Various Issues in the Middle East - Term Paper Example

The Environment Introduction The Middle East has for a long time been a home to international wars, civil conflicts, unrests and a major source of international insecurity (Goldstein 104). This situation has sparked global interest over the years, especially among the Western countries and the United States. The region is hugely endowed with natural resources including oil, minerals and natural gas among others. Mining forms a major part of the economies of the countries in the Middle East, a region where Islam is the predominant religion. The Middle East region encompasses a large part of Western Asia, with the exception of the Caucasus, and including Egypt. Key player in the Middle East Affairs include countries such as Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Palestine, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran and Iraq, among others (Rob 88). The largest ethnic community in the region is Arabs who reside with other communities such as the Turks, Persians, Jews, Somalis and Armenians among other numerous small ethnic groups that form a significant portion of the population in the Middle East (Goldstein 215). The culture of the Middle East is therefore very diverse due to the different cultures in the region. The history of the Middle East has its origins in the ancient times and ever since then; the region has been at the epicenter of major world affairs throughout history (Anderso, Seibert & Wagner 156). The Middle East is also considered to be the origin of major world religions such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity. A greater part of the environment in the Middle East is largely arid and semi arid, with hot climatic conditions. There are also major rivers that are used to provide irrigation for agricultural activities in the region, especially around Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent. A huge chunk of the wealthy in the Middle East has however come from crude oil which is exported to other parts of the world (Goldstein 247). The Middle East region has in recent times been a strategically sensitive region internationally in terms of global economics, politics, cultural and religious activities. The main objective of this paper is to explain how the content of this course has influenced my decisions and thinking about the Middle East and the various issues the area including the environment, culture, politics, oil, Islam and emerging conflicts in the Region (Anderson, R; Seibert, R; Wagner, J., 200). The essay will also seek to show how the course content has influenced my critical thinking on issues such as the main player in the affairs of the Middle East as well as my world view and vision to encourage peace and mutual coexistence between the people in the Middle East and those in Western Countries and in America in order to promote global peace and understanding (Rob 128). Analysis of the Current Situation The Middle East is currently one of the worst hit regions of the world with civil unrest and international conflicts that have had a great impact on various aspects of the region and international relationship. The area is currently faced with conflicts in Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan and Israel. The reasons for the conflicts range from religious and political differences among a host of other different disagreements (Anderson, Seibert & Wagner 216). Some of the conflicts have involved the international community in a bid to restore the Middle East region back to its glory as it is seen as a region with great economic and political potential. The Middle East has in recent times been considered a home to terrorist groups and networks that have had their operations in various groups of the world. It is these terrorist groups that led to the global War on Terror, mainly in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This wars and conflicts have led to a breakdown in international relationships between the Middle East and countries in the West, due to the opposing political ideologies, religious views and economic activities (Held 110). Main issues in the region include anti-Semitism, Control of resources, religion, and the relationship with the West. Due to the recent and ongoing conflicts in the region, economic and political lives of the people in the Middle East have largely degenerated leading to deaths of numerous innocent people in the process. The environment has also been affected to a great extent as a result of these wars (Rob 178). The countries in the West have been involved in most of the conflicts in the region, with questions over what their real motives and intentions are. My Understanding of the Environment, Culture, Geopolitics, Oil, Islam, Conflict, and War The geopolitics of the Middle East revolves round religion and oil. The region has vast deposits of oil and other natural resources that are the backbone of the economy of the Middle East and those of other countries in the West. Most political leaders across the world, including the current super powers and imperialists such as USA, Britain, France and Russia have political interests in the region with the objective of controlling some of the resources in the Middle East (Rob Johnson, 200). The decline of the Ottoman Empire gave way to other countries in the West to entrench in to the Middle East region, influencing both economical and political decisions. The Western countries have justified their involvement in the Middle East politics and the economy through cultural stereotyping and racism. The Middle East and Arabs in particular are portrayed in the Western media as being bad people and propagators of terrorism due to their religious views and hence need for greater control from the world’s super powers (Goldstein 204) The persistent conflicts and wars in the region are due to historical factors that trace back to ancient times. The conflict between Israel and Palestine for instance dates back to the Biblical times where each of the groups claims ownership to the Promised Land that God promised to give the descendants of Abraham. Other recent conflicts are mainly due to different political views and terrorism (Held 100). The conflict in Syria for instance is as a result of divergence political opinions regarding appropriate leadership for the people given the dictatorship that the current and previous regimes have exercised. The culture of the Middle East is very diverse. Religion plays an important part of the culture of the people in the region. Islam is the majority religion and its religious doctrines have had a great influence on the lives of the people in the area including their political and economical lives. Some of the religious views in Islam have been misconceived by other people in the West. This has made Islam to be linked with terrorist groups, who are mainly fundamentalists with extreme religious beliefs. The environment in the Middle East has also had a great impact on the lives of the people. The region is mostly arid thereby limiting the extent to which agriculture is practiced. The people have to rely on other economic activities in order to improve their lives. The climate of the Middle East is also very hot. The coursework has been very informative in shaping my understanding of these key issues in the Middle East. The environment, conflict, oil, geopolitics, and Islam in the region are related to each other and a change in one of the factors is likely to trigger major shifts in the others. In order to restore the lost glory of the Middle East, a holistic approach covering all the major factors needs to be adopted and tailored to create solutions for the different conflicts and views in the region. Impact on My Critical Thinking about the ‘What,’ ‘Why,’ ‘How,’ and ‘Who’ The various issues in the Middle East have involved a lot of player, both within the region and those from other parts of the world. The course content has had a great impact on my critical thinking regarding the main issues and, the players and best ways to resolve the issues. The ‘Who’ refers to the various players in the various issues in the region. These include the political leaders, the military, the international bodies such as the UN security Council, and other international leaders. The ‘What’ refers to the main issued in the Middle East. These include the conflicts, wars, politics, economics, and the environment. These issues form the basis of major international discourses regarding the Middle East and have also generated a whole range of views and opinions from various people. The course content has been very influential in my thinking on these issues. I am now able to reflect on each of the issues with an open mind and figure out what needs to be done in order to resolve each of them. The course has also enabled me to understand the issues in great depth as opposed to having opinions influenced by stereotypes and mere propaganda (Held 117) The ‘Why’ refers to the reasons that have lead to the emergence of the issues affecting the people in the Middle East. The various reasons include, historical problems and injustices, struggle for power and control of resources, extreme religious views and fundamentalism, poor leadership and the poor relationship between the west and the Middle East. The course content has impacted a great deal on how I respond to each of the reasons that have led to the conflicts. Some other parts of the world have also faced one or the other of these issues and they have been resolved amicably. The Middle East can also join hands and work together with the international community where necessary to resolve these issues. The ‘how’ refers to the ways in which the various issues can be resolved amicably. The course content has encouraged me to uphold international peace and I would therefore forge for peaceful methods to end the conflicts and religious and cultural divisions. These include dialogue and economic sanctions where necessary. Worldview and Vision about Promoting Peace between America And The Middle East There is need to have a positive relationship between Americans and the people in the Middle East. This is because both America and the Middle East are key players on the international scene in terms of the global economy, security and peace. The course content has had a lot of impact on my vision and worldview about having positive relations between the Americans and the Middle East. Peace and good leadership have been great parts of the course content. Basing on these two key principles, there is the need to have great leadership in order to promote peace and put an end to the existing tension between Americans and the Middle East. This can be done through putting g an end to cultural stereotypes, fighting terrorism and using dialogue in order to address any emerging issues. Conclusion The course content has been very instrumental in influencing my understanding of the various issues in the Middle East. I have learnt a lot through the course material that can be applicable in the Middle East situation, including the need for global peace, protection of the environment, religion and culture. There is need to resolve these issues urgently for the benefit of the innocent civilians in the Middle East who are caught up in the various conflicts as well as upholding global peace and security. Works Cited Anderson, R; Seibert, R; Wagner, J. Politics and Change in the Middle East (8th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2006. Held, Colbert C. Middle East Patterns: Places, Peoples, and Politics. Westview Press, 2000. Goldstein, Norm. The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. New York: Basic Books, 2004 Rob Johnson. Oil, Islam and Conflict: Central to Asia since 1945. Reaktion books, 2007. Read More