HISTORY OF CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

One of the ongoing world crises which affects us directly is the conflict in the Middle East. I think it is appropriate for us to spend some review time early in the semester to understand why this current event is also a current issue.

The Middle East is a center of major conflict and to see some patterns in the conflict it is first necessary to understand some of the history of the area. Please consult the following:

Resource  1 (skim the first part to get some background)

Resource  2 (this is a concise history)

Resource  3  (this is a CNN transcript with some good history and good maps)

Resource  4  (this is a BBC article with an excellent timeline)

Iraqi Tribes

Iraqi Tribes  (see the maps)

Brookings Institute Briefing

CFR Briefing ( a good background site)

An Iraqi Monarchy site