VIENNA MODEL UNITED NATIONS CLUB

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "VIENNA MODEL UNITED NATIONS CLUB"

Transcription

1 VIENNA MODEL UNITED NATIONS CLUB The Security Situation in Yemen Study Guide March Session

2 History of the Republic of Yemen During the 60 s Yemen was divided into a northern and a southern part. The northern part of Yemen was ruled by a group of imams until a pro-egyptian military coup took place in The Yemen Arab Republic was proclaimed and after a civil war in which Egypt's president Nasser and the USSR supported the revolutionaries. The King Saud of Saudi Arabia and King Hussein of Jordan supported the royalists, but they were defeated in Meanwhile the southern port of Aden had been colonized by Britain. It was strategically located at the opening of the Red Sea. With an expansion of its territory in 1937, it was known as Aden Protectorate. In the 1960s the Nationalist Liberation Front (NLF) was founded and they fought the British rule. This led to the establishment of the People's Republic of Southern Yemen in 1967 under a strong influence of the Soviet Union. The People's Republic of Southern Yemen was the only Marxist state in the entire Arab world. In 1990, the two governments reached a full agreement on the joint governing of Yemen and the countries were merged on 22 May 1990 with Ali Abdullah Salah as its President. The former President of South Yemen, Ali Salim al-beidh, became Vice-President. A unified parliament was formed and a uniting constitution was agreed upon. However, differences over power sharing and the pace of integration between the North and the South came to a head in 1994, causing a civil war. The North's superior forces quickly overwhelmed the South in May and early June despite the South's brief declaration of succession. The victorious North presented a reconciliation plan providing for a general amnesty and pledged to protect political democracy. A peace agreement between northern and southern leaders was signed in Amman, Jordan on 20 February 1994, but it did not stop the civil war. During these tensions, both the northern and southern armies gathered on their frontiers. A defeat of the southern armed forces and the flight into exile of many Yemeni Socialist Party leaders and other southern secessionists were the result of the May July 1994 civil war in Yemen. According to rumours Saudi Arabia actively aided the South during the 1994 civil war. In 1999 Ali Abdullah Saleh became Yemen's first directly elected president, winning 96.2% 2

3 of the vote. The only other candidate, Najeeb Qahtan Al-Sha'abi, was the son of Qahtan Muhammad al-shaabi, a former President of South Yemen. Though he was a member of Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) party, Najeeb had run as an independent. Beginning of the Houthi insurgency The Houthi insurgency in Yemen began in June 2004 when dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-houthi, head of the Zaidi Shia sect, launched an uprising against the Yemeni government. The Yemeni government alleged that the Houthis were seeking to overthrow it and to implement Shī'a religious law. The rebels countered that they were "defending their community against discrimination" and government aggression. Houthis was killed by Yemeni troops and one of his brothers became the new leader of the rebellion. Between 2004 and 2010 the fighting continued and many heavy clashes took place. In 2011 the Arab spring also reached Yemen and the Houthis used the anti-government protests for their cause. Finally president Saleh resigned after a 33-year rule. In February 2012 Abd Rabbuh Mansur al-hadi was elected the new president, however the fighting and violence continued. Worsening of the prospects Besides the clashes between the rebels and the government, a lot of other terroristic incidents, such as a number of suicide attacks, a bomb explosion in front of the British embassy and several hostage-takings damaged the image of Yemen. Yemeni officials announced in August 2013 that they had foiled a plan for a large-scale terrorist attack by al-qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Officials said they had been alerted to the plot by intercepted communications between Ayman al-zawahiri, the leader of the organization, and Nasser al-wuhayshi, the head of the group in Yemen, in which Zawahiri reportedly ordered Wuhayshi to launch the attack, and by the recent arrival of dozens of militants to the capital, Sana'a. Officials said, the militants had planned to target Western embassies and offices, the Yemeni military headquarters, and oil and gas pipelines. They did not, however, indicate how they prevented the attacks. The announcement came days after the Obama administration had shut down 19 embassies and consulates in the Middle 3

4 East and North Africa, including posts in Yemen, in response to the intercepted communications. Some analysts were sceptical that Yemen actually thwarted any attacks, suggesting instead that Yemen's announcement was politically motivated an attempt to show it could maintain security and that the move by Obama to close the embassies was alarmist. Indeed, after U.S. personnel were evacuated from Yemen, the Yemen embassy in Washington released a statement saying, "Yemen has taken all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of foreign missions in the capital." In March 2013 the National Dialogue Conference was opened to recommend provisions for a new constitution, ways to shore up the economy, end corruption, and discuss how to curb the secessionist movement in the south. The conference was made up of 565 representatives from political parties, women's groups, youth movements, and other civil organizations. It ended in January 2014, several months behind schedule. While the conference fell short of expectations, it agreed to establish an anti-corruption board, end childhood marriage, improve the rights of women, implement a federal system of government, and work to reduce the marginalization of southerners. In response to the conference, a presidential committee laid out a plan in February for Yemen to become a federation of six regions. Nevertheless, the Houthis took advantage of the instability in Yemen and in early July 2014 they took control of Amran, a city 45 miles north of the capital, Sana. The Houthis gained wide support from Shia and Sunnis due to a statement in August, when Houthi leaders demanded that president Hadi should rescind his decision to end subsidies that helped the poor. By early September they entered the capital and set up a camp there. Hadi agreed to form a new government, with the Houthis nominating the prime minister. He also promised a reduction in the price of fuel, but the Houthis claimed that the concessions were inadequate. As a conclusion of that, a fight between the rebels and the security forces in Sana took place. The fight ended with the Houthis taking control of Sana. On the one hand it was a stunning accomplishment for the rebels, but on the other hand it was an equally significant blow for Hadi. On September 20 th the UN brokered a peace agreement between the Houthis and the government. The next day, Prime Minister Mohammed Basindwa announced his resignation. As part of the deal the Houthis agreed to withdraw from Sana, and Hadi said he would reinstate the fuel subsidy, establish a "technocratic national government," work to 4

5 root out corruption, allow the Houthis to select presidential advisers and have more representation in parliament, and implement the provisions of the National Dialogue Conference. The Houthis, however, refused to sign a "security appendix," which called for the rebels to withdraw from Sana and other cities and surrender their weapons. In October, Khaled Bahah, Yemen's former ambassador to the UN, was named prime minister. Overthrow of the Yemeni government In January 2015 a intensification of the fighting between Houthi rebels and government in Sana was noticed. During this escalating situation a draft constitution was adopted that called for Yemen to become a federation of six regions, a concept that had emerged from the National Dialogue Conference, but this move was opposed by the Houthis. The Houthis surrounded the presidential palace complex, with president Hadi inside, and took his chief of staff hostage. On January 21, the Houthis and the government signed a cease-fire, in which the Houthis agreed to withdraw from the presidential palace and the government said, it would abandon the regional plan and give the Houthis more say in the naming of government officials. The Houthis, however, reneged on the deal. The next day Hadi, Prime Minister Muhammad Salim Basindwah, and the cabinet all resigned, citing the Houthis failure to abide by the cease-fire. However, the Houthis said in a statement that parliament must approve Hadi's resignation before it can take effect. The statement hinted at the Houthi's reluctance to assume control over the country since it does not have support of the Sunni majority in the south. In early February, the Houthis dissolved Parliament and said it would be replaced with a national council that would then form a committee to name a new president. In response to the turmoil, Saudi Arabia withheld aid to Yemen because of the Houthis' ties to Iran. In an attempt to form a compromise government, the UN brokered talks between the Houthis and rival political parties. However, the negotiations quickly broke down. On February 6, the Houthis announced that they had dissolved parliament and installed a five-member presidential council which will form a transitional government for two years. A transitional national council with 551 members is supposed to replace the former parliament. However, many Sunni governors in the provinces boycott this development, as 5

6 they are loyal to the overthrown former government. This leaves Yemen in a highly unstable situation without an effective central government. What increases the tensions even more is that former president Hadi managed to escape his house arrest on February 21 and has since then withdrawn his resignation, stating that all actions taken by the Houthis were null and illegitimate. Furthermore Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has gained strength in Yemen due to the current power vacuum. AQAP adheres to an interpretation of Sunni Islam while the Houthis follow a branch of Shiite Islam, because of this dogmatic differences the two groups fight each others and AQAP s attacks on Houthis have resulted in many civilian casualties. Another complicating factor that mustn t be neglected is the interference of foreign powers: The Houthis are allegedly supported by Iran, whereas Saudi Arabia has taken action against them. At the same time the United States continue their anti-terrorism policy against Al- Qaeda, including the use of drones. 6

INTRODUCTION. Costeas Geitonas School Model United Nations Committee: Security Council. Issue: The situation in Yemen

INTRODUCTION. Costeas Geitonas School Model United Nations Committee: Security Council. Issue: The situation in Yemen Committee: Security Council Issue: The situation in Yemen Student Officer: Nicholas Beltsos Position: Deputy President INTRODUCTION Yemen and more specifically the Republic of Yemen is located in the Middle

More information

Introduction. Definition of Key Terms. Security Council. The Question of Yemen. Student Officer: Humna Shahzad

Introduction. Definition of Key Terms. Security Council. The Question of Yemen. Student Officer: Humna Shahzad Forum: Issue: Security Council The Question of Yemen Student Officer: Humna Shahzad Position: Deputy President Introduction Yemen being an Arab country in the middle east, wasn t always like the country

More information

PERSONAL INTRODUCTION

PERSONAL INTRODUCTION Forum: Issue: Student Officer: Position: Security Council The civil war in Yemen Sofia Kopsacheili President PERSONAL INTRODUCTION Dear delegates, My name is Sofia Kopsacheili and I feel really honored

More information

Yemen. The conflict in Yemen is defined by the struggles between the Sunni-led government and

Yemen. The conflict in Yemen is defined by the struggles between the Sunni-led government and Yemen Background: The conflict in Yemen is defined by the struggles between the Sunni-led government and those who are allied to the Shia rebels, known as the Houthis. This struggle stems from the cultural

More information

SBIMUN Background Guide. UN Security Council

SBIMUN Background Guide. UN Security Council SBIMUN 2015 Background Guide Santa Barbara Intercollegiate Model United Nations Honorable Delegates, Jesse Lin UCSBMUN Secretary General Robert Kovacs SBIMUN Secretary-General Diana Alvarez SBIMUN Undersecretary-General

More information

FOREIGN INTERVERTION IN THE YEMENI CIVIL WAR

FOREIGN INTERVERTION IN THE YEMENI CIVIL WAR FOREIGN INTERVERTION IN THE YEMENI CIVIL WAR Forum: Securtiy Council Agenda Item: Foreign Intervertion in the Yemeni Civil War Student Officer: Betül Yıldız Position: Deputy Chair General Overview Yemen

More information

PAMUN XV SECURITY COUNCIL QUESTION OF THE SITUATION IN YEMEN. Introduction of Topic. Definition of Key Terms

PAMUN XV SECURITY COUNCIL QUESTION OF THE SITUATION IN YEMEN. Introduction of Topic. Definition of Key Terms PAMUN XV SECURITY COUNCIL QUESTION OF THE SITUATION IN YEMEN Introduction of Topic The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country located in Southwest Asia in the Arabian Peninsula. It is the second largest

More information

Yemen Conflict Fact Sheet

Yemen Conflict Fact Sheet Yemen Conflict Fact Sheet Executive Summary The current conflict in Yemen is comprised of numerous actors that are in constant conflict with one another in an attempt to gain control of the state, or at

More information

VISION IAS

VISION IAS VISION IAS www.visionias.in (Major Issues for G.S. Advance Batch : 2015) Yemen Crisis Table of Content 1 Introduction... 2 2 Houthis and their uprising... 2 3 Possible reasons behind this crisis... 3 4

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

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NASSER AL-AULAQI, Plaintiff, v. No. 10-cv-01469 (JDB) BARACK H. OBAMA, et al., Defendants. DECLARATION OF PROF. BERNARD HAYKEL I, Bernard Haykel,

More information

COUNCIL DECISION 2014/932/CFSP of 18 December 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen

COUNCIL DECISION 2014/932/CFSP of 18 December 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen 19.12.2014 L 365/147 COUNCIL DECISION 2014/932/CFSP of 18 December 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty

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

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

GLOBAL EXPOSURE AUGUST 2012

GLOBAL EXPOSURE AUGUST 2012 GLOBAL EXPOSURE AUGUST 2012 Arab Spring Leads to Islamic Autumn One year after the Arab Spring revolutions, has it turned into a nightmare? By Charles Krauthammer GLOBAL EXPOSURE P ost-revolutionary Libya

More information

US Iranian Relations

US Iranian Relations US Iranian Relations ECONOMIC SANCTIONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FORCE IRAN INTO ABANDONING OR REDUCING ITS NUCLEAR ARMS PROGRAM THESIS STATEMENT HISTORY OF IRAN Called Persia Weak nation Occupied by Russia,

More information

As Yemenis Starve, Saudi Arabia is Accused of War Crimes in the Country

As Yemenis Starve, Saudi Arabia is Accused of War Crimes in the Country print As Yemenis Starve, Saudi Arabia is Accused of... (https://news.vice.com) YEMEN (/TOPIC/YEMEN) As Yemenis Starve, Saudi Arabia is Accused of War Crimes in the Country By Samuel Oakford (/contributor/samuel-oakford)

More information

Yemen & Sana a Security Summary

Yemen & Sana a Security Summary Yemen & Security Summary March 2018 Contents Overview Yemen Terrorism Humanitarian Situation Yemen Recent Incidents Overview Conflict Summary Recent Incidents Overview: Yemen Yemen, the poorest country

More information

ANNEXES to the Joint proposal for a Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen

ANNEXES to the Joint proposal for a Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Yemen EUROPEAN COMMISSION HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY Brussels, 1.12.2014 JOIN(2014) 40 final ANNEXES 1 to 2 Limited ANNEXES to the Joint proposal for a

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

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

The^JAMESTWN THE BATTLE FOR YEMEN. Al-Qaeda and the Struggle for Stability. Edited By Ramzy Mardini. The Jamestown Foundation Washington, DC

The^JAMESTWN THE BATTLE FOR YEMEN. Al-Qaeda and the Struggle for Stability. Edited By Ramzy Mardini. The Jamestown Foundation Washington, DC SUB Hamburg A/588577 THE BATTLE FOR YEMEN Al-Qaeda and the Struggle for Stability Edited By Ramzy Mardini The^JAMESTWN F O U N D A T I O N The Jamestown Foundation Washington, DC Acknowledgements Timeline

More information

Operation Decisive Storm: Reshuffling Regional Order

Operation Decisive Storm: Reshuffling Regional Order Position Papers Operation Decisive Storm: Reshuffling Regional Order This paper was originally written in Arabic by: Al Jazeera Center for Studies Translated into English by: AMEC Al Jazeera Center for

More information

4/11/18. PSCI 2500 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Jim Butterfield Davis Arthur-Yeboah April 11, 2018

4/11/18. PSCI 2500 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Jim Butterfield Davis Arthur-Yeboah April 11, 2018 PSCI 2500 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Jim Butterfield Davis Arthur-Yeboah April 11, 2018 Office hours: Davis: M-Th 3:00-4:30 JB: Tu 4:00-5:30, W 2:00-4:00 From last Wednesday, know for the final exam: What

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

Iran Iraq War ( ) Causes & Consequences

Iran Iraq War ( ) Causes & Consequences Iran Iraq War (1980 1988) Causes & Consequences In 1980 Saddam Hussein decided to invade Iran. Why? Religion Iran was governed by Muslim clerics (theocracy). By contrast, Iraq was a secular state. The

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

More Iran Background ( ) EQ: What was the cultural climate in Iran like before and after the Revolution?

More Iran Background ( ) EQ: What was the cultural climate in Iran like before and after the Revolution? More Iran Background (152-154) EQ: What was the cultural climate in Iran like before and after the Revolution? Introduction Iran comes from the word Aryan. Aryans settled here in 1500 B.C. Descendents

More information

Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari Friday 22 October 2010 By Sawsan Abu-Husain

Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari Friday 22 October 2010 By Sawsan Abu-Husain Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari Friday 22 October 2010 By Sawsan Abu-Husain Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who accompanied Prime Minister

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

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

Yemen conflict may alter US-Saudi relations

Yemen conflict may alter US-Saudi relations Yemen conflict may alter US-Saudi relations [Content preview Subscribe to IHS Jane s Intelligence Review for full article] The civil war in Yemen is generating a humanitarian crisis as regional powers

More information

** Book value of property, plant, equipment (after 2014 year end write-down / impairment charge of $88 million) $40M CDN or $0.

** Book value of property, plant, equipment (after 2014 year end write-down / impairment charge of $88 million) $40M CDN or $0. MicroCap.com March 26, 2015 Calvalley Oil Flows as Saudi Arabia Goes to War in Yemen Surprisingly strong production as Gulf States launch Military Intervention Calvalley Petroleum (CVI.A 70 cents) www.calvalleypetroleum.com

More information

Position Paper. King Salman s Priorities:

Position Paper. King Salman s Priorities: Position Paper King Salman s Priorities: Revamping Alliances to Stop Iranian expansion This paper was originally written in Arabic by: Al Jazeera Center for Studies Translated into English by: AMEC 29

More information

Yemen: From Economic Prosperity to Despair. ago centuries before the fate of its history dismantled the hope of its future.

Yemen: From Economic Prosperity to Despair. ago centuries before the fate of its history dismantled the hope of its future. 1 Layal Khouri History of the Arabian-Persian Gulf Professor Thomas DeGeorges American University of Sharjah Yemen: From Economic Prosperity to Despair Happy Arabia was the name given to the country by

More information

How serious a threat does Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula represent to Yemen and the West?

How serious a threat does Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula represent to Yemen and the West? How serious a threat does Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula represent to Yemen and the West? Yemen is a troubled state, but no Afghanistan, argues Professor FawazGerges. Yemen s worrying reality Statistics

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

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

Iran Hostage Crisis

Iran Hostage Crisis Iran Hostage Crisis 1979 1981 The Iran Hostage Crisis lasted from 1979 until 1980. Earlier American intervention with Iran led to this incident. During World War II, the Axis Powers were threatening to

More information

Blowback. The Bush Doctrine 11/15/2018. What does Bill Kristol believe is the great threat for the future of the world?

Blowback. The Bush Doctrine 11/15/2018. What does Bill Kristol believe is the great threat for the future of the world? Blowback A CIA term meaning, the unintended consequences of foreign operations that were deliberately kept secret from the American public. So when retaliation comes, the American public is not able to

More information

DinarAlert Iraqi Television Transcript Service (ITTS)

DinarAlert Iraqi Television Transcript Service (ITTS) 4/17/15 Al Iraqiya nightly news Today's evening news covers the dangerous situation developing in Anbar Province especially around Ramadi, Prime Minister Haidar Abadi said from the United States that "we

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

Global View Assessments Fall 2013

Global View Assessments Fall 2013 Saudi Arabia: New Strategy in Syrian Civil War Key Judgment: Saudi Arabia has implemented new tactics in the Syrian civil war in an effort to undermine Iran s regional power. Analysis: Shiite Iran continues

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

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

Appendix 1: Chronology of Yemeni-Soviet relations 1920s 1980s. South Yemen

Appendix 1: Chronology of Yemeni-Soviet relations 1920s 1980s. South Yemen Appendix 1: Chronology of Yemeni-Soviet relations 1920s 1980s North Yemen South Yemen 1928 The Soviet-Yemeni Friendship and Trade Treaty is signed in Sana a, establishing relations between the Mutawakkil

More information

Al-Qaeda versus the ISIS

Al-Qaeda versus the ISIS Al-Qaeda versus the ISIS Wing Commander Kiran Krishnan Nair Research Fellow, CAPS Background: Hindsight is always 6/6, the problem is with foresight. All the think-tanks and the mounds of literature across

More information

How the Relationship between Iran and America. Led to the Iranian Revolution

How the Relationship between Iran and America. Led to the Iranian Revolution Page 1 How the Relationship between Iran and America Led to the Iranian Revolution Writer s Name July 13, 2005 G(5) Advanced Academic Writing Page 2 Thesis This paper discusses U.S.-Iranian relationships

More information

The Yemen Imbroglio: Understanding the Many Layers of the Yemeni Civil War

The Yemen Imbroglio: Understanding the Many Layers of the Yemeni Civil War Policy Brief 3:17 The Yemen Imbroglio: Understanding the Many Layers of the Yemeni Civil War Harrison Akins Graduate Research Fellow Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy University of Tennessee

More information

ASSESSMENT REPORT. After Capturing Amran, Will the Houthis Aim for Sanaa?

ASSESSMENT REPORT. After Capturing Amran, Will the Houthis Aim for Sanaa? ASSESSMENT REPORT After Capturing Amran, Will the Houthis Aim for Sanaa? Policy Analysis Unit - ACRPS July 2014 After Capturing Amran, Will the Houthis Aim for Sanaa? Series: Assessment Report Policy Analysis

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 in Yemen: A Return to Hit-and-Run Tactics

Al-Qaeda in Yemen: A Return to Hit-and-Run Tactics Position Paper Al-Qaeda in Yemen: A Return to Hit-and-Run Tactics Tel: +974-44663454 jcforstudiesen@aljazeera.net http://studies 4 July 2012 After almost a year, the Yemeni army, in collaboration with

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

Oil in the Middle East

Oil in the Middle East Oil in the Middle East OPEC Member NaEons About 2/3 of the world s known oil reserves are located in the Middle East Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, & other countries have obtained great wealth from

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

After Mali Comes Niger

After Mali Comes Niger February 12, 2013 SNAPSHOT After Mali Comes Niger West Africa's Problems Migrate East Sebastian Elischer SEBASTIAN ELISCHER is an assistant professor of comparative politics at the Leuphana University

More information

Islam and Religion in the Middle East

Islam and Religion in the Middle East Islam and Religion in the Middle East The Life of Young Muhammad Born in 570 CE to moderately influential Meccan family Early signs that Muhammad would be Prophet Muhammad s mother (Amina) hears a voice

More information

KALMUN 2018 CHAIR REPORT. The question of Yemen SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 2: KALMUN JUNE 2018 Page 1

KALMUN 2018 CHAIR REPORT. The question of Yemen SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 2: KALMUN JUNE 2018 Page 1 KALMUN 2018 CHAIR REPORT SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM 2: The question of Yemen KALMUN 18 9-13 JUNE 2018 Page 1 Topic: The Yemeni Civil War Committee: United Nations Security Council Position: President

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 675 Level 800L A displaced Syrian child, fleeing from Deir Ezzor besieged by Islamic State (IS) group fighters,

More information

Yemen and the GCC: Future Relations

Yemen and the GCC: Future Relations Workshop 5 Yemen and the GCC: Future Relations Workshop Directors: Daniel Martin Varisco President, American Institute for Yemeni Studies / Research Professor, Center for Humanities and Social Sciences

More information

Israeli-Palestinian Arab Conflict

Israeli-Palestinian Arab Conflict Israeli-Palestinian Arab Conflict Middle East after World War II Middle Eastern nations achieved independence The superpowers tried to secure allies Strategic importance in the Cold War Vital petroleum

More information

Oil Installations as an Attractive Target for Terrorism TABLE OF CONTENTS. Abd Al-Aziz bin Rashid Al-Anzi an Al-Qaeda strategist...

Oil Installations as an Attractive Target for Terrorism TABLE OF CONTENTS. Abd Al-Aziz bin Rashid Al-Anzi an Al-Qaeda strategist... Oil Installations as an Attractive Target for Terrorism TABLE OF CONTENTS BACKGROUND...2 BOOK "SENTENCED TO TARGET OIL INTERESTS"...2 Abd Al-Aziz bin Rashid Al-Anzi an Al-Qaeda strategist...5 ATTACKING

More information

22.2 THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Birthplace of three major world religions Jerusalem:

22.2 THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Birthplace of three major world religions Jerusalem: 22.2 THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN Birthplace of three major world religions Jerusalem: Jews Historical: Modern Capital of : Visited my many each year Temple Mount Christians Historical: Modern Mount of Olives

More information

Iran comes from the word Aryan Aryans settled here in 1500 B.C. Descendents were the Medes and the Persians Eventually, whole territory became known

Iran comes from the word Aryan Aryans settled here in 1500 B.C. Descendents were the Medes and the Persians Eventually, whole territory became known Iran comes from the word Aryan Aryans settled here in 1500 B.C. Descendents were the Medes and the Persians Eventually, whole territory became known as the Persian Empire 1935 Reza Shah changed the name

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

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

Deterrence in American Foreign Policy: Theory and Practice

Deterrence in American Foreign Policy: Theory and Practice Deterrence in American Foreign Policy: Theory and Practice ALEXANDER L. GEORGE RICHARD SMOKE 1974 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY New York & London PRESS The Eisenhower Doctrine: The Middle East, 1957-1958 329 Implementation

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

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

138 th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda E#IPU138

138 th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS. Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda E#IPU138 138 th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24 28.03.2018 Assembly A/138/2-P.6 Item 2 22 March 2018 Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda Request

More information

Transcript of the interview of Mr. Martin Griffiths with Becky Anderson CNN s Connect the World 01 November 2018

Transcript of the interview of Mr. Martin Griffiths with Becky Anderson CNN s Connect the World 01 November 2018 Transcript of the interview of Mr. Martin Griffiths with Becky Anderson CNN s Connect the World 01 November 2018 ANDERSON: These pictures from the United Nations on the ground there and across this in

More information

30.4 NATIONALISM IN INDIA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA

30.4 NATIONALISM IN INDIA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA flag if India (right) flags of Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia (below) 30.4 NATIONALISM IN INDIA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA INDIAN NATIONALISM GROWS Two groups rid India of foreign rule: Indian National Congress

More information

Yemen, the war the world has forgotten Its actors as the way to understand the conflict

Yemen, the war the world has forgotten Its actors as the way to understand the conflict 2017/06/14 Yemen, the war the world has forgotten Its actors as the way to understand the conflict Maria del Mar Cánovas Bilbao 1 INTRODUCTION Since the breakout of the Civil War in Yemen in 2015, tensions

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

Successes and failures of the Pan-Arabism

Successes and failures of the Pan-Arabism Kocaeli University From the SelectedWorks of Ogulcan Sert Spring March 11, 2016 Successes and failures of the Pan-Arabism Ogulcan Sert, Kocaeli University Available at: https://works.bepress.com/ogulcan-sert/4/

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

Will Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Form a Coalition Against Iran?

Will Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Form a Coalition Against Iran? 12 17 March 2015 Will Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Form a Coalition Against Iran? Lindsay Hughes FDI Research Analyst Indian Ocean Research Programme Key Points Iran has troops and allied militias

More information

Egypt s Fateful Verdict

Egypt s Fateful Verdict Page 1 of 6 Egypt s Fateful Verdict Author: Ed Husain, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies March 25, 2014 Egypt is no stranger to radicalism and terrorism. It was the poor treatment of Islamist prisoners

More information

February 02, Third African Department, Soviet Foreign Ministry, Information Report on Somali-Ethiopian Territorial. Disputes

February 02, Third African Department, Soviet Foreign Ministry, Information Report on Somali-Ethiopian Territorial. Disputes Digital Archive International History Declassified digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org February 02, 1977 Third African Department, Soviet Foreign Ministry, Information Report on Somali-Ethiopian Territorial

More information

Saudi-Iranian Confrontation in the Horn of Africa:

Saudi-Iranian Confrontation in the Horn of Africa: Saudi-Iranian Confrontation in the Horn of Africa: The Case of Sudan March 2016 Ramy Jabbour Office of Gulf The engagement of the younger generation in the policy formation of Saudi Arabia combined with

More information

Reviving the Peace Process in Yemen

Reviving the Peace Process in Yemen EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN Washington, DC Reviving the Peace Process in Yemen May 2018 Reviving the Peace Process in Yemen May 2018 EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN Washington, DC Introduction It

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 Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism: Implications for Pakistan s Security and Foreign Relations

The Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism: Implications for Pakistan s Security and Foreign Relations ISAS Brief No. 469 28 April 2017 Institute of South Asian Studies National University of Singapore 29 Heng Mui Keng Terrace #08-06 (Block B) Singapore 119620 Tel: (65) 6516 4239 Fax: (65) 6776 7505 www.isas.nus.edu.sg

More information

replaced by another Crown Prince who is a more serious ally to Washington? To answer this question, there are 3 main scenarios:

replaced by another Crown Prince who is a more serious ally to Washington? To answer this question, there are 3 main scenarios: The killing of the renowned Saudi Arabian media personality Jamal Khashoggi, in the Saudi Arabian consulate building in Istanbul, has sparked mounting political reactions in the world, as the brutal crime

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

Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations

Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations Jeremy M. Sharp Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs June 8, 2011 Congressional Research Service CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34170 Summary

More information

Major political parties in Kurdistan release statement: KDP denying them from Erbil governorate

Major political parties in Kurdistan release statement: KDP denying them from Erbil governorate Political May 1, 2015 Major political parties in Kurdistan release statement: KDP denying them from Erbil governorate Erbil: In the first anniversary of Provincial Council election, major political parties

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

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

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

Barack Obama and the Middle East

Barack Obama and the Middle East Barack Obama and the Middle East Cairo Speech June 4, 2009 I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect;

More information

A Shake-Up in the Saudi Royal Family

A Shake-Up in the Saudi Royal Family A Shake-Up in the Saudi Royal Family June 22, 2017 The kingdom is resilient, but it has never faced such daunting challenges. By Kamran Bokhari Saudi Arabia is facing a number of serious challenges that

More information

WESTERN IMPERIALISM AND ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM: what relation? Jamie Gough Department of Town and Regional Planning, Sheffield University

WESTERN IMPERIALISM AND ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM: what relation? Jamie Gough Department of Town and Regional Planning, Sheffield University WESTERN IMPERIALISM AND ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM: what relation? Jamie Gough Department of Town and Regional Planning, Sheffield University Lecture given 14 March 07 as part of Sheffield Student Union s

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

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

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 claims responsibility for the attack on a Western. sea vessel in the region of the Strait of Hormuz

Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for the attack on a Western. sea vessel in the region of the Strait of Hormuz Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for the attack on a Western sea vessel in the region of the Strait of Hormuz On July 28 th 2010 an explosion occurred on a Japanese oil tanker near the entrance to the Persian

More information

Terrorist Activities in Yemen and the US Countermeasures

Terrorist Activities in Yemen and the US Countermeasures Terrorist Activities in Yemen and the US Countermeasures ZHANG Jiadong (Center for American Studies, Fudan University) Abstract: Since late 2009, the threat imposed on the international community, especially

More information

1947 The Muslim Brotherhood

1947 The Muslim Brotherhood Digital Archive International History Declassified digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org 1947 The Muslim Brotherhood Citation: The Muslim Brotherhood, 1947, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive,

More information

Articles from APS Diplomat Redrawing the Islamic Map March 2008 on HighBeam Research

Articles from APS Diplomat Redrawing the Islamic Map March 2008 on HighBeam Research Resurgence In The Shi'ite World - Part 27 - Ahmadi-Nejad In Iraq.: An Article From: APS Diplomat Redrawing The Islamic Map [HTML] [Digital] By Unavailable READ ONLINE APS Diplomat Redrawing the Islamic

More information