Causes of Conflict

1. The conflict is between Israel and Arab. The conflict started when in 1948 prime minister David Ben Gurion greeted the birth of Israel in 1948. To the Arabs living in Palestine the creation was an illegal outrage. Other Problems grew in the region and led to a Cold War in the Middle East. The region commanded vital oil resources, as well as strategic waterways such as the Bosporus, the Suez Canal and the Persian Gulf. The United States sent aid to stop a communist the threat to Turkey in 1947 and backed the anti communist shah of Iran. In the Arab-Israeli conflict, the United States helped Israel, while the Soviet Union aided the Arabs. The United States armed their allies with expensive new weapons. In 1956, 1967, and 1973 Israel and Arab faced off again. Israel was a center of guerrilla warfare and terrorist activity. In 1967 Israel forces wanted to gain more land. They won the Golan Heights from Syria, East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. In 1973 Arabs attacked Israel but failed to regain the occupied lands. Israel refused to give up the territories until Arab nations recognized Israel’s right to exist. 

In 1948, 1972, and the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) waged guerrilla war against Israelis at home and abroad. They did bombing, airplane hijackings, and the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Olympics in 1972. In 1987 young Palestinians openly defied Israeli soldiers, throwing rocks and disobeying curfews. This led to Israel cracking down and they were accused of human rights violations. Some Israelis wanted to give up the occupied territories in exchange for pieces when others became even more determined to keep the lands they won. In 1979, 1991, and 1994 peace agreements were made and territory was returned. For the first time in 1993 direct talks were held between Israel and the PLO. Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin signed a historic agreement that gave Palestinians in Gaza the West Bank city of Jericho. The agreement left some Palestinians dissatisfied and no piece is not met in these two countries. Today conflict is still high in these two countries. 

Yemen

The Country of Yemen  

1.Describe the Countries physical geography (terrain). Provide pictures, if available 

   Yemen’s physical terrain is a narrow coastal plain backed by flat topped hills and rugged mountains, upland dessert plains in the Arabian Peninsula.

1. What is the Climate? 

 The Climate is mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast, temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon, extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in the east.

3.Does this country have a fresh water supply?

 This country has limited fresh water supply. They don’t have very many good ways of transporting water. It has access to seaport because it is on the Arabian Peninsula. It controls its water but its limited and may run out. The source of water are rivers and oceans through the process of desalination.

4.What industries does the country support?

 This country supports crude oil productions and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair; natural gas productions. The GDE percentage per industrial sector : 

agriculture: 8.2%

industry: 39%

services: 52.8% 

5. The international issues the county is currently facing is the issue of fresh water supply. They are running low and are in need of ways to acquire it. 

What role have natural resources played in the politics and economy of the Middle East?

  The Middle East has a large amount of oil and natural gas that is exported and purchased by the United States. This plays a big role in politics and economy by the United States is dependent on them for the oil and natural gases. These keeps the Middle East involved with political talk because the U.S and The Middle East would always be discussing the next exports of oil. It is involved in economy by the oil and natural gas bought gives the Middle East money to keep build on their economy and the oil and gas helps us get to places and to continue to drive, keep warm and to build so our economy doesn't completely turn upside down.

A few more explanations

1. What questions do you have about the reading? How might they be answered?
Why doesn't the United States handle this problem on there own? They might be answered by theories.
http://www.sunypress.edu/p-1504-the-united-states-and-the-middl.aspx

2. What U.S. policies do most Muslims hate and why? If you need more information, how might you find it?

U.S policies most Muslims hate is the stance that we have taken in then Israel, Palestinian conflict. Israel has moved Palestinian into refuge camps. They hate this policy because we are helping Israel.

http://www.historyguy.com/israeli-palestinian_conflict.html


3. Why might acknowledging that U.S. policies have anything to do with jihadist attacks be seen as "politically incorrect" and "blaming the victim"? 
Acknowledging that U.S policies have anything to do with jihadist attacks be seen as "politically incorrect" and "blaming the victim" by the fact that Israelis have caused death and description of the Palestinian people. If we blamed the Palestinians for getting back what was lost, they would see it as the United States taking Israelis side and blame the Palestinian people.



4. Despite a year of effort by Obama's special envoy George Mitchell to move the Israelis and Palestinians toward a negotiated two-state solution, there's been no visible progress. Why not? If you need more information, how might you find it?
There has been no visible progress to the two state solution because Palestinians feel that the solution favors Israelis. Also Israelis had attacked Gaza by ordering a bomb attack on them killing hundreds of people of Gaza and many Palestinians.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article761

5. How and why are the people of Gaza suffering? If you need more information, how might you find it? The Gaza people are suffering by the treatment of Israel to them, the blockaded and the attacks Israel put on them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8578611.stm

http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com/browse.asp?folder=3118029&refresh=true?refresh=true&t=9%2F17%2F2011+11%3A00%3A01+PM

A Few examples

1.What questions do you have about the reading? How might they be answered?

My question is where would Al Qaeda be if the United States weren't in there way? You could only answer this question by theories.

2. Years have passed since President Bush's comments. What knowledge and evidence do you have to support, add to, amend, or oppose his explanation for terrorist acts? Why might jihads want to overthrow certain Muslim governments? Drive Israel out of the Middle East? If you don't know how might you find out?

The evidence I have to support the terrorist attacks are that Al Qaeda hates us because we do stand in their way for Al Qaeda to take over and rule other countries.  Jihads may want to overthrow the Muslim government because they have different thoughts then the Jihads about religion and beliefs.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/al-qaida.htm

3. Even more years have passed since Bin Laden's harsh critique of the United States. What knowledge and evidence do you have to support, add to, amend, or oppose that critique.

My evidence that I have to support his critique against the United States is that we attacked his country / holy land that they base everything from their religion to beliefs around. So we messed with his home land so he wants to make a statement and show that you shouldn't mess with his land.

4. According to Wright, what has led young men in Arab countries to find martyrdom attractive?

According to Wright what has led the young men in Arab countries to find martyrdom attractive is by giving them nothing to do and only hearing about the war and how "awful" Americans are. Martyrdom in Arab countries also make life easy and has benefits.

5. According to polling in Muslim countries, how popular is Al Qaeda? Why?

According to polling in Muslim countries, many people are disapproving/ and not with Al Qaeda. This is because he has taken the lives of many Muslims, and Infidels. 

http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com/browse.asp?folder=3118029&refresh=true?refresh=true&t=9%2F17%2F2011+9%3A33%3A44+PM

Links..... I hate math

http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com/browse.asp?folder=3118029&refresh=true?refresh=true&t=9%2F15%2F2011+11%3A49%3A37+AM

Why do they hate us?

1. What questions do you have about the reading? How might they be answered?

My question are why are the government officials unwilling to discuss terrorist motives?And

How can we prevent terrorist attacks?

 These questions could be answered by theories and opinions

2.What is President Obama's answer? Brennan's?
President Obama's answer is that Al Qaeda is a violent group who only cares about killing and causing death. Brenna's was basically saying the same things as the president. He was saying that Al Qaeda is always wanting to attack innocence.

3.Thomas was clearly dissatisfied with Brennan's answer. Why? Would she have been satisfied with the president's? Why or why not?
 
Thomas was dissatisfied with Brenna's responses to her question of why Al Qaeda is attacking and Americans. Brenna worked his way around the questions without really giving an answer. She wouldn't have been fine with the presidents if he worked his way around the question "why" also.

4.Why does Glenn Greenwald think it important to consider terrorist motivations? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Glen Greenwood thinks it is important to consider terrorists motivations because if we don't then he seems it is just going unnoticed and the actions are alright. I agree with Glen that we should find out why they are doing these actions because it will bring up the issue which people will look into. If we find the answer to that we may be able to prevent more terrorists attacks in the future.

5. How would you answer Thomas' question, "Why?" Why do Hasan, Abdulmutallab, and others commit such acts?? If you need more reliable information, where might you find it?

I believe that Hasan, Abdulmutallab, and others commit such acts because of Al Qaeda and of who was their leader Bin Laden. He and other Al Qaeda members are brought in and told only about "how bad America is" and how their religion plans these attacks and wants them to do them. Other Info http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/07/us_designates_anwar.php