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Robert Barbere

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Robert Barbere

Tag Archives: World War II

The Middle East: Cold War Allegiances

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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Cold War, Communist, Gamal Abdel Nasser, King Farouk, King Saud, Kuwait, Mustafa Barzani, Pahlavi, United States, World War II

I think it is fascinating how society is affected by political events that took place thousands of years ago, or for that matter, barely seventy years ago. For example, at the end of World War II, Middle Eastern countries tended to align with one of the super powers in the hopes of receiving financial aid and military arms. One example would be Mustafa Barzani’s working with the Soviets. From the Soviet point of view, Barzani was working with them implanting communist ideals into the minds of the Kurdish people, who were looking for support in their fight for autonomy.

Middle East cold-war-mapThe United States spent millions of dollars bolstering the Pahlavi government in Iran. By helping the Shah in modernizing he country, selling the United States oil, and buying US weapons, the goal of the United States was to have a friendly government, with a military that would stand up against the Communist threat in the Middle East. In doing so, the United States ignored the totalitarian methods the Shah used while ruling the country. The Westernizing of Iran with America as a close ally backfired when the religious community headed by the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini led a rebellion that deposed the Shah. Continue reading →

At What Cost?

05 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Politics

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British Empire, Iran – Contra affair, Middle East, Nicaragua, Persian Gulf, Reagan Administration, United States, World War II

Throughout the 20th and the first decade and a half of the the 21st century, history proves that getting involved with any country in the Middle East is like getting in between family members already in the middle of a family fight. For example, take the British and their involvement in the area. Insidiously being dragged further into the politics of each country that the crown wanted as an ally or for the need of oil. The British wish to control the area required many concessions to the various tribes including the cost in finances, military arms, and personnel.

Oliver NorthAlthough the United States has had a presence in the Gulf since the end of World War II, dealing with the changing world politics, friends become enemies and enemies become friends. It is all a matter of timing. The Iran – Contra affair is a good example of this. After a splinter Iranian group took seven Americans hostages, high-ranking officials in the Reagan government thought they could use weapons as a bargaining chip with the Iranian government to apply pressure on the splinter group. The CIA sold weapons to Iran, at a considerable markup. Unfortunately, dealing with the Iranian groups became more involved, and for each sale of arms to Iran, the kidnappers released only one hostage. Selling of arms to the Iranians, who was, and is still under an arms embargo, was illegal.

The proceeds would go to the Nicaragua contra revolutionaries. . The “contras” were receiving military and financial support from the United States government. The United States Congress cut off their funds due to human rights violations. The Reagan administration decided to continue to help this group in spite of Congress. The sale of the arms to Iran, through Israeli middlemen were supposed to be a secret. A plan that was to release seven prisoners ended up being a two year affair and started with negotiations with a moderate Islamic Iranian group, that was modified into dealing with moderates within the Iranian Army, then finally changed to eliminating the Israeli middlemen and selling directly to the Iranian government.

Trapped By An Ideology

04 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by robb1138 in History, Philosophy, Politics

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Babylonians, Canaan, Chaldees, Christian, Egypt, El, Elohim, Fascism, Germanic, Holocaust, Israel, Jericho, Jew, Jordan River, Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar, Levant, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mohammad, Muslim, National Socialism, Palestine, religion, Rhine Valley, Romans, Sephardic Jews, Torah, Ur, World War II, YHVH, Yiddish

What came first?  Was it the chicken, or was it the egg?  The answer is not simple. In a single human being, this relies on a balance of two forces, not necessarily opposing however, influential.  What helps us understand the underlying drive of a group of people is the balance between the material and the cultural world.  In the case of the Israelis, it is important to note that placing these people in a particular geographical location, at a particular time in history, commands a balance of many factors.  One factor drives the other.  Our culture grows from our circumstances, our weather, our terrain, our level of education, and our place in history.  Take note of the Israelis of today, although their history and religion are, to many, one and the same.  One can see, that although they have, in the last two thousand years  spent time in many lands, they are still a people whose past is influenced by political and economic events and whose future is tied ultimately to a particular place on Earth, “the land of Israel”.

To begin with, the Israelis, historically, come from the area we call the Middle East, particularly from an area known as the Levant.  The area on the East Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, now known as Israel, formerly Palestine and was prehistorically known as Canaan.  In a land of low fertile valleys and rocky mountains and where rain is scarce at times, the ancient people settled in areas where their sheep and or cattle would be able to graze and where the people can grow crops of wheat and various vegetables.  With farming and herding of sheep and cattle, the size of various clans grew larger.  The scarcity of land becomes apparent. While telling a tale over the campfire at night, the tribal elders reduce the battle between the shepherd and the farmer for land to the legend of two brothers fighting and one killing the other. Continue reading →

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