The conflicts and problems in the middle east are far more complicated than they appear. They actually stretch back to the end of World War I. In a nutshell, everything that is happening today is the direct result of the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. Basically the Ottomans took over the remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire. Held empirical control over much of the middle east today, and pretty much kept crap in line. But, just like the end of the Roman Empire, and subsequently the Holy Roman Empire, things just went all mid evil period. With the notable exception of 20th century weaponry. Just like in the United States there are factions upon factions (we call them ideologies) so to did the Ottoman Empire try and control with success factions that are shall we say, unstable? You now have governments less than a hundred years old trying to contain blood feuds, religious sects, power hungry fundamentalist jackasses, tribal culture, religious expression. every aspect of life morally determined by theocratic state propaganda: Or Conservatism at it's most extreme, either way you look at it is fine by me. And thanks to largely British and French influence at the time, we get pretty much the map of the middle east we know and try to go to war with today. Even then, with the major power structure gone, wiped away by dictate, the majority of the middle east was STILL accessible by westerners. and major archaeological discoveries including finding the tomb of king tut. Then comes World War II Yes, in fact there was a part of the war in North Africa and the middle east during WWII. Not only was Europe and Japan effected but much of the Middle East as well, after which Jerusalem was founded. By their own recorded and accepted history, Hebrews were a nomadic race who violently and thoroughly destroyed a native people to establish their own kingdom. Who then were later conquered by the Romans, and then dispersed by the Ottomans. Hell, by this worldwide legal precedent every native American tribe is due back key land. But instead, we as a nation decided to bribe our native inhabitants to stay on smaller and smaller land in exchange for money. I've driven on some native american land in my time. The screwing by this government is disproportional. The Blackfeet in Baab Montana, live in near squalor, while the Seminoles reside in Florida inland luxury. Oh, the casinos? Extremely racist. If you have just the most inkling of native american blood in you, you aren't walking out of an Indian Casino without money in your pocket. Predominately I am white, but, I have ancestors on my mothers side that were native american, through the awesomeness of genes, I look like my dad, and can't get a sunburn. I just get darker and darker and with short hair, that means some people question whether or not I speak English. (republicans) Yes, thanks to my Irish/English/German/Native American ancestry, I look Mexican to conservatives. Yes, I've gone on a rant and you want me to digress now and get back to the topic, So sorry, I'll continue. The Middle East is in the early dark ages as far as regional history goes. Isis, and groups like it and worse aren't unexpected. These are just radical conservative fundamentalists without anyone to control them. They believe in the purity of their religion, and fear any outward influence and are willing to kill to ensure no corruption to their puritanical ideals seeps in. They demand one language spoken by all despite anyone's say so. They brandish arms, and are easy to provoke violence into. They believe that only their god and their profit are the true article, and are ready to lay waste to anyone that says differently. They execute people for being too slutty, being a different religion, being the wrong sect of religion, not siding against their perceived enemy. Holy (*)(*)(*)(*), these people are the straw men slippery slope ending of the Republican Party agenda. The middle east is what happens when republican party dogma goes too far. People decry Detroit's fall to rampant liberalism gone wild, and I completely and totally agree with conservatives on that point. I lived in Detroit for 4 years. And yes, conservatives are 100% (*)(*)(*)(*)ing right about Detroit's problems. This is a town that despite it being number 5, at one time, of the most populous cities in America, has dwindled to less than 700,000 residents. There was, (or maybe still is) a time in Detroit, after 2008, that you could buy houses in Detroit for less than 500 bucks. Whole houses, property everything. Basically you are buying the land because the house has already been totally and completely gutted to the boards. It is cheaper to knock down a Detroit home than it is to renovate it. Cities like Detroit, is what happens when the left goes wild. It becomes a dystopia of misery and crime. On the other hand is the Middle East, where the Right Wing dystopia, is playing out. (ever notice that every mother(*)(*)(*)(*)er in the middle east is armed? Go 2 amendment, oh, sorry bout your "armed society is a polite society" bull(*)(*)(*)(*) with that in spades in several regions of the middle east.) Now, Here's what you have to look forward to: Imagine medieval Europe, with 21st century weapons. Expect this for about 400 years. With larger and larger conflicts, as power in the middle east is re consolidated. Eventually the Middle Eastern Union. Along the lines the EU becomes the USE, the Middle East becomes a centralized autonomous government becoming more secular as time moves on. Israel buys out the Palestinian land, through all their shenanigans, all out bombing, restricting, just straight up occupying and building suburbs in of an independent land. Remember, this is land that was the country of Palestine by charter, into existence from the corpse of the Ottoman Empire. Palestine existed as an independent nation for only decades. Then, had Israel, just thrust upon it. There is a national geographic picture of Israeli refugee camps in Palestine at the end of WWII. and it mirrors the complete opposite as things are today in Israel. So, I guess what I am trying to illustrate with this article is that one man's death in Europe get's us here today. The sad reality is, world war I never stopped. It's just hot and cold here and there now and again. Now, the histories old tale of religion versus religion crap pops up, and I laugh, because if we were reversed and a predominately Muslim army were to invade the US, then our Moral, and Christian, right would be to defend ourselves righteously against these invaders. And you just stepped into their feet for just a second there. You kinda see their side don't you? But now, they got a problem, their version of the TEA Party. They call them ISIS. Yea, middle east post empirical world, freaking mega conservatives. So there, in a drunken rambling nutshell, the problems in the middle east.
you left out the fact that the ottoman empire and other muslim nations, at one time banned all technology. more specifically the printing press was banned. the Quran was required to be reprinted by hand, and even in the early 1900's it was difficult to print non-religous documents with a printing press. In fact as asia, europe and even africa were modernizing their armies muslim armies were going backwards in fact even using gunpowder was banned for awhile under the ottomans.
Oh, you are absolutely right, I did forget about the relevant decline of the Ottoman empire leading up to WWI. And yes, what you say is factually correct. Which corroborates my theory that the Middle East is going through a stage in the dark ages. Thank you for your correct insight.
Unfortunately time. Time is the cure. The middle east has growing pains to go through, (the dark ages) so, yea, terrorism for about 200 years or so.
So you hate the Jews and the muslims are right wing extremists? Who's side are you on? I do think the Jews resettled in Israel because of something called the Holocaust and to give Jews a homeland where they could be safe. Too bad the Palestinians can't live in peace with people of another race and religion. Why is it liberals are all for immigration and open borders here in the US, but not in Israel?
Yea, friends shouldn't let friends post drunk. What I was trying and failing to get across is that due to the outcome of world war I, dividing up the ottoman empire instead of deploying shall we say regime change, created small, countries trying to find an identity. And as with any fall of an empire, barbarism finds foothold and room to grow. To compound on this problem, is the fact that the US has armed this region over the years to an insane degree. and, that they have a massive amount of crude oil and actually has an open cartel that regulates the prices of said crude oil on the open market. (by the way my conservative friends that defend the oil industry, is that free market capitalism at work? Yeah, it is, and it sucks.) So now, you have countries, with just about unlimited wealth, small ineffectual barely established governments, run by people that it seems happened to be around at the time to fill the power vacuum. Then you keep invading them and threatening them with war over and over again interfering with their barely conceived power structures, yea, these people are going to become resentful. Let's let you all in on a little truth about Afghanistan. You thought the Taliban was in charge in Afghanistan? Hell no, they just said they were. Afghans do not give one slightest (*)(*)(*)(*) about who thinks they are in charge. Afghans are in charge of Afghans. Throughout history, Afghanistan defended itself from mother(*)(*)(*)(*)ing everybody. Did it's own (*)(*)(*)(*), gave absolutely no (*)(*)(*)(*)s, People since Alexander the Great have conquered them or tried, and the Afghan people don't give two (*)(*)(*)(*)s about it, they just shrug it off and keep on doing what they always have and eventually the conquering nation leaves. No one is going to ever change this. Iran. The problem with Iran is all Reagan's fault. Iran wasn't actually a part of the Ottoman empire, so when the Empire fell, Iran received none of the shock. But developed along it's path naturally, they don't want a war with the US. but do want the capability of defending themselves from the US. We aren't afraid the Iranians will get the bomb and use it against us, we are afraid they will get the bomb and with that, be able to retaliate against us. [video=youtube;rekuWIKr55A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rekuWIKr55A[/video] We have armed them, and cut them off, which has kinda bit our asses repeatedly in the past as far as the middle east goes, time and time again. These people are both simultaneously living in the dark ages, and the information age. They are dealing with right now the inquisition. [video=youtube;LnF1OtP2Svk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnF1OtP2Svk[/video] [video=youtube;Tym0MObFpTI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tym0MObFpTI[/video] Yea, an important part of our history. What we do here on out reflects on that. this is an unstable area, with weak, limited governments that don't have control over their more unstable people like we do in the US.
Arabs had guns and gunpowder.. and they did have printing presses.. The Ottoman Empire was a complete dud and the Arab world stagnated..
yes they had them but muslim scholars banned them. and it remained a controversy amongst the ottoman empire, for centuries http://muslimmatters.org/2012/01/10/part-ii-the-decline-of-the-ottoman-empire/
Most of the bedu had guns........... The Ottoman had very limited control.. a few lazy garrisons here and there.
the bedu? I assume you mean the bedouins? Im sure they did have guns at one point, they were a nomadic tribe after all (they're name literally translates to nomad) and i don't think ive ever heard of them having any form of central government control, or religion for that matter, they im sure where very diverse religously. Were also talking about the empire over several centuries not just at one point in time, and the ottomans were one of the largest, influential, and powerful empires in world history controlling the some of the most land of any empire in world history. Saying they were comprised of a few "lazy garrisons" is incredibly ignorant. I suggest you read up on them a little bit more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire
No, I have never been to the Middle East, the closest I have been is Dearborn MI. Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon.
Same 'ole.... Glad I started at the bottom and saved my time. Has anyone ever explained the difference between the "political opinion" and "current events" forums ?
