11965 the British writer and Studii Israeliene The Syrian Civil War as a Global Crisis 1 ITAMAR RABINOVICH [Israel Institute, Washington and Jerusalem] Abstract The article explains the complexity of the Syrian crisis by analyzing

More information

THE ISIS CHALLENGE IN LIBYA

THE ISIS CHALLENGE IN LIBYA THE ISIS CHALLENGE IN LIBYA SIMULATION BACKGROUND With two rival governments and an expanding ISIS presence in between, Libya has more than its fair share of problems. Reactionary Arab regimes like Egypt

More information

Iraqi Public Favors International Assistance

Iraqi Public Favors International Assistance Iraqi Public Favors International Assistance January 31, 2006 Full Report Questionnaire/Methodology Though many Iraqis are unhappy with the presence of US-led forces, most express strong support for various

More information

Grade yourself on the OER. Test Friday on Unit 1

Grade yourself on the OER. Test Friday on Unit 1 Take out your OERs on September 11. Grade yourself using the rubric, providing one sentence of justification for each of the 6 parts (purpose, content, details, etc.) Grade yourself on the OER. Test Friday

More information

II. From civil war to regional confrontation

II. From civil war to regional confrontation II. From civil war to regional confrontation Following the initial legitimate demands of the Syrian people, the conflict took on the regional and international dimensions of a long term conflict. Are neighboring

More information

Overview. As tensions mount between Iran and the United States, the Commander of the Qods

Overview. As tensions mount between Iran and the United States, the Commander of the Qods Spotlight on Iran July 22 August 5, 2018 Author: Dr. Raz Zimmt Overview As tensions mount between Iran and the United States, the Commander of the Qods Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC),

More information

Teens find support in dealing with anti- Muslim bullying

Teens find support in dealing with anti- Muslim bullying Teens find support in dealing with anti- Muslim bullying By Chicago Tribune, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.18.16 Word Count 765 Saarah Bhaiji, 16, folds one of her many headscarves at her home in Glenview,

More information

Issue Overview: Jihad

Issue Overview: Jihad Issue Overview: Jihad By Bloomberg, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.05.16 Word Count 645 TOP: Members of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad display weapons while praying before walking through the streets

More information

2. How did President Bashar al-assad respond to the peaceful protests?

2. How did President Bashar al-assad respond to the peaceful protests? Background Essay Questions 1. Why did Syrian citizens rise up in protest in March 2011? 2. How did President Bashar al-assad respond to the peaceful protests? 3. Despite being opposed to President Assad,

More information

Nov. 8, 2016 Tough talk on a new offensive to take back the Islamic State s de facto capital.

Nov. 8, 2016 Tough talk on a new offensive to take back the Islamic State s de facto capital. Retaking Raqqa? Nov. 8, 2016 Tough talk on a new offensive to take back the Islamic State s de facto capital. By Jacob L. Shapiro The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared on Sunday that it had launched

More information

Comment - The Damascus December 2009 Bus Explosion December 7, 2009 Alessandro Bacci reports from Damascus, Syria

Comment - The Damascus December 2009 Bus Explosion December 7, 2009 Alessandro Bacci reports from Damascus, Syria Comment - The Damascus December 2009 Bus Explosion December 7, 2009 Alessandro Bacci reports from Damascus, Syria On the morning of December 3, 2009 an explosion occurred to a bus parked at a gas station

More information

Congressional Testimony

Congressional Testimony Congressional Testimony Crisis in Syria: Implications for Homeland Security Thomas Joscelyn Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Editor, The Long War Journal Hearing before House

More information

Islamic Militarism and Terrorism in the Modern World. Roots of Hate

Islamic Militarism and Terrorism in the Modern World. Roots of Hate Islamic Militarism and Terrorism in the Modern World Roots of Hate 1 Terrorism Terrorism in the modern world revolves around fundamentalist Islam To understand the issues, it is important to look at Islam

More information

Chapter 8: Political Geography KEY ISSUES #3 & #4

Chapter 8: Political Geography KEY ISSUES #3 & #4 Chapter 8: Political Geography KEY ISSUES #3 & #4 Key Issue #3 WHY DO STATES COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER? United Nations 1. 49 in 45, 192 in 07 2. 1955 (16) Euro. Countries liberated from Nazi s -1960 (17)

More information

UNDERSTANDING THE ISLAMIC STATE

UNDERSTANDING THE ISLAMIC STATE UNDERSTANDING THE ISLAMIC STATE INTRODUCTION CRT BRIEFING, 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 Since June 2014, the Islamic State (IS) has been advancing throughout Iraq. The group now controls a large amount of territory

More information

A traditional approach to IS based on maintaining a unified Iraq, while building up the Iraqi Government, the Kurdistan Regional Government

A traditional approach to IS based on maintaining a unified Iraq, while building up the Iraqi Government, the Kurdistan Regional Government TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE IRAQ AT A CROSSROADS: OPTIONS FOR U.S. POLICY JULY 24, 2014 JAMES FRANKLIN JEFFREY, PHILIP SOLONDZ DISTINQUISHED VISITING FELLOW, THE WASHINGTON

More information

Introduction. Special Conference. Combating the rise of religious extremism. Student Officer: William Harding. President of Special Conference

Introduction. Special Conference. Combating the rise of religious extremism. Student Officer: William Harding. President of Special Conference Forum: Issue: Special Conference Combating the rise of religious extremism Student Officer: William Harding Position: President of Special Conference Introduction Ever since the start of the 21st century,

More information

Physical Geography This region is extremely arid, and most areas receive less than 18 of precipitation per year. the dry terrain varies from huge

Physical Geography This region is extremely arid, and most areas receive less than 18 of precipitation per year. the dry terrain varies from huge The Middle East Physical Geography This region is extremely arid, and most areas receive less than 18 of precipitation per year. the dry terrain varies from huge tracts of sand dunes to great salt flats.

More information

The impact of the withdrawal of the American troops from Syria on the campaign against ISIS (Initial Assessment) Overview

The impact of the withdrawal of the American troops from Syria on the campaign against ISIS (Initial Assessment) Overview December 25, 2018 The impact of the withdrawal of the American troops from Syria on the campaign against ISIS (Initial Assessment) Overview On December 19, 2018, four years after the American campaign

More information

9/11. Before, The Day of, and After. Write a journal entry telling me 5 things that happened on 9/11. Label it Journal #1

9/11. Before, The Day of, and After. Write a journal entry telling me 5 things that happened on 9/11. Label it Journal #1 9/11 Before, The Day of, and After Write a journal entry telling me 5 things that happened on 9/11. Label it Journal #1 Share Journal # 1 with the people at your table. INTRODUCTION What is 9/11 Attack

More information

Amid tough campaign talk, Obama pays his first visit to a U.S. mosque

Amid tough campaign talk, Obama pays his first visit to a U.S. mosque Amid tough campaign talk, Obama pays his first visit to a U.S. mosque By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela on 02.05.16 Word Count 802 President Barack Obama (center) meets with members of the Muslim-American

More information

The killing of two Al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq and its implications

The killing of two Al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq and its implications Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center May 9, 2010 The killing of two Al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq and its implications The Al-Qaeda leaders killed in Iraq. Left: Abu Ayyub al-masri, the Al-Qaeda commander

More information

US Strategies in the Middle East

US Strategies in the Middle East US Strategies in the Middle East Feb. 8, 2017 Washington must choose sides. By George Friedman Last week, Iran confirmed that it test-fired a ballistic missile. The United States has responded by imposing

More information

The First Poll Of Iraqi Public Opinion. Conducted by Zogby International

The First Poll Of Iraqi Public Opinion. Conducted by Zogby International The First Poll Of Iraqi Public Opinion Conducted by Zogby International Interviews were conducted in Basra, Karkouk, Mousel and Al Ramadi. Methodology Zogby International conducted interviews of 600 adults

More information

The Proxy War for and Against ISIS

The Proxy War for and Against ISIS The Proxy War for and Against ISIS Dr Andrew Mumford University of Nottingham @apmumford Summary of talk Assessment of proxy wars Brief history of proxy wars Current trends The proxy war FOR Islamic State

More information

Introduction: Key Terms/Figures/Groups: OPEC%

Introduction: Key Terms/Figures/Groups: OPEC% Council: Historical Security Council Topic: The Question of the Gulf War Topic Expert: Mina Wageeh Position: Chair Introduction: IraqileaderSaddamHusseinorderedtheinvasionandoccupationofneighboringKuwaitonthe

More information

... Connecting the Dots...

... Connecting the Dots... ... Connecting the Dots... The Syrian Arab Army guarding the Road into Banias Everywhere we went, people said they were voting for Security. And Democracy And the Future Syrian Refugee Camp with people

More information

News English.com Ready-to-use ESL/EFL Lessons

News English.com Ready-to-use ESL/EFL Lessons www.breaking News English.com Ready-to-use ESL/EFL Lessons Al-Qaeda s Zarqawi wounded in Iraq URL: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0505/050525-zarqawi-e.html Today s contents The Article 2 Warm-ups

More information

The Islamic State Strikes Back

The Islamic State Strikes Back The Islamic State Strikes Back Dec. 14, 2016 IS capture of Palmyra has pulled the cloak back on Russia s vulnerability. By Jacob L. Shapiro The small Syrian city of Palmyra, well-known for its ancient

More information

Syria's Civil War Explained

Syria's Civil War Explained Syria's Civil War Explained By Al Jazeera on 02.22.17 Word Count 1,002 A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters, hangs on the back of a woman as she

More information

IRAQ - To End The Insurgencies.: An Article From: APS Diplomat Redrawing The Islamic Map [HTML] [Digital] By Gale Reference Team

IRAQ - To End The Insurgencies.: An Article From: APS Diplomat Redrawing The Islamic Map [HTML] [Digital] By Gale Reference Team IRAQ - To End The Insurgencies.: An Article From: APS Diplomat Redrawing The Islamic Map [HTML] [Digital] By Gale Reference Team If searching for the ebook IRAQ - To End The Insurgencies.: An article from:

More information

THE ISLAMIC STATE INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING 16011

THE ISLAMIC STATE INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING 16011 16011 THE ISLAMIC STATE This extremely radical Islamic group is also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) or ISIL (Islamic State of the Levant). has openly declared the establishment of a new

More information

'We Palestinian Christians Say Allahu Akbar'

'We Palestinian Christians Say Allahu Akbar' 'We Palestinian Christians Say Allahu Akbar' Nadezhda Kevorkova is a war correspondent who has covered the events of the Arab Spring, military and religious conflicts around the world, and the anti-globalization

More information