Middle East Essays (Examples)

Middle East Partnership Initiative Mepi

On the economic strategy, MEPI has sponsored commercial law programs, development of infrastructures for information technology, and debt reform in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.

One of the most notable strategies of the Middle East Partnership Initiative is its ongoing shift of resources to the less offensive path of economic developments that are regime-led. This is a shift from the program's traditional strategy of democracy promotion and involvement with local voluntary organizations (Yerkes par, 11). The program also tends to fund initiatives that are conducted by U.S. NGOs, which do not interfere with the established lines of regime-funded reform and programs that don't match the political realities of Arab nations.

MEPIs Social-Entrepreneurship Programs:

The Middle East Partnership Initiative supports and funds various economic projects that work with several groups to develop a framework for sustained growth. This is because the program considers entrepreneurship as an important vehicle to enhance economic conditions and increase job creation and social change within the Middle East region. The program is also committed to improving social and economic entrepreneurship to uncover innovation, promote the development of the private sector, and develop new opportunities for young people.

In Saudi Arabia, the Middle East Partnership Initiative works with…… [Read More]

Middle East Discuss the Difficulties

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the balance of economic strength had shifted entirely to western Europe and especially to Britain and France, which were then passing into the second stage of the industrial revolution that Turkey had hardly begun. The European powers would use their political and economic power to force the empire to allow its economy to be incorporated into the nineteenth-century liberal capitalist system. Free trade was encouraged, which was not entirely harmful to the empire. European manufactures flooded into the empire, and this caused the traditional handicrafts and textile industries to suffer. At the same time, there was a huge growth in demand for raw materials such as Syrian silk, Egyptian cotton, and Anatolian wool, and production of cereals and fruit also increased to meet the needs of growing urban regions.

The leaders also faced certain problems. Much of the newly created wealth went to foreigners rather than Ottoman subjects. Also, the ending of the traditional system of government monopolies eliminated the principal source of state revenues. In the economic sphere, guilds conducted much of the administrative effort, but as there was a gradual decline in Ottoman trade and industry, their ability to do so…… [Read More]

Middle East Community Development the

Their primary operations revolve around programs of exchange and dialogues, but also the offering of support for various endeavors aimed at increasing social and economic stability for the Egyptian population (HANDS Website, 2006).

The institution was founded in 1988 and has since offered its support to more than 30 local organizations that were struggling to improve the quality of life for the native population. Aside the moral and economic help, the institution also plays a major role in building bridges between the two cultures by encouraging United States citizens to volunteer in Egypt and becoming better acquainted with the country's features. The volunteers not only gain knowledge of the world, but also help the Egyptians by providing them with specialized consultancy. "HANDS provides volunteer opportunities for American professionals and students, where they can offer time and expertise to Egyptian civil society strengthening programs" (Volunteers for Prosperity). One such program is the Medical Mission Trip, which occurs on yearly basis and strives to increase the knowledge of the local employees in the medical sector and other volunteers as well as focuses on "community health campaigns" (Volunteers for Prosperity).

The success of the Hands Along the Nile Development Services is definite, with…… [Read More]

Middle East Violence Three Major Sources of

Middle East Violence

Three major sources of violence in the Middle East are religion, nationalism and ideology. Each source contributes to some extent to the violence, depending on the conflict. Some conflicts are largely religious in nature, such as the Shiite uprising in the Sadaa region of Yemen (McGregor, 2005). Others are rooted in nationalism, such as the conflict between Kurds and Turks in southeastern Turkey (Haney, 1999). Most conflicts blend in an unhealthy dose of anti-Semitic racism and anti-U.S. ideology as well, including the genocidal ideologies of Hezbollah (Dershowitz, 2008) and Hamas (Bostom, 2009). Given this myriad causes, and the intransigent nature of most of the roots of conflict in the Middle East, there is little hope in the short for peace in the Middle East. The region has only known peace -- and tenuously at that -- under the thumb of strong rulers who suppress conflict. While it may be fanciful to propose a patchwork of newly independent states and a steady diet of multilateral dialogue, it is likely that any lasting peace founded on neoliberal solutions would take generations to take hold, as the hatred must first be filtered from mindset of the people.

Hamas is the…… [Read More]

Middle East in Addition to the Tendency

Middle East

In addition to the tendency towards violence in their political systems, Middle Eastern countries are known for their basic lack of stable and democratic regimes. Although many attempts have been made to bring democracy to these nations by means of negotiation or even violence, little has been accomplished by these attempts. At the basis of this phenomenon is a social and political development that spans over centuries. This includes a religious basis upon which politics and the caste system have developed, practically without anything to oppose these systems, over centuries. It is precisely this centuries-long development, specifically, of Islam, as well as the legacy of ancient systems such as the Ottoman paradigm, that creates the difficulty of establishing any sort of democracy in Middle Eastern countries.

Bukay (2007) argues against the possibility for Islam and democracy to exist in the same country. The author notes that several have claimed the opposite to be true; that there is indeed such a possibility. He claims that such authors twist the definitions or bend realities in order to fit their theories, rather than basing their theories upon existing realities and truths. One such example is the claim that democracy is a…… [Read More]

Middle East Conflict

Middle East Conflict

As an Israeli citizen, I often find myself awestruck at our present situation. The needs and desires of people in my country are not unlike those of most people. We desire to live and work in safety; we want have peace with those around us; but we also want to maintain our traditions and our heritage as we see fit. Israel has again and again suffered attacks because of our mere existence. And is it so strange that we are not willing to give up our state simply because someone else considers it unjust. We have survived so many things before now, how can we betray the memory of those that survived atrocities by giving up our just claim to a nation.

At the core of Israel's problems is its geography. And this is true in more ways than you might think. Only a fifth of the land in Israel can be used for farming, so we must maintain relations with other nations. Because of the climate and nature of the land we live in, it is very important that we are able operate on an international level and share imports and exports with other countries.

Also,…… [Read More]

Middle East Dispute Resolution Judicial

The purpose of such bifurcation is the enabling of the parties to the arbitration to maintain control of the impact of the Shariah in the law that they choose for arbitration. Middle East states that have not removed religion from their rules of arbitration will continue to administer arbitrations through strictly adhering with the principles of Shariah law and it is likely that these states will place a prohibition on speculative contracts and provisions of contracts calling for strict adherence to Shariah law.

VII. Shariah Law and the Basis of Arbitration

It is reported that whether the arbitration award is binding on the parties may be dictated by the Shariah and in countries where the Shariah is the basis of arbitration awards there must be four inclusive parts: (1) a description of the dispute; (2) the findings of facts under Shariah rules of evidence; (3) the reasoning of the award with reference to the Shariah source; (4) and the decision itself." (Gemmell, 2006 cited in: Weinberg, Wheeler, Hudgins, Gunn and Dial, 2009) it is reported as well that countries in the Middle East have consistently mandated that for an award of arbitration to have a res judicata effect, that the…… [Read More]

Middle East Region There Is

The parallels are of Sheikh Mohammad are drawn with King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia who used oil to build the foundation of modern Saudi Arabia. He can also be considered a CEO who is managing his emirate like a big company using the modern management principles. He is using the principles of modern participatory management as he does not confine himself to boardrooms or high power meetings and actually visits workplace and construction sites. He is also known to make tough decision on the spot by rewarding employees for good work while also firing poor performers. Another important aspect of Sheikh's policy is encouragement of women workforce. He not only hires women but also encourages them to go ahead in their career ambitions while also bringing along more women in all business fields. He is also known to be a staunch supporter of foreign educated locals. He encourages these modern and educated individuals to curb the forces of red tapism. He has a vision for his emirate and he also knows how to make others feel the same vision.

Dubai has created its advantage by creating the most dynamic business environments in the world. This has not happened only…… [Read More]

Middle East Civilization I His

Muslims excelled in ornate and intricate designs since they rejected drawing and sculpting the human image for fear of idolatry. Their artistic style consists of rugs, silks, leatherwork, metal work, cotton textiles, highly glazed ceramics, and fine glass, as well as wall hangings, tiles, inlaid metalwork, carved wood, and furniture. Another art polished to sheen by Muslims was calligraphy, or stylized form of penmanship that developed into a form of the lesser arts and with which they decorated their manuscripts and books. Calligraphy was also used to beautify mosques, palaces, mausoleums, and shrines (as illustrated by the Alhambra and the Dome of the Rock) where painted and highly glazed tiles decorated the interior and the exterior of their buildings, whilst gold leafing and gold ink were used to decorate the Quran, and floral designs and geometric patterns, with bold borders on each page, employed to enhance Muslim books and manuscripts.

4. Recreation

The two most accessible types of recreation for all classes of society in the Muslim World were music and poetry. Religious poetry was a favorite played to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Some of the instruments that were used consisted of short-necked lutes, flutes, drums, and fiddles. Another…… [Read More]

Middle East Because of a

Although some received territory, they were embittered as a result of the perceived broken pledge. The result of this was an Arab uprising against the Turks in 1916.

The San Remo Conference nevertheless began to shape the post-war world (McKinney 2010). The result was that the Europeans were making impositions into country where the various nations were having unique conflicts of their own. According to Roberts (2007), for example, The Islam sects Shiite and Sunni were in conflict regarding the succession of Muhammad as the leader of Islam. Not having any understanding of the sectarian splits within the country, the British created the new nation of Iraq in ancient Mesopotamia. In so doing, the Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul were bound together quite uneasily, as the first was mostly Sunni, the second mostly Shiite, and the third generally Kurdish.

A further factor was that the invasion of the British meant a new type of rulership. Up until the time, Iraq was held together by autocratic kings and dictators. After the war, however, the British installed Feisal as king. He was the son of the ruler of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, one of the British allies during the war…… [Read More]

Middle East & Asia the

Both documents make references to time, which give them the form of historical documents.

The Book of Documents is believed to be an advice given to King Tai Jia by the faithful Yi Yin, and the Book of Genesis is the advice given to Noah by God. But the advice of Yi Yin, according to this legend, is comparable to the authority of the Bible. It is the Mandate from Heaven. Yi Yin lectures the King as if what he says is the word coming from cosmic powers. Both the Book of Documents and the Book of Genesis suggest that peace and tranquility -- and misery on earth, likewise -- depend on the behavior of mankind. If they respect the laws, obey the authority, they are going to be rewarded with peace and happiness. If they rebel against higher powers and engage in drunkenness, orgies, and depravity, they will be punished severely. In both books, the world has seen happiness and calamities that befell them due to the Grace or Wrath of the cosmic powers.

In both of the books, much depends from the leaders. Yi Yin warns the King that the peace and order in the society will depend…… [Read More]

Middle East Simulations From the

There are a few who have been or are now involved with groups that are seeking conciliation.. The positive similarity of many of these individuals is that they would like to see a productive end to the situation, even if it means compromise.

There is no possibility of peace in the Middle East unless people from all backgrounds, who are the most affected, are part of the dialogue. The nations, themselves, have a political agenda and are not, in most cases, speaking for the citizens.

There is no positive answer in the Middle East for anyone unless they can live in peace and mutual respect. There can only be a better future for Palestine/Israel, if the citizens use their energies toward cooperation and constructive results.

If citizens are not part of the answer, then emphasis will continue to be on conquest, hate and fear, much of it unfounded and misunderstood. Part of the solution has to be continued discussions between the citizens and neighbors to show each other that they want peace and to reach a common ground. This is the only way that the citizens can see their similarities and discuss their differences and emotional concerns. Peaceful solutions come…… [Read More]

Middle East Has the Presence of Oil

Middle East

Has the presence of oil in the Middle East had a significant impact on the peoples of non-oil-producing states in the region? If so, in what ways, exactly? Develop an argument with specific reference to AT LEAST TWO non-oil-producing states.

and other Western powers, oil supplies are the only real interest in the Middle East, and most people in the region are well aware of this fact, and of numerous Western attempts to establish and support 'friendly' authoritarian regimes like that of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and the monarchy in Jordan. Public opinion polls in Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Pakistan actually show majority support for Western political and economic ideas, including democracy, but opposed U.S. foreign policy in general because they believed it to be motivated by control over oil supplies. None of this is new, and the West has been pursuing such policies since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, when Britain and France divided up the region between them. After World War II, the U.S. stepped in the void as these older empires declined, although it faced considerable resistance from nationalist movements in both oil and non-oil Arab countries. Most of…… [Read More]

Middle East on the Eve

Like the Taliban in recent Afghanistan, patrols walked through the streets and markets and could flog wrong-doers on the spot.

In spite of strict veiling rules for women, women could hold a fair amount of power. Current news reports might lead an American to believe that under Moslem rule, women never have any rights, can own no property, may not work outside their homes, and in general must live extremely constricted lives. However, in 18th century Aleppo, women worked in the marketplace, owned property, could have wealth in their own name and often earned income, particularly by owning property or as moneylenders. While they were not equal to men (in legal proceedings, the testimony of two women was considered equal to that of one man), women were not equal in Europe either. The rules that allowed women these rights came out of Middle Eastern tradition, not Western influence -- Marcus writes about a period of time before Western influence dominated Middle Eastern culture.

The relative wealth of Aleppo as a whole was a surprise to this reader. Marcus reports that one-third of the population might have been what we think of as "middle class." (p. 66) They owned their homes…… [Read More]

Middle East Counter-Terrorism and What

They are also dangerous to the United States because of the United States policy of having open doors and welcoming many different cultures and traditions to its lands. For this reason the three groups believe the United States works closely with those that they wish to eradicate. In addition the groups can easily infiltrate the nation and set up terrorist plans in this country because of the freedom of travel that has been allowed until recently.

The United States should never negotiate with any terrorist group with one exception. If the terrorist group wants to work to dismantle itself and begin to reeducate its members to release their terrorist mindset the United States should be willing to work with the group to facilitate such goals. When it comes to acts of terrorism however, the United States should stand strong and refuse to ever negotiate with them for any reason at all.

If the United States wavers and negotiates with a terrorist group, for any reason, it will set the precedent for future attacks in the hopes that the United States will be willing to negotiate again.

While much of the world's attention has been on the United States war on…… [Read More]

Middle East Crisis

Middle East Crisis is a crisis that has been building for decades. The American Government has become involved in the conflict calling for peace in the area. This involvement is based on America as a protector of human rights and also because of the consequence to itself, with the conflict causing economic, human and environmental concerns. It must be considered exactly what can be done about the conflict and what the final consequences would be for America.

In an address by President Bush in April 2002, Bush called for Israel to continue withdrawing from Palestinians areas and for Palestine to stop terror attacks. Bush also called for all the Arab neighbours to support Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace with the only solution according to Bush, being for Israel and Palestine to accept their differences and commit to living alongside each other in peace. Before considering whether this is a feasible and practical solution, it is necessary to try to understand the source of the conflict.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine is a complicated conflict with a great deal of history behind it that intensifies the hatred between the two nations. After World War II, the…… [Read More]

Middle East Gulf a Region That

In regards to leadership, the Leaders in this region were all authoritarian and harbored conservative ideologies. The second form is in regard to the need for personal freedom. This has been displayed in the level of opposition that the citizens of the Greater Middle East have put up in order to oppose their authoritarian regimes that shared anti-American sentiments.

Geo-economic importance

The Greater Middle East region shapes itself in various ways.

Oil supply and international trade routes

The Greater Middle East region has managed to shape itself as a region of great geo-economic importance as a result of its major role in the global energy supply chain (oil). The region also forms a major international trade route. These have made the countries in this region to form alliances aimed at advancing their developments and voices as a consequences of the leverage that they derive from these strategic factors. They have members of OPEC. Since the bulk of the OPEC oil comes from this region (OPEC,2010).

Conclusion

It is quite clear that the Greater Middle East region has continued to shape itself over time as consequence of the changing geo-political and geo-economic factors. It is therefore necessary that the global community…… [Read More]

Middle East My Enemy's Enemy

At the beginning of the book, the young man is humiliated and tortured by the Western appearing and speaking judicial committee. Then, further demonstrating the levels of control and command over their citizens, the committee attempt to impinge upon the ways that young man thinks. He is told that he must write about the 20th century's most important achievement and the greatest Arab figure, to demonstrate his loyalty to the state. Although one would think that there could be no correct answer to the open-ended questions posed by The Committee, clearly there is, in their eyes, as when he makes a choice that could damage their reputation, they track him down to 'correct' his selection.

The young man's choice, that of a doctor who is famous for his works of global outreach and philanthropy, shows that the apparently noxious ideology of globalization has already penetrated even his consciousness. The reason the doctor is seen as evil in the book is because he is an international figure, and globalization is deemed to be harmful. The committee is afraid that if the young man selects this doctor, the regime's true ideology will be revealed, and the Westernized control of the Middle East…… [Read More]

Middle East Gulf Region the Middle

Significant cultural, scientific and political developments are to be observed in this period in virtually the entire Greater Middle East.

The fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 brought the Arab world into a great disappointment as the territories of the Empire were shared by the English (Egypt and Cyprus and strong influence in Iraq, Palestine and Saudi Arabia) and the French (Syria, Lebanon) occupants. Arab unity cracked down and separatism from the perceived oppressor became one of the key political statements of the Arab countries. The great divisions between the Greater Middle East continued in the following years as international politics and oil began to have a more important say than any discussion on Arab unity. Following the effects of the Second World War of de-colonization and the rise of the state of Israel within the Arab world, the Greater Middle Eastern region faced another type of profound change. Faced with a perceived common enemy, many newly formed of older Arab states began to unite again and join forces for the elimination of Israel in the numerous following conflicts of the last 50 years.

Israel started to be, a very important method for the West to negotiate with the…… [Read More]

Middle East Given a Position

I would not truly expect lasting peace to come from my efforts, however. Politicians, religious leaders, and world experts have been calling for peace in the Middle East for years, and nothing seems to come of it. There is so much animosity and hatred in the region on both sides that it seems peace is simply not attainable, at least in the current form that both sides argue for. Each side has to be willing to make sacrifices, such as land and territory, but neither side is willing to go beyond a certain limit, and so, little of real consequence actually occurs. Therefore, without sounding too cynical, I would not expect a viable peace accord to be reached by my efforts.

A choose my course of action because it seems like the most workable solution to a very complex problem. Clearly, violence and hatred is not working. Clearly, these people settled in this region, and have many commonalities - should they be willing to explore them. However, the creation of Israel after World War II has never been accepted by the Arab community, and the loss of their lands has never been accepted either. I would expect each country to…… [Read More]

Middle East -- a Region

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has also become a major distributor world of oil, in addition to the Middle East. Although its policies can no longer be predicted as reliably as during the Cold War, its interests are not always commensurate with any one actor, and it is now a volatile presence in international affairs that the United States must take into consideration when making policies. The United States still has an economic interest in maintaining friendly ties with nations that produce oil, even Arab states, and as its strategic interest is less clearly defined, as it is no longer in opposition to a single power seeking to extend its sphere of influence. As the region no longer is a mere playing ground for the two major superpowers to dominate, the factionalism that was already endemic to the region has become even more pronounced. This factionalism has been the cause of civil wars, the rise of terrorism, and a more complicated relationship for the United States and even friendly Arab nations.

The end of the Cold War reduced Israel's strategic importance for the United States, as a buffer to the Soviet sphere of influence. Temporarily, it could…… [Read More]

Middle East Academics Policy Makers and Other

Middle East

Academics, policy makers, and other specialists, let alone the general public, have a tendency to perceive the Middle East as a monolith. The truth, however, shows that it is a region filled with contrasts, extremes, and diversities. This is depicted in the extreme differences in neighboring countries with same religion, culture, dress and language, yet lifestyles, radically different. This paper addresses one such difference between two kingdoms, both belonging to the Middle East but at polar extremes in a number of areas. The two countries under study are thus, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the area under study is privatization or liberalization of the economy.

Saudi Arabia is a kingdom with one of the largest oil deposits which, to date remain the focus of the Saudian economy, taking away a major percentage of the Gross Domestic Product. Saudi Arabia's economy is thus dependent on oil and oil derivatives, which account for 90-95% of Saudi export earnings, 75% of the budget, and about 35-40% of GDP. To reduce this dependency, the Saudi Arabian government is studying non-oil revenue generating sources.

Saudi per capita GDP which was highest in 1981, when both the U.S. And Saudi Arabia…… [Read More]

Middle East the Crisis in

Theological differences are the least important issue facing Jews and Muslims. The Palestinians rightfully believe that the British stole their homelands from them after the Second World War, and that both the United Kingdom and the Untied States unabashedly support Israel. The Israelis, on the other hand, point to the recurring incidences of terrorism that plague the country and prevent peace.

When both sides focus on the past instead of the future, the crisis will never disappear. Instead, political leaders need to focus on creating a multifaceted solution to the problem that most likely entails making Jerusalem an international zone. If a Palestinian state is created, it must be dedicated to the eradication of terrorism. Likewise, Israel must agree to cease treating Palestinians in Israel like second-class citizens and move toward a more egalitarian and free society.… [Read More]

Middle East Background Information of

This has caused a divide in Iran, where traditionalists want to save the old religious and moral values, while many people want to bring more changes to Iran, like democracy and true free elections. This has created a rift in the country, and has caused unrest and even hatred of western values. That is one of the things that has caused Muslim fundamentalists in Iran (and elsewhere in the Middle East), to declare a war on American and westernization. This shows that modernization is not always a positive change, and that some countries simply do not need or want modern conveniences if it means they come along with western values. It is a time of social change in the country, and it is certain that more changes will happen in Iran today and in the future.… [Read More]

Middle East Conflict

Third Party Intervention in the Middle East

The headlines everyday report more violence in the Middle East than ever before. Television broadcasts offer viewers a barrage of suicide bombers, massacres, garden-variety atrocities of all types, and a group who hails themselves as "Freedom Fighters." With so many women, children, and others who do not support their position as victims, one must wonder for whose freedom do they fight? This conflict has been going on for many generations and with no real resolution, only a temporary lull in the fighting now and then.

The two sides of the conflict have been unable to resolve their differences to this point and the fighting and violence continues to escalate and involve more and more innocent victims. Due to their inability to resolve this conflict on their own, it is now necessary for third parties to intervene with solutions to end this senseless conflict, so that no more innocent lives are lost.

In an article in the Palestine Chronicle, Baroud Ramzy points out that the exact numbers of the dead are not even known. There are many who are missing or dead, and no one even has an accurate count any more. Estimates are…… [Read More]

Middle East Politics

surge of Islamic movements, revolutions and political life in the last fifty years, as well as some of the events of the last ten or fifteen years, culminating with the attack on September 11 and the fight against terrorism, have brought about a legitimate discussion around the causes and effects of political Islam, as well as on the main factors that have influenced it in the last half a century.

The first issue that needs to be taken into consideration is the element of extreme cohesion that the Islamic world has: the Qur'an. According to the Islamic world, the Qur'an is the "literal, hence absolutely true, word of God as revealed to the Prophet Mohammed"

In my opinion, the direct and most important implication, both in terms of internal politics and international relation, is the creation and practice of Islamic law, as one of the three fundamental systems of law (the other two are Anglo-Saxon and the Roman system). In many Islamic countries, like the Islamic Republic of Iran, the judicial system is strictly organized around the sayings of the Qur'an and these are often strictly applied in everyday life.

It seemed important to mention at least this particularity of…… [Read More]

Middle East History and Current Events

Thick and thin book review.

Some year," JK Galbraith once wrote, "like some poets, and politicians and some lovely women, are singled out for fame far beyond the common lot." For the Middle East in general, and for the people of Palestine in particular, 1948 was clearly such a year. It was the year in which the British-Mandate for Palestine terminated, a Jewish state was established, thousands of Arab Palestinians became refugees, and regular armed forces of Trans-Jordan, Egypt, Syria and other Arab countries entered Palestine - Israel and clashed with Israeli forces." (Bregman, 2000) In the same way, some land masses seem to carry a higher level of importance than others. Such is the case with a small strip of land lying along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel, or Palestine depending on the year the map was published, has been a place of conflict since first recorded histories of the region over 6000 years ago. The Arab peoples claim it as their homeland, and the Israelis' claim the same. The land has no significant amounts of natural resources, as the oil resided in nations to the south. There are not deposits of gold, or other natural…… [Read More]

Peace in the Middle East

Middle East Peace Talks

Many people view the Middle East as having been a powder keg for the last half-century. These difficulties started when other countries, such as Great Britain, made decisions in the region, including setting boundaries, that historically did not work out well. This has been the cause of strife in other areas of the world as well. However, rightly or wrongly, many Arabs in the Middle East view the strife as going back much further. They point to the start of difficulties at the Crusades of the middle ages. This points to a very significant and basic problem: history is written, and viewed, differently by different groups in the world. In the case of the Middle East, the issue is history -- whether it's the history of something that happened last week or events from the 12th century.

To solve this difficult problem, it is necessary for everyone involved to first acknowledge the perspectives of the other people. This means that representatives from Israel must acknowledge that Arabs believe that Israeli land was taken from without their permission or agreement. It means that Israel must recognize that Middle Eastern grievances go back much further than the founding…… [Read More]

World Cultures Middle East

Middle East comprises a diverse group of regions, countries, peoples, customs, and cultures. On the one hand, it is daunting to offer a semester-long course that treats all Middle Eastern issues with clarity and fairness. The risk of oversimplification, however, is outweighed by the risk of ignorance. This course will explore the Middle East with as much depth and breadth as possible, stimulating student thought on political, social, religious, historical, ethnographic, and economic issues related to the region. Included in the course rubric will be current events ranging from gender issues to terrorism. In between the heavier topics, lighter lessons on local customs, culture, music, and food will reveal the ordinariness of daily life in the part of the world we call the Middle East.

Islam will be covered from a multidisciplinary perspective, allowing for nuanced and rich class discussions about the unique interface between politics, religion, and social norms. Drawing from primary and secondary sources as well as core textbooks, the course offers an in-depth and challenging overview of this complex region. As a result, students will develop their creative and critical thinking skills that can be applied to other geographic areas.

The following textbooks will serve as general…… [Read More]

Modern Middle East

Middle East/Gulf region has a complex history and has experienced a series of important events both during and in the years following Muhammad's influence in the territory. While Muhammad's ruling played an important role in shaping thinking in the region, his legacy was actually more important, taking into account that it practically influenced people in taking on certain attitudes and in expressing great interest in wanting to promote Islamic thought.

The Arab Caliphate greatly expanded the Islamic Empire and turned it into one of the greatest in all of history. It lasted from 632 until 1513 and it involved a series of leaderships: the Rashidun period, the Umayyad period, and the Abbassid period. These three dynasties kept Arabs together and provided them with a sense of unity and cultural identity. Introducing Arab as an official language further contributed to making individuals in the Middle East feel as if they were part of a larger community and that it was thus important for them to get actively involved in assisting the respective group experience success.

Even with the fact that Arabs managed to stay together for almost one millennium before the Arab Caliphate was brought down, it was not until the…… [Read More]

Performance of the Middle East

Based on the assessment of the sample features in terms of capital size and value of the property portfolio, an observation is made in the fact that a proportion is kept between the two. In other words, the property companies in Jordan, Egypt and Syria seem to be prudential and correlate their capital sizes with the values of their portfolios.

3. Results and analysis of the Jordanian property companies

The results of the implemented questionnaire are revealed throughout the table below:

a (%)

b

c d e f g

Total (%)

Q3.

30

70

x x x

Q4.

40

60

x x x

Q5.

60

20

15

5

x x x

Q6.

Portfolio diversification

10

10

60

13

7

x x

Shortage of commercial properties

5

50

15

20

10

x x

Availability and choice

10

60

10

10

10

x x

Strong performance

70

20

5

3

2

x x

Greater understanding

71

9

10

6

4

x x

Q7. Lack of stocks

15

15

50

20

0

x x

Competition

20

20

40

15

5

x x

Market depth

40

30

20

10

X

x x

Transparency and data availability

85

8

7

0

0

x x

Political…… [Read More]

Imperialism in the Middle East

The Egyptian King Faud (1922-36) repeatedly disbanded popularly elected Wafd governments, despite huge majorities, due to their distinctly nationalist platform. The fickleness of the British position is exemplified by their later coercion of King Farouk (1936-52) to appoint an enfeebled Wafd government due to their need for a neutral Egypt during the Second World War. This intense irony does not detract from the fact that the monarchs in Egypt and Iraq were very powerful political actors but were 'so closely associated with the structures of colonialization that they did not outlast them' (Owen 1992, 19). The British imperialists exploited the constitutional power of the King to dismiss any elected government of nationalists 'that threatened to tear up or amend the arrangements…defining Britain's rights' (Owen 1992, 19). Hence, once again, diminishing the authority of the regime they installed and creating a lack of respect for lawfully elected governments.

Pan-Arabism Causes Conflict in the Middle East

Since its formation in the wake of World War I, the contemporary Middle Eastern system based on territorial states has been under sustained assault. In past years, the foremost challenge to this system came from the doctrine of pan- Arabism (or qawmiya), which sought to "eliminate…… [Read More]

Performance of the Middle East

(Jabal Omar Development Corporation 2010)

Kuwait

Since 2008, the real estate market in Kuwait has been continually declining. The reason why is because the economy was largely depending upon oil revenues. However, in 2010 the sector began witnessing an increase in prices. This is because of the Kuwaiti government was aggressively promoting the tourism industry. As developers are expecting a strong increase in foreign direct investment, due to the governments push to expand the sector. As a result, holiday and residential areas in Kuwait are continuing to boom. (Finkelstein)

In the housing industry, there are large numbers of shortages that are affecting prices. What has been happening is the residential sector has been facing restrictions over the last several years, surrounding building permits. As the government was slow to endorse them, which created a rush on new areas that were approved for development. At the same time, the government has placed various restrictions on property ownership. In this case, foreigners are prevented from owning any kind of property in the country. This is important because, it is showing how this restriction provides the ability to see substantial price increases. While simultaneously; making it challenging for investors to become involved in…… [Read More]

Geography in the Middle East

There will always be terrorist organizations such as Hamas, it seems, but with the Palestinians and Israelis getting along diplomatically, it could lead to better relationships with other countries, as well, and it could lead to a much stronger unity between the countries in the Middle East. This should be a long-term goal of the peace process, to bring an end to tension throughout the entire region, so they can concentrate on other elements of society and government.

In conclusion, the Road Map for Peace in the Middle East still seems to be a long way from conclusion. Israel has stopped all construction in East Jerusalem, another are under contention in the peace process, and talks are still going on bi-weekly between the two parties (as of the end of February, at least). A lasting peace would bring a new decade of hope to the region, and a new peace to the world.… [Read More]

Conflict in the Middle East

Highly Patriarchal Social Framework.

In many parts of the Middle East, women are little more than chattel today based on longstanding customs: "From 3000 B.C.-A.D. 1100, man's view of himself as superior in all ways to women soon became enshrined in the law and custom of the world's earliest civilizations, those of the Middle East. Women became a chattel first of her father, then of her husband, then of her son" (Sechzer, 2004, p. 51). While the laws and practices vary, the majority of Islamic countries in the Middle East have specific beliefs about women and have restrictions concerning them (Sechzer, 2004). Religious tenets in the more restrictive regions are used to "keep women in their place" and violence against women sometimes even takes the form of killing. In her book, Sites of Violence: Gender and Conflict Zones, Giles (2004) notes that, "In the Middle East, for instance, 'honor killing' is prevalent. Amnesty International reports that "[i]n Pakistan, hundreds of women, of all ages, in all parts of the country and for a variety of reasons connected with perceptions of honor are killed every year. The number of such killings appears to be steadily increasing as the perception of what…… [Read More]

Political Study Middle East Region

Every year more than million local population migrate towards the urban areas.

Gender Discrimination: The regional religious clerics and their influence over the governments have created broad problems for women, and thereby restricting their integration and involvement into society and profession. Although the females have secured permission to vote, and fight elections, but they are subjected to difficult terms and conditions. The employment of females in MENA has improved, however it is still 15% lower than East Asian countries.

Growing pressures on young men and women in the Middle East and North Africa to immigrate to Europe and the U.S. To find jobs and economic opportunities -- a process that inevitably creates new tensions and adjustment problems' (Strategic Insights: Globalization has eluded the Middle East).

Regional trade of lower magnitude:. All the countries of the region have so far failed to progress over economic and trade agreements. The countries have the region have evolved long-term bilateral trade agreements with countries outside the region. No regional forum has been developed to achieve sufficient trade and economic progress of the region. 'Furthermore increased intraregional trade offers little or no comparative advantage'(Middle East: World Bank Report). The trade and economic activities have been…… [Read More]

Motivating Middle East Motivating Diversity in the

Motivating Middle East

Motivating Diversity in the Middle East Workforce

Motivation is a complex force, and there are a multitude of theories as to how it is best achieved. One useful and highly practical framework developed by David McLellan identifies three needs as factors in motivation that are present in varying degrees for different individuals: the need for affiliation which is a need for interpersonal connectivity and warmth; the need for achievement, which can be seen as a need for recognition or to develop more efficient or effective processes; and the need for power, which is a need to control and influence others (Source Year). Effective motivational strategies and methods will appeal to all three of these needs to some degree, such that all individuals are motivated to take on the desired changes regardless of their personal proclivities and needs in these areas.

It is not only individual differences that must be considered when developing motivational strategies, but cultural differences must also be taken into account. When attempting to motivate greater workforce diversity in the Middle East, there are some significant cultural barriers that need to be overcome. Researchers have noted that traditional Islamic law and culture remains a significant…… [Read More]

Conflict in the Middle East

Christianity

The Role of Religion in the Middle East Conflict

The Middle East is the cradle of the main religions of the world (Molloy, 1942). Despite this fact, the region has experience hatred and violence for many years. The two main religions involved in the conflict are Jewish and Islam. Many Arab nations portray the ongoing conflict between them and Israel as a war against their religion. In this regard, they wage war as a basis of incitement of other Arab and non-Arab nations against Israel. According to Hama (1994), the endless conflict between Arabs and Israel may not be exactly a land issue or a war between nations but a mindless pursuit to defend Arab nationalism from the israeli threat. The founder of Islam, Mohhamad cultivated the idea of jihad as a way of influencing the spread of Islam by using forceful strategies. Arab Muslim countries have perfected this ideology of jihad to amass greater spheres in their mission, this has led to an all out clash with their Jewish neighbor Israel.

Israel is in the middle of increased terror attacks from Arab nations because it is viewed as a representative of Western world positioning it at the frontline…… [Read More]

Women in Middle East

Women in Middle East

Western Influence on the Lives of Islamic Women

September 11th and the war on Iraq have managed to demonize and stereotype Islam in the popular Western mind even more than its foreign nature had independently achieved. In addition to the furor over Islam spawning terrorism, renewed attention has been pointed at the supposed oppression and abuse of women in Islamic cultures, to the degree that these human rights abuses have been cited as one of the justifications for Bush's war on Iraq. However, there remains among thinking people, particularly those with cultural, religious, or ethnic ties to both Islamic and Western cultures, as to whether or not Islam has a negative impact on women's rights in the modern and historical Middle East. Because the false dichotomy between "good" Western ideals and "bad" Islamic ideals has been propagated for so long, it might surprise a Western reader to learn that many people, including many women, do not feel that Islam is abusive to women, and may even feel that it is Western ideals that threaten the well-being and freedom of women. When one attempts to answer the questions regarding the positive and negative impact which the West…… [Read More]

Conflict in the Middle East

The Taliban also destroyed ancient religious monuments that they deemed violative of Muslim teachings even those these monuments were part of the world's heritage. It was in this environment that charismatic Muslim leaders such as Osama bin Laden were able to step in and exploit the situation to their own advantage by inspiring yet more freedom fighters from all over the Arab world to join the battle to free the Holy Land from the Western invaders.

In reality, these same "freedom fighters" received massive amounts of American economic and military assistance during this period, acting essentially as U.S. proxies in the Cold War against the Soviet Union. If American military planners could have foreseen the dire outcome of this assistance at the time they were provided, it is reasonable to suggest that they would have reconsidered the intervention. Indeed, bin Laden and his like-minded extremists exploited this largesse and were able to consolidate their power base in Afghanistan after the Soviets withdrew due in part to these resources. The adage that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" is clearly transient and the historical record confirms that enemies and friends are hard to tell apart in the mountains of…… [Read More]

US Policies in Middle East

U.S. Policies in the Middle East

Let us understand some of the U.S. Policies in the Middle East that the general public must know. Primarily, one must remember that the United States of America has in fact been playing a major role in the militarization of the entire region of the Middle East, this region being the main destination for the purpose of arms exports, thus happening to create a good amount of profit for arms manufacturers, the figures showing substantial amounts of $60 billion since the Gulf War. Arms sales have now become one of the ways in which the U.S.A. would be able to maintain stable relationships with the Middle East. The strategic benefit therein for the U.S.A. is in having systems that have been manufactured by the U.S. On the ground in case of a direct military intervention, which can be used as necessary. (10 things to Know about the U.S. Policy in the Middle East)

The second fact that the public must be made aware of in relation to the U.S. policies in the Middle East is that the United States of America does maintain an extremely strong base in the Middle East, especially in regions…… [Read More]

How to Achieve Peace in the Middle East

achieving peace in the Middle East. The writer explores the problems between Israel and Palestine and looks at possible solutions. There were five sources used to complete this paper.

The dispute between Palestine and Israel is long standing and difficult. Each side believes that it is in the right and both sides accuse various nations including the United States of taking sides against them. "Palestinians want an independent state with its capital in East Jerusalem - but hardliner Sharon will accept only small Palestinian territories and no Israeli withdrawal from East Jerusalem."

The conflict began in 1917 at the time Britain conquered Palestine. It was during World War II. It was called the Jewish homeland. During the United Nations talks of 1947 a plan was designed that divided the land between the Jews and the Arabs. That plan called for the founding of the State of Israel about a year later. This triggered the first war between the Arabs and the Israelis. The land began to change hands over and over again as one side or the other would get the upper hand during the most recent war or skirmish (Freedom, 2001).

"Meanwhile Palestinian terrorists carried out attacks, including the…… [Read More]

Islam Arabs Successful Spreading Throughout the Greater Middle East Gulf

Islam / Arab Success

Why did Islam and the Arabs succeed in spreading throughout the Greater Middle-East / Gulf against the Byzantines and Persians?

Religion has been a major influence on the course of human history. In the Middle East, religion has been the impetus for discord since before recorded times. This area of the world has had central religious attention because of the location of the Holy Land in both Jewish and Christian theologies. At one point, the Byzantines and Persians controlled the landscape of this part of the world, but lost leadership in the face of Islam and Arab cultures. In the present moment, one of the primary religions in the Middle-East and Gulf regions is Islam. People who are a part of the Islam religion or people who are Arab have been able to spread their culture throughout the area until this has become the majority way of life.

The Islamic people have religion-based tenets which support good thinking and good works. According to Goldschmidt (2006), one of the reasons that these two groups of people were so successful in expanding their views throughout the Middle East and the Gulf was because of their dedication. Islamic individuals…… [Read More]

Role of Democracy in the Middle East

Role of Democracy in the Middle East

There has recently been a wave of democratic uprisings sweeping across the Middle East. Starting in Tunisia, the call for democratic reforms spread through Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Iran and many other nations. Many have likened these uprisings to the social unrest of 1848, which gave rise to the Communist Revolution of 1917, but they do so wrongly. While the popular uprisings that continue to inflame the Middle East may have some of the same causes as in 1848, rising food prices and high unemployment, the current unrest lacks the ideological component. The protestors do not want to destroy their government, they want to reform it. In this way the uprisings of 2011 are more akin toward the establishment of a Rousseau-inspired representative republic in that the people were demanding, not a complete social restructuring, but a representative form of government that worked the way it was designed to work, for the benefit of the people not a single leader.

Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote his The Social Contract in 1762, over a century after Locke and Hobbes first presented the idea that a sovereign and his people formed a contract which defined…… [Read More]

Economic of the Middle East

The paper also focuses on discussing the links between women's education and matters like reproduction and employment, backed up by a series of data supporting the affirmations made in this paper. All in all, the paper presents a series of facts, data, implications that this matter has and connections with other issues, which are useful for anyone trying to find new and accurate information and comments on women education.

4. The paper provides a very clear image on how things stand with education in MENA countries. The article teaches the reader that education has more implications and more significant effects than one may consider before reading the article. For example, improved education leads to eliminating gender gaps. Gender gaps are probably the main reason responsible for discriminating women's role in the society and for denying them rights to education and other rights empowered by education. The lack of education has significant negative effects on social level, economic level, affecting the society as a whole, on the one hand, and each of its individuals, on the other hand. Also, these effects are more disastrous on long-term, leading to these countries' decline.

5. There is a series of aspects that should be…… [Read More]

Lawrence in Arabia War Deceit Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East

Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East

Lawrence never received formal military training, but he achieved the rank of Colonel in the British Army. Discuss how he achieved the rank and compare his training to yours.

Lawrence initially studied archeology and architecture at Oxford; these pursuits first drew him to the Middle East. The knowledge he gained was instrumental in his securing a military position in the Middle East. Thanks to his knowledge of the Arab world and the Ottoman Empire, "he was sent to nurture the Arab revolt against Turkish rule, started by Sherif Hussein of Mecca with the aim of creating a single Arab state stretching from Syria to Yemen"(MacIntyre 2010). In contrast to my own training, the knowledge Lawrence obtained was largely experiential -- he did not study military theory in-depth or go through basic training and was iconoclastic and independent in his personality. Lawrence initially made an improbable officer: "since he fell below the minimum height standard of the British army, he needed a situation in which his abilities might outweigh his physical shortcomings" (Anderson 2013: 82).

Although he could be insolent and disrespectful of authority at times,…… [Read More]

Islam Arabs Successful Spreading Throughout the Greater Middle East Gulf

Islam/Arabs

Muhammad appointed no successors and had no sons, only his son-in-law Ali. In fact, under Islam there could never be another prophet after Muhammad since his revelation was considered to be the true and final word of God. Instead, the Arab tribal leaders elected Abu-Bakr as kalifa (caliph) on the grounds that he was one of the first converts to Islam outside of the Prophet's family. His policy was to unite the Arabs in a jihad against the Byzantine Romans and Persian Sasanids, and in a very short time, "the mightiest empires in the Middle East…were humbled by the Arab warriors for Islam" (Glouldschmidt and Davidson, 2009, p. 53).

Short Summary

Within 100 years, the Arab-Islamic Empire had conquered a truly vast territory, from Spain to the borders of China, and come close to taking over all of Europe. For the Arabs, this was the Golden Age of science, medicine, philosophy and mathematics, to which they still look back longingly after centuries of being humiliated and controlled by other imperial powers. Over time, though, their empire fragmented and divided, and thus left itself open to conquest by other powers.

Main Body

Arab armies were very small, often under 1,000…… [Read More]

Great War for Civilization the Conquest of the Middle East

Great War for Civilisation

Fisk begins chapter 14 Anything to Wipe Out a Devil… with an account of the French invasion of Algeria in 1830 and it's subsequent ramifications. The author went to great lengths to parallel the French invasion of Algeria to the British and American invasions of Iraq. Both the British invasion of Iraq during WWI and the American invasion in 2003 was done under the guise of liberation, the same as the French; but all three encountered the problem of not being welcomed as liberators. Fisk then began to describe a man named Mohammed Bouyali, who fought against the French and then fought against the Algerian government that replaced the French. His story was a microcosm of the story of Algeria: Bouyali helped expel the French only to be disillusioned by the native Algerian secular government which replaced the French. He went on to form a group which actively fought the Algerian government, but was eventually killed. (522-526) Fisk then detailed the secular Algerian government's attempts to keep control against the many different Islamist inspired groups which periodically arose to cause trouble. Fisk concluded the chapter with the story of an Algerian Special Forces officer who wrote…… [Read More]

Pratt in the Middle East Comprehensive and

Pratt

In the Middle East, comprehensive and regional planning are not as developed as needed within the 21st century paradigm. Globalism has brought change to the world, and this will require a new way of thinking about precious resources and use of materials that will contribute both to environmental sustainability and the increasing cooperation between regions. I have certainly realized that the moral action in the contemporary world is to pursue a career that allows the capacity to influence others in managing the impact that the environment has on all of us. To that end, I would like to present my application and credentials for a Master's in City and Regional Planning at the Pratt Institute. I am particularly interested in your programs because of the extensive research and reputation of the department, and the focus not only on a holistic framework, but the ability to collaborate with colleagues and businesses in the area as well as internationally. I believe that your program is a on the cutting edge of the needs for organizations, particularly in my home country of Saudi Arabia. As globalization continues to evolve here in the Middle East, it is important that we contribute to the…… [Read More]

Global Water Crisis & the Middle East

Global Water Crisis & the Middle East

The entire premise of the hydrological cycle is apparent when one views the planet as a living organism, the Gaia idea. From condensation through evaporation and precipitation, all aspects of the cycle work together to form the basis for the Earth being an organism called "The Blue Planet." Interruptions of any aspect of the cycle have negative effects that multiply in seriousness as they progress through the cycle. Nature's filtration system, along with the balance between the large mega-forests and weather, kept the relationship between potable water and human life viable (Lovelock 2000).

The Gaia Concept - Too, taking the Gaia concept a bit further, if we look upon the world as a Global Village, with some areas that have plenty of water, and other places that are continually experiencing a shortage. In fact, the problem is so great, that the World Health Organization estimates that 1/6th of the world lacks access to potable water, and at any given time, 50% of humans have one of the six main diseases (diarrhea, schistosomiasis, trachoma, infestation with ascaris, guinea work or hookworm) (Briscoe, Postel and de Villiers) . Changes in global population growth, unwise agricultural…… [Read More]