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Robert Barbere

Tag Archives: Middle East

In Search Of Unity

30 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Gamal Abdel Nasser, Hashemite, House of Saud, Hussein bin Ali, Mecca, Medina, Middle East, Muhammad Ibn Saud, Ottoman Empire, Persian Gulf, Sharif of Mecca, World War I

Arab attachment to the British ArmyWith the rise of the House of Saud, the Arab world had another contender for power in the Persian Gulf. After several attempts of the Saud family to take over the area, the Saudi found itself in conflict with various tribal clans that go back to the days of the Ottoman Empire.

During the first rise of the House of Saud, under Muhammad Ibn Saud, attacked and captured the cities of Mecca and Medina, clearly in the Hashemite locus of control. Years later, with World War I at the beginning of World War I, because the British approached Hussein bin Ali, the Sharif of Mecca, to join them in their cause in attacking the Ottoman Empire in the hopes of distracting the Turks in their aid of the Germans during the war. However, once the British withdrew their support of Hussein bin Ali after the First World War, Ibn Saud immediately went after Hussein bin Ali’s land of the Hejaz. Continue reading →

Is political Islam is inevitable?

16 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Ali Khamenei, Atatürk, Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIL, ISIS, Islamic Stat, Medina, Middle East, Muhammad, Muslim, Palestine, Quran, Supreme Leader, Turkey, Twelver Shia

ISIL takes Turkey govt. hostage: Terrorists raises flag at Turkish borderAs I watched the news today, the group known variously as ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) or simply Islamic State takes up a good half of the news cast. Was the creation of an Islamic State inevitable? Islam and politics go hand in hand. Throughout the centuries, the Muslim faith has been a major part in Islamic politics. Since the time that the Prophet Muhammad was invited to Medina to arbitrate between feuding families in the town, Islam became the basis of local law and politics. As the laws of the west are influenced by Christian ideals, so too is the Middle East. Muhammad based the laws he gave the citizens of Medina came from the revelations of the Quran. He therefore became both the secular leader, as well as the spiritual leader of the community. Continue reading →

The Hub of Ancient Humanity

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Agriculture, ‘Fertile Crescent, Christianity, Civilization, Cradle of Civilization, Euphrates, Islam, Jericho, Judaism, Middle East, Nile Valley, Society, Tigris, War, Zoroastrianism.

Ancient Hub of Ancient HumanityWhile studying the Middle East as the ‘Cradle of Civilization’ one can see that the three basis of ancient civilization were Agriculture, Civilization, and War. Although life existed in the African continent prior to a migration of human settlers into the area we now call the Middle East about 50,000 years ago. The area within the Middle East, that is historically known as the ‘Fertile Crescent’ provided humans with the ability to stop their wandering (hunters – gathers) in search of food, due primarily to an abundant water supply, rich soil in which to plant grains, and the ability to herd cattle and sheep.

The ability to provide an agricultural base let to the settling of towns, where trade could take place. These towns grew into cities, and then into empires. Trade disputes required laws and the family patriarchs, became rulers. Around the Tigris and Euphrates and the Nile Valley are were the first ancient cities cropped up. Jericho, near the Jordan river sprung up as well and provided man with fortifications against other tribes, from taking their land for their agriculture purposes. Continue reading →

Middle East Stereotypes – Culture and Politics

13 Monday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Arabian Peninsula, Bedouin, Christianity, Crusaders, Culture, Islam, Judaism, Media, Middle East, Mohammed, Mustafa Kemal, Politics, Sex and the City 2, Stereotypes, Totalitarian, Turkish Republic, Western Society

A man and his camelsStereotypes
In Western Society, one grows up in a world that is utterly alien and foreign to the Middle East. We develop our “knowledge” of foreign cultures through education at school and by the media. Whether it is on local news, or by watching a film about the Middle East, we build our perceptions on these images. The image of Bedouin wanderers, in their flowing robes, and a devotion to material items gives one the wrong impression of a more complex civilization. I grew up watching films like “Lawrence of Arabia,” and although I am not a fan of the “Sex and the City 2” film, I did see it. In these two films, one receives a misunderstanding of Middle Eastern culture. Women in various places on the Arabian Peninsula enjoy the same liberties and the same freedoms that women in the West do. Nor are all the men crazed extremist wanting to destroy buildings, planes, or people. However, in our minds, even though we are human beings, we still have great differences to overcome besides stereotypes.

Culture
Besides the stereotypes that have been growing in our minds about the Middle East, we also must consider their culture. The consensus of Middle Eastern culture by the West, is that it is still in the 19th century. However, that is not the case. With Mustafa Kemal and the role he played in the beginnings of the Turkish Republic, we can see that other Middle Eastern nations are also attempting to modernize their countries so that they may participate with Western society. At various times after World War I, various nations like Iran also modernized, even though it was through totalitarian means. However, as much as Middle Eastern countries try to modernize under democratic thought, I don’t think that it will work.

Politics in the Middle East are extremely complex and not as simple as many think. The various political structures in the Middle East can be broken down to a simple axiom that their culture ingrained into them for centuries, “I against my brother, my brothers and I against my cousins, then my cousins and I against strangers.” Throw in the ideals offered by Islam, over a thousand years of wars, including tribal wars, wars against the Turks, and wars against invading Crusaders, all building a defensive political mindset. Middle East politics is complex precisely because of the religious factor. When there are two divisions of faith, and divisions at tribal levels, it becomes difficult to arrive at a consensus at the national level. I think that if Middle Eastern countries could “get with the program” then all would be good in the world, however, that is not going to be the case. Although Islam, as taught by Mohammed was not a hateful religion toward other faiths such as Christianity, and Judaism, after 1000 years, hate still drives all sides. However, I still wish to remain hopeful that there is some common ground that we as human beings can come to and work together.

The Middle East: Misconceptions Instilled by David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia”

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Arabian Peninsula, David Lean, Europeans, Germans, Lawrence of Arabia, Middle East, Ottoman Turks, T.E. Lawrence, Unified Arab Nation, World War I

Lawrence of ArabiaWhen I heard that actor Peter O’Toole died last year on December 12, 2013, I was sad. Mr. O’Toole was nominated for an Academy Award for a film called “Lawrence of Arabia.” Although the film was loosely based on T.E. Lawrence’s accounts of his time in the Arabian Peninsula during World War I, it was director David Lean’s depiction of the peoples of that area, in contrast to what at the time we considered civilized people are like, that sets the tone for misconceptions about what living in the Middle East is like. In the film, Lean depicts the peoples as warring tribes too intent on fighting over watering holes, and on petty arguments between tribes, instead of fighting for their own independence from the Ottoman Turks. The film has Lawrence giving the concept of a unified Arab nation, of tribes united under a common flag, of similar peoples with similar beliefs, and similar culture could not even be fathomed by the Arabs themselves. He also shows the people as backwards and manipulated by the smarter Europeans, whose only concern is using the Arabs as a sideshow to distract the Turks from helping the Germans on either front during World War I. Continue reading →

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