states compete for many reasons
control of territory
access to trade and resources
influence over other states
to further their goals, states may form alliances with others
during the Cold War, many states joined military alliances
resulted from the emergence of the superpowers of the US and USSR
after the Cold War, most alliances were economic
violence and wars came from terriorists rather than from states
during the Cold War era, organizations were established to prevent a third world war
afterward, they changed their goal or withered away
during the Cold War era, the US and USSR were the two superpowers
could quickly deploy armed forces around the world
established military bases in other countries to maintain strength in other territories
demonstrated they would use military force to prevent an ally from becoming too independent
ex. Soviet Union sent armies to Hungary and Czechoslovakia to install more sympathetic governments
ex. US sent troops to the Dominican Republic, Grenada, and Panama to ensure they remained allies
before the Cold War, there used to be more than 2 superpowers
before WWI, there were 8 superpowers
Austria
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
Russia
UK
US
when a lot of states ranked equally powerful, no single state could dominate
major powers joined together to make temporary alliances
balance of power: a condition of roughly equal strength between opposing alliances
post-WWII balance of power was bipolar between US and USSR
the world comprised two camps, each under the influence of one of them
other states lost the ability to tip scales in favor of one or other superpower
were relegated to a new role
Soviet Union secretly constructing missile-launching sites in Cuba in 1962
President John F. Kennedy demanded that the missiles were removed, and ordered a naval blockade
Soviet Ambassador Valerian Zorin denied the accusations at the UN
US Ambassador Adlai Stevenson showed aerial photographs of Cuba
Soviet Union dismantled the missiles because of the irrefutable evidence
after WWII, most European states either joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or the Warsaw Pact
NATO was a military alliance among 16 democratic states
Warsaw Pact was a military agreement among Communist Eastern European countries
8 members joined when it was founded
Hungary used its troops to crush an uprising against Communist control
also invaded Czechoslovakia to depose a government committed to reforms
both alliances were made to maintain a bipolar balance of power in Europe
NATO allies’ goal was to prevent the USSR from overrunning West Germany and other small countries
Warsaw Pact allies’ goal was to provide the USSR with a buffer of allied states between it and Germany to discourage a third German invasion
once Europe was no longer dominanted by military confrontation between two blocs, the Warsaw Pact disbanded
most Warsaw Pact members joined NATO
NATO offered alllies a sense of security against any future Russian threat, and participation in a united Europe
during the Cold War, two economic alliances formed in Europe
EU (European Union)
formed with 6 members in 1958 (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and West Germany)
designed to heal Western Europe’s scars from WWII
COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance)
formed with 10 members in 1949 (8 states from Warsaw Pact + Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam)
designed to promote trade and sharing of natural resources
expanded from 6 countries to 27
most recent additions are former COMECON members, who disbanded after the fall of communism
Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Iceland, Turkey, and Albania may join the EU
main task is to promote development within the member states through economic and political cooperation
European Parliament is elected by people in the member states
subsidies are provided to farmies and economically depressed regions
most barriers to free trade was removed
this has created Europe into the world’s wealthiest market
a single bank (the European Central Bank), was given responsibility to set interest rates and minimize inflation throughout the eurozone
a common currency (euro) was created
France’s franc, Germany’s mark, and Italy’s lira, have disappeared
23 countries use euros
European leaders think that every country in the region would be economically stronger if it used euros
however, Greeze, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, are forced to implement harsh and unpopular policies
economically stronger countries like Germany have to subsidize the weaker states
crossing state borders is easier and more cultural than political, like crossing borders between states in the US
much of EU’s budget used translating documents into other languages
the biggest obstacle in European integration is the multiplicity of languages
residents display increased tolerance for cultural values of their neighbors
opposition has increased to the immigration of people from the south and east
especially those who have darker skin and adhere to Islam
immigrants from poorer regions fill low-paying jobs that other Europeans aren’t willing to do
Europeans fear the immigration will transform their nation-states into multiethnic societies
Europeans believe Africans and Asians will continue to maintain the high CBR and constitute a higher percentage of the populution in the future
Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
56 members
founded in 1975
became a forum for countries concerned with ending conflicts
it can call upon member states to supply troops if necessary
Organization of American States (OAS)
all 35 states in Western Hemisphere are members
Cuba is a member but was suspended from most activities in 1962
Washington, DC, is the headquarters
promotes social, cultural, political, and economic links among member states
African Union (AU)
established in 2002
53 countries in Africa
replaced an organization called Organization of African Unity
places emphasis on promoting economic integration
Commonwealth
includes the UK and 52 other states that were once British colonies
seek economic and cultural cooperation
terrorism: the systematic use of violence by a group in order to intimidate a population or coerce a government into granting its demands
characteristics of terrorists include
trying to achieve objectives through organized acts that spread fear and anixety
bombing, kidnapping, etc.
viewing violence as a means of bringing widespread publicity to goals that are not being addressed through peaceful means
believing in a cause so strongly that they don’t hesitate to attack knowing they’ll probably die
terror was first used during the Reign of Terror
political leaders have been assassinated without being considered terrorism
4 US presidents
Roman Emperor Julius Caesar
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
terrorism differs from assassination and other political violence because its attacks are aimed at ordinary people rather than military targets or political leaders
military actions like bombing can kill ordinary citizens, but they are unintended victims, unlike in terrorism
12/21/1988
bomb destroyed a plane over Lockerbie, Scotland
killing 270
2/26/1993
car bomb in the underground gagarge damaged NY’s WTC
killing 6, injuring 1000
4/19/1995
car bomb in the Alfed P. Murrah Federal Building
killing 168
6/25/1996
truck bomb in an apartment complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
killing 19 US soldiers and injuring 100
8/7/1998
US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed
killing 190 and injuring 5000
10/12/2000
USS Cole was bombed in the port of Aden, Yemen
killing 17 US service personnel
Theodore J. Kaczynski (Unabomber)
killed 3 people and injured 23 by sending bombs in the mail
targets were academics in technological disciplines and executives in businesses who he considered to be adversely affecting the environment
Timothy J. McVeigh
was behind the Oklahoma City bombing
Terry I. Nichols assisted him and was convicted of conspiracy
93 people died on the plane that crashed into the North Tower
65 people died on the plane that crashed into the South Tower
2605 died on the ground around the towers
64 died on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon
125 died at the Pentagon
44 died on the plane that crashed in a random spot, preventing another attack
the al-Qaeda network, founded by Osama bin Laden, was responsible
bin Laden
used his father’s inheritance to fund the network and unite opposition fighters
moved from Afghanistan to fight against the Soviet army
called it a holy war (“jihad”)
recruited Muslims from Arab countries
after the Soviet Union withdrew, he returned to Saudi Arabia
was expelled for opposing the government for permitting the US to station troops there during the Iraq war
moved to Sudan
expelled as well for instigating attacks against US troops
returned to Afghanistan
lived as a “guest” of the Taliban-controlled government
declared war against the US because of its support for Saudi Arabia and Israel
argued Muslims have a duty to wage a holy war against the US because it was responsible for maintaining the Saud royal family as rulers of Saudi Arabia and a state of Israel dominated by Jews
5/8/2002: 13 deaths
5/12/2003: 35 deaths
11/15/2003: 29 deaths
11/20/2003: 32 deaths
5/29/2004: 22 deaths
7/7/2005: 56 deaths
7/23/2005: 88 deaths
11/9/2005: 63 deaths
9/28/2008: 54 deaths
12/15/2009
one of the members tried to detonate explosives sewn into his underwear
passengers put out the flames
he was sent to 4 life terms and 50 years in prison
Al-Qaeda isn’t a single unified organization
number of people involved is unknown
bin Laden was advised by a council
also encompasses local franchises concerned with country specific issues
Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist activities
10/12/2002: 202 deaths
8/5/2003: 12 deaths
9/9/2004: 3 deaths
10/1/2005: 26 deaths
7/17/2009: 9 deaths
other terrorist groups have also been loosely associated with al-Qaeda
its use of religion to justify attacks has posed challenges
Americans and Europeans have the challenge of distinguishing peaceful but unfamiliar principles and practices of Muslims and the misuse and abuse of Islam by terrorists
Muslims face the challenge of being able to express disagreement with the policies of governments in the US and Europe and also disavow the use of terrorism
states in the Middle East have supported terrorism by
providing sanctuary
supplying weapons, money, and intelligence
planning attacks using terrorists
Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan have provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda
US attacked Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2001 for sheltering bin Laden and other al-Qaeda members
bin Laden escaped
the Taliban had gained power in 1995 and installed strict Islamic law
treated women harshly
6 years of Taliban rule temporarily suppressed a civil war
had started when the king was overthrown in a bloodless coup by Mohammed Daoud Khan
Daoud was murdered and replaced by military officers sympathetic to the USSR
USSR sent troops when people started a rebellion against pro-Soviet government
the rebels won and the Soviet-installed government fell
after infighting, Taliban gained control
removal of the Taliban government created another struggle for control among the ethnicities
when the US focused on Iraq and Iran, the Taliban regrouped and rebelled against the US-backed government
war on terrorism spilled from Afghanistan
western Pakistan is inhabited where Taliban are mainly in control
US intellience thought bin Laden was there, but were wrong
bin Laden was killed at Abbottabad
US believed that Pakistan security had been aware that he’d been living in the compound for at least five years
it was heavily fortified, with high walls and barbed wire
Pakistani officials were upset that the US attacked the compound without their knowledge
Iraq and Iran have been accused of providing material and financial support for terrorists, though the extent of it is controversial
US attacked Iraq in 2003 to get rid of Saddam Hussein, their president
justification was that he created biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction
those weapons could get to the terrorists, because of the close links between the government and al-Qaeda
UK and some other countries supported the attack, but most didn’t
since he became president, Hussein’s behavior had raised concerned
8 year war with Iran
nuclear reactor, where nuclear weapons to attack Israel were allegedly being made, were later destroyed by Israeli planes
used poison gas against Iraqi Kurds, killing 5000
invaded Kuwait, even though the international community opposed it
Operation Desert Storm drove Iraq out of Kuwai, but didn’t remove Hussein
the operation was heavily supported because it was to end one country’s unjustified invasion and attempted annexation of another
few countries supported US attack in 2003 because most countries didn’t agree that Iraq still possessed weapons of mass destruction or intended to use them
the assessment that Hussein had close links with al-Qaeda was also challenged
US ambassador showed air photos to prove that Iraq possessed weapons at a UN meeting, but they weren’t clear evidence
US argued that Iraq needed a “regime change”
US invaded and removed Hussein
Iraqis were not enthusiastic
it started a new, violent struggle among the tribes to get in power
hostility with the US began when a revolution got rid of pro-US Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
its Shiite population demanded more democratic rule and opposed the Shah’s economic program that made social unrest
supporters of an exiled Shiite fundamentalist proclaimed Iran an Islamic republic and rewrote the consitution
militant supporters of the ayatollah seized US embassy and held them hostage
Iran and Iraq had fought a war over the Shatt al-Arab waterway, and Iran won
during Iran’s revolution, Iraq seized it, but a winless 8 year war went on after
it only ended once they accepted a UN peace plan
US accused Iran of harboring al-Qaeda members and trying to gain influence in Iraq
Iran also had an aggressive development of a nuclear program
it claimed it was for civilian purposes
other countries thought it was to build weapons
long negotiations went on to have Iran’s nuclear capabilities dismantled
the government was accused of sponsoring a bombing of a nightclub
relations between Libya and US were already poor
Libya viewed the Mediterranean Sea as their own
US considered it international territory
US performed exercises over water, and was attacked by Libyan warplanes
US shot the warplanes in return
US bombers attacked in a failed attempt to kill Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi
Libyan agents were found to have planted bombs on planes
UN put economic sanctions, and terrorist suspects were tried
Libya renounced terrorism in 2003 and have provided compensation for victims
UN sanctions were lifted when Libya was no longer considered a state sponsor of terrorism