Modern Middle East and Afghanistan

What was the Iran-Iraq war fought over?

(1980-1988) Iraq invades Iran in desire for coastline and seize the Shatt-al Arab waterway. Shipments in the Persian Gulf were disrupted and both sides used chemical weapons.

Who was Saddam Hussein and what did he do?

Was a dictator in Iraq who tried to take over Iran and Kuwait violently in order to gain the land and the resources. He also refused to let the UN into Iraq in order to check if the country was secretly holding weapons of mass destruction.

How was Saddam accused of dirty fighting?

Saddam used biological weapons like mustard gas to kill thousands, type of chemical warfare

How did the Iran-Iraq War end?

1988 Saddam agreed to a cease fire to end the conflict.

What was the 1979 Iranian Revolution?

Strictly religious Muslims took over the government and threw out the Shah. Returned the nation to strict ways of life. (US was friends with the Shah)

What was the 1979 Hostage Crisis

50 Americans were took hostage for a year in Iran, showed that the Middle East would not be pushed around. This made the United States mad at Iran.

Why did Iraq invade Kuwait. in August 1990?

Begins the Persian Gulf War, Saddam wants to take Kuwait back as part of Iraq for the oil and ports.

What was Operation Desert Storm?

the United States and its allies removed Saddam from Kuwait. (in a 100 hours!!!)

What kind of UN Sanctions and embargoes were placed against Saddam?

Iraq could not export oil or goods until they destroyed their WMD and proved this to the UN.

What kind of environmental issues were caused in Kuwait as the Iraqi forces left?

Saddam's retreating troops set fire to nearly 1000 oil wells causing environmental destruction.

What is a WMD?

nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons intended to kill or harm on a large scale

What was the reason behind the Iraq invasion of 2003?

causes: threat to national security, presence of WMD in Iraq, Iraq had not complied with U.N. resolutions effects: end of Hussein's dictatorship, criticism of "war of choice", bad treatment of prisoners diminished American reputation

What happened at Saddam Hussein's trial?

Saddam was captured in 2003 and went on trial, he was put to death in 2006 by hanging.

What happened on 9/11?

Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon; led to a focus on eliminating terrorism.

Who was Osama Bin Laden?

(1957-2011) Founder of al Qaeda, the terrorist network responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, and other attacks.

What was the U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan (2001)

US invaded Afghanistan to disable the Taliban and locate Bin Laden.

What is Operation Enduring Freedom?

President George W. Bush; the United States and its allies invade the country of Afghanistan in order to remove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

What happened to Bin Laden?

He was shot and killed in a raid in Pakistan by Navy Seals during a raid.

McMahon-Hussein Letters

Correspondence between British and Arab leaders indicating that Britain would support an Arab state, caused the Arab Revolt

Arab Revolt

Push for independence from the Arab part of the Ottoman Empire; promoted by Britain as part of the total war strategy; example of widening scope of European conflict

Sykes-Picot Agreement

The 1916 secret agreement between Britain and France that divided up the Arab lands of Lebanon, Syria, southern Turkey, Palestine, Jordan, and Iraq.

Balfour Declaration

British document that promised land in Palestine as homeland for Jews in exchange for Jews help in WWI

Mandates

Territories in the Middle East administered by France and Great Britain

UN Resolution #181

The vote by the United Nations that created Israel and Palestine using the Two State Plan

Two State Solution

the idea to split Israel and Palestine into two independent nation - states, each separated by religion and ethnicity - Palestine mainly populated by Arabs(Muslims) and Israel by Jewish people

Gaza Strip

A territory along the Mediterranean Sea just northeast of the Sinai Peninsula; part of the land set aside for Palestinians, which was occupied by Israel in 1967. Currently controlled by Hamas

Sinai Peninsula

a peninsula in northeastern Egypt

Golan Heights

A region that was formerly part of Southwest Syria that Israel has occupied since 1967 war.

West Bank

an area between Israel and Jordan on the west bank of the Jordan river, currently controlled by the PLO

Creation of Israel

1948 1st Jewish state, led to conflict to Israel's Arab neighbors over to the Palestinian issue

First Arab-Israeli War

a conflict that took place in 1948 when British forces withdrew from Palestine. The war pitted Arab forces against the recently established Jewish state with the goal of eradicating Israel

Suez Canal

A ship canal in northeastern Egypt linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea

Suez Crisis

July 26, 1956, Nasser (leader of Egypt) nationalized the Suez Canal, Oct. 29, British, French and Israeli forces attacked Egypt. UN forced British to withdraw; made it clear Britain was no longer a world power

Palestine Liberation Organization

a group formed in the 1960s to regain the Arab land in Israel for Palestinian Arabs, led by Yasser Arafat

Six Day War

(1967) Short conflict between Egypt and her allies against Israel won by Israel; Israel took over the Golan Heights , The West Bank of the Jordan River; and the Sinai Peninsula.

Yom Kippur War

(RN), , This was a war fought by Israel and neighboring Arab nations where the Arabs launched a surprise attack during Yom Kippur. U.S. support for Israel during the war led to OPEC boycotting the U.S., creating an energy crisis.

Camp David Accords

A peace treaty between Israel and Egypt where Egypt agreed to recognize the nation state of Israel

First Lebanon War

1982; Israel invades Lebanon; eliminates PLO

First Intifada

("Uprising" in Arabic, 1987) uprising against Israeli rule in Palestinian Territories. It included strikes, boycotts, refusal to pay taxes and stone throwing at IDF

Oslo Peace Accords

An agreement in 1993 in which Israeli prime minister Rabin granted Palestinian self-rule in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

Second Lebanon War

Summer 2006, Israel tries to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon

Second Intifada

a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000 after the Israelis went back on their Oslo Peace Promises

Decolonization

The acquisition, by colonized peoples, of control over their own territory. Especially in South Asia, and Africa by European Nations

Nationalize

To bring under the ownership or control of a nation, such as industries and land.

1953 Iranian Coup

The United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) came up with a plan to overthrow Mossadegh. Although British diplomats and spies were no longer in Iran, they had a well-established network of Iranians who worked for them. The plan was to convince the Iranian people that Mossadegh was corrupt, an enemy of Islam, and pro-communist. CIA agents bribed newspapers and religious leaders to spread these ideas. The CIA also paid for physical attacks on religious leaders and made it appear as if the attacks had been organized by Mossadegh supporters. The CIA bribed members of the military so that they would help carry out the coup and paid protesters to demonstrate against the government. U.S. involvement turned Iran into a hotbed of instability, rioting, and chaos

Pahlavi Dynasty

family that took over Iran's gov't in 1925; was an authoritarian regime; people didn't like them and it paved the way for the 1979 Revolution. Shah Muhammad Reza was the last Shah

2,500 Iranian Birthday Party

Most expensive party in human history, proved how corrupt and selfish the Shah was to the Iranians

OPEC oil embargo

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that placed an embargo on oil sold to Israel's supporters. Caused worldwide oil shortage and long lines at gas stations in the US. Forced America to change stance from pro-Israel only to now mixed support

Ayatollah Khomeini

Shiite religious leader of Iran, led the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and ordered the invasion of the US Embassy.

Cinema Rex Fire

The event that started the Iranian Revolution

Iranian Revolution of 1979

Opposition to the Shah, Mohammad-Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, grew from the brutality, inefficiency, malfeasance, and corruption of his regime. The shah had exiled his main opponent, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and massive street demonstrations and crippling strikes against the existing government forces the shah to leave the country in 1979.

Islamic Republic of Iran

a semi-democratic semi-theocratic islamic republic in the Middle East in western Asia. Supreme Leader or Ayatollah is higher than the president

Iranian Hostage Crisis

In 1979, Iranian fundamentalists seized the American embassy in Tehran and held fifty-three American diplomats hostage for over a year. The Iranian hostage crisis weaked the Carter presidency; the hostages were finally released on January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan became president.

Iran-Iraq War

The war began when Iraq invaded Iran on September 22 1980 following a long history of border disputes and fears of Shia insurgency among Iraq's long suppressed Shia majority influenced by Iran's Islamic revolution.

Shatt al Arab

the merging of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that flows into the Persian Gulf

Strait of Hormuz

narrow body of water that connects the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea

Proxy War

a war in which the powers in conflict use third parties as substitutes instead of fighting each other directly

Iranian Nuclear Deal

An agreement between the western powers in which the Iranians agree to decrease their Uranium deposits in return for lowered sanctions. Iran gave up 97% of their uranium. Trump cancelled US portion of the deal.

Soviet-Afghan War

The Soviets invade Afghanistan, many people support Afghanistan through the context of the Cold War and to prevent the spread of Communism. US uses as a proxy war in revenge for the loss in Vietnam.

Mujahideen

in Afghanistan, warriors who banded together to fight the Soviet-supported government in the late 1970s

Taliban in Afghanistan

Conservative Islamic group that has controlled large portions of Afghanistan; opposes any Westernization

Al-Qaeda

a network of Islamic terrorist organizations, led by Osama bin Laden, that carried out the attacks on the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998, the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, and the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001

Osama Bin Laden

(1957-) Founder of al Qaeda, the terrorist network responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, and other attacks.

Persian Gulf War

(1990 - 1991) Conflict between Iraq and a coalition of countries led by the United States to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait which they had invaded in hopes of controlling their oil supply. A very one sided war with the United States' coalition emerging victorious.

Desert Storm

The code name used by the United States and its coalition partners in waging war against Iraq in early 1991 to liberate Kuwait.

Desert Shield

Building up of troops to protect Saudi Arabia

9/11 Attacks

the U.S. was attacked by the Al Qaeda which resulted in the War on Terrorism and the Patriot Acts. Twin Towers in NYC, Shanksville PA and the Pentagon in DC were struck

Operation Enduring Freedom 2001

US invades Afghanistan to eliminate Taliban to destroy Al-Qaeda

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003

Removal of Sadaam Hussein Bush authorized the mission to rid Iraq of tyrannical dictator Saddam Hussein and eliminate Hussein's ability to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Operation Iraqi Freedom illustrated the Bush administration's pledge to use unilateral, pre-emptive strikes if necessary against nations believed dangerous to American national security.

WMDs

weapons of mass destruction

preemptive strike

The doctrine of attacking an enemy force before they can attack you.

Arab Spring 2011

Wave of pro-democracy revolts that led to three North African dictators being overthrown in 2011. Tunisia (he fled), Egypt (he was arrested), Libya (he was killed).

Libyan Civil War of 2011

War fought between those that supported the Gaddafi and those that wanted to oust him. Many demonstrators peacefully protested when Gaddafi decided to clean house and took violent action against them. Rebels won. Gaddafi was killed.

Syrian Civil War (2011-present)

The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing multi-sided armed conflict in Syria fought between the Syrian Arab Republic led by President Bashar al-Assad, along with domestic and foreign allies, and various domestic and foreign forces opposing both the Ba'ath government and each other in varying combinations, Kurds, ISIS and rebels. Proxy War

ISIS/ISIL

A Sunni terrorist group trying to seize territory in Iraq and Syria through extreme acts of terrorism. Black Headbands

Hamas

a militant Sunni fundamentalist political movement that opposes peace with Israel and uses terrorism as a weapon. Green Headbands

Hezbollah

A radical Shiʿite Muslim organization in Lebanon engaged in guerrilla warfare against Israel. Yellow headbands.

Kurdistan

The traditional homeland of the Kurdish people.

Yemen Civil War

A civil war starting in 2015 between two factions: the elected Sunni Government versus the Shi'ite Houthi Militia. As a proxy war - the Houthi's are supported by Iran and the Hadi's are supported by the Saudi Government and US special forces.

sectarian violence

conflicts that divide people along ethnic, religious, and sectarian lines

Hashemites

Rulers of the kingdom of Hijaz(containing Mecca and Medina). Aligned with British in exchange for guaranteed right to rule some of the formerly Ottoman lands. Founded dynasties in Jordan, Iraq

Shia nation groups

Hezbollah, Irag (majority), Iran, Bahrain

Sunni terrorist groups

Hammas, Al-Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL

Large Wealthy Sunni nation

Saudi Arabia