Reflection 4: Guest Lecture by Dr. Boukhars
Dr. Boukhars' lecture was very interesting and informative. Going into the lecture, I knew a general gist of what was occurring and has occurred in the Middle East. The common question during this lecture was: "What's next?" This question is constantly overlooked, especially by the United States when we intervene.
Radical groups are formed by a common divide. In the case of the Middle East, Al Qaeda and ISIS were formed due to power voids and other various reasons. One of these is the source of pride for Sunni and Shia Muslims. Shias have Iran, Hezbollah, and the Shia Axis as sources of pride, but what do the Sunnis have? They're in the majority, but have a minority complex and feelings of deprivation. This was also a reason for these radical groups to form.
During the Arab Spring in 2011, there were revolutions all throughout the Arab World. Egypt, Tunisia, and others all held various demonstrations. The Middle East was beset in chaos and confusion, allowing for the Islamist parties to exploit rivalries, politics, etc to gain new footholds. The Arab Spring failed in most countries, excluding Tunisia. The country now has a democratic government, and it will be interesting to see where the country heads in the future.
There are a handful of key players in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Russia, and the US. The United States has had various stances throughout the years due to quick leadership changes, but they're consistent in their mixed record of killings. Trump has not helped matters. He's: elevated the threat, used anti-Muslim speech, and loosened procedures regarding civilian casualties. Iran is making matters worse as well, but we have not heard their side of the story. If a war against Iran does break out, it will be regional.
Radical groups are formed by a common divide. In the case of the Middle East, Al Qaeda and ISIS were formed due to power voids and other various reasons. One of these is the source of pride for Sunni and Shia Muslims. Shias have Iran, Hezbollah, and the Shia Axis as sources of pride, but what do the Sunnis have? They're in the majority, but have a minority complex and feelings of deprivation. This was also a reason for these radical groups to form.
During the Arab Spring in 2011, there were revolutions all throughout the Arab World. Egypt, Tunisia, and others all held various demonstrations. The Middle East was beset in chaos and confusion, allowing for the Islamist parties to exploit rivalries, politics, etc to gain new footholds. The Arab Spring failed in most countries, excluding Tunisia. The country now has a democratic government, and it will be interesting to see where the country heads in the future.
There are a handful of key players in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Russia, and the US. The United States has had various stances throughout the years due to quick leadership changes, but they're consistent in their mixed record of killings. Trump has not helped matters. He's: elevated the threat, used anti-Muslim speech, and loosened procedures regarding civilian casualties. Iran is making matters worse as well, but we have not heard their side of the story. If a war against Iran does break out, it will be regional.
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