...Surname: Professor: Year: Subject: “THE ARAB SPRING” The term “Arab spring” is a connotation used by both Khalidi and Rozenman in their articles in reference to the Arabs’ protests for democracy overtime. The articles are a response to the mass action taken by various Arabs worldwide after the throw of despondent rulers such as Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh and Libya’s Muammar Ghadafi. The two articles attempt to delve deep into the consequences of such historical actions, drawing precedence from nations such as Turkey and Lebanon. Khalidi and Rozenman are both keen on the influence of a new democracy in the Arab nations and the impact that such “fresh rule” would have on the society; especially the Arab and Western worlds. The Arab world as a better place Khalidi (2011) is keen on stating that the Arab world has become a better place. This, he says, is due to the ability of Arab countries to shake themselves loose from the shackles of dictatorship that have bound them over the years. Evidence of this could be seen through the positive press coverage that Arab countries are getting from the west. Rozenman is, however, of a different opinion. He opines that the end of autocracy in the Arab world is something worthwhile. Despite the downfall of the despots in Egypt, Syria and Lybia; the democracy model that the said countries are eager to develop would be retrogressive. He further writes that Arab democracy drawn from Islamist ideas ,which are Anti-western...
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...this achievement is a gain, not only to Americans, but to the world and to civilization.” The political organization Croly speaks of is democracy, which influences both the economic and social structures of regions that utilize. Because of Herbert’s quote, it is evident that democracy is a worthwhile venture—one that must be spread. It is because I agree with the legendary Herbert that I affirm today’s resolution: Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East. We value a democracy” in the resolution contextualizing it as a question with the ideals of democracy presupposed. The Oxford Dictionary defines democracy as “A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives” Prefer the Oxford dictionary because They come from the most reliable sources The most commonly used and most useful definition of a word comes first and we have used the first definitions of democracy in these dictionaries They match the definition of democracy that normal citizens would associate with the word Our value criterion will be fulfilling the obligations of the government Americans have an obligation to assist others due to the innate value of all people Lynn-Jones 98 [(Sean M. Lynn-Jones, Editor, International Security; Series Editor, Belfer Center Studies in International Security) "Why the United States Should Spread Democracy" Discussion Paper 98-07, Center for Science and International...
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... He wanted to give back Germany its past glory and respect in front of the world, and for that he wanted to create more living space for Germans and thus he conquered the surrounding German speaking areas and created hatred among the leaders of those countries. This is the only way to co-exist peacefully in today’s world. This is important because it is seen in the past that attempts to bring democracy and socialism in the Arab world have failed so badly that it has made the people of the Arab world to denounce these ideas altogether. This attack is important not only because of how widespread it was; but it is also important because of the way it changed the course of the West towards Islam. With that, the West needs to incentivize the Muslim world to adopt democracy and liberalism so that they see the benefits of these systems themselves. ISLAM AND THE WEST – AN INTRODUCTION Islam and the West are different entities in many ways, but because of the globalization in the world; we see that there is an increasing interaction between these two entities, which becomes a reason for conflict in many situations. Modernization, liberalism and globalization are appreciated. This does not mean acquiring Western culture, music, language; but it modernization requires learning modern ways of doing things, progressing in secular education, bringing new technology, supporting globalization, democracy and liberalism. Strategic Book Publishing, 2011.Since Israelis were living...
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...The Arab Spring: A Year Of Revolution [pic][pic][pic] [pic] Tunisians protest outside the gates to the French Embassy in Tunis. Arab Spring began in Tunisia when a fruit vendor set himself on fire in protest in front of a government building. Tunisians protest outside the gates to the French Embassy in Tunis. Arab Spring began in Tunisia when a fruit vendor set himself on fire in protest in front of a government building. 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi was getting ready to sell fruits and vegetables in the rural town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia.Bouazizi was the breadwinner for his widowed mother and six siblings, but he didn't have a permit to sell the goods. When the police asked Bouazizi to hand over his wooden cart, he refused and a policewoman allegedly slapped him.Angered after being publicly humiliated, Bouazizi marched in front of a government building and set himself on fire.His act of desperation resonated immediately with others in the town. Protests began that day in Sidi Bouzid, captured by cellphone cameras and shared on the Internet.Within days, protests started popping up across the country, calling upon President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his regime to step down. About a month later, he fled.The momentum in Tunisia set off uprisings across the Middle East that became known as the Arab Spring. Mixed Success In Egypt Along with Tunisia, Egypt has been viewed as a victory.Esraa Abdel Fattah, an Egyptian democracy activist known as "Facebook Girl" for her social...
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...The Spring of 2011 in the Arab world was markedly different from its predecssors. “The Arab Spring” as it was called began in Tunisia and spread across the region (Al Jazeera). The protestors in this revolt wanted a myriad of things. Some wanted democracy, respect for civil rights, and some want Islamization of government and a movement to theocracy. Syria, once a province of the Ottoman Empire, is a small middle-eastern nation between Lebanon and Turkey. In March 2011, pro-Democracy Arab Spring protestors who were marching to decry the arrest and torture of teen graffiti artists were fired upon by police. After the shootings, many more protestors joined the public displays of defiance (BBC ). After nationwide unrest and a refusal by President Assad to abdicate, the protestors began to arm themselves (Semple). The violence in the country escalated so quickly that by June of 2013, 90,000 people had been killed in the fighting and that number moved to 250,000 by August of 2015 (BBC ). Into the fray came the self-stylized Islamic State. This terrorist group which is opposed to Assad is fighting to create a Muslim caliphate throughout Iraq and Syria. In June of 2014, the group claimed that it’s caliphate had been established, which lead to US airstrikes to destroy the group, thus entering another belligerent into the fight (BBC). The Syrian Civil War was killed more than 250,000 people and approximately 11-12 million of the nation’s 22 million people are displaced. Approximately...
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...Rappuhn 1 Allie Rappuhn Jeanne Foust 12 Honors English December 12, 2014 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the mid-20th century. If these two groups compromise and become two states, peace will hopefully come to this part of the world eventually (“Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”). The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has its roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the birth of major nationalist movements among the Jews and among the Arabs. Both groups headed towards attaining sovereignty for their own people in the Middle East. The collision between those two forces in southern Levant and the emergence of Palestinian nationalism in the 1920s eventually escalated into the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 1947, and expanded into the wider Arab-Israeli conflict later on (“A Synopsis of the Israel/Palestine Conflict”). The on-going debate is if the state of Palestine should become one state, or two states. There are people on both sides, of course, but which is really the best solution? Many people believe that dividing the state is the only solution. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, in a June 14, 2009 transcript titled "Address by PM Netanyahu at Bar-Ilan University” takes the side of a two-state solution. He states, “In my vision of peace, in this small land of ours, two peoples live freely, side-by-side, in amity and mutual respect. Each...
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...Introduction “The efforts of global powers to establish a global system to create a balance of power in the world to suit their interest are the root cause of global peace, conflict & refugee crisis.” The above statement is our debate topic & we are supporting the statement. Before we present our arguments to support it, the following questions should be answered: • Who are global powers? • What is balance of power? • What is their (global power’s) interest? • What is global peace, conflict & refugee crisis? The answers to above terms will provide us clear view on the esteemed statement. The terms are discussed as follows: Global Power: There are 10 powerful countries, the 10 great powers that can rock the world. They have been ranked by their fire power & ability to shape both their regional environments and the international system as a whole; among all the world’s countries these are the ones with the most ability to affect global politics by their choices. The global power rankings are revised every year. Until 2016, the top 10 global powers are as follows: 1. United States of America 2. United Kingdom 3. Germany 4. China 5. Japan 6. Russia 7. India 8. Turkey 9. Iran 10. South Korea Balance of Power: In international relations, the posture and policy of a nation or group of nations protecting itself against another nation or group of nations by matching its power against the power of the other side. States can...
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...Which faction of Syria is right? The uprising of Arabic democracy through 2011 sparked a flame spreading across the Middle East. The fire is at Syria’s door and has burned through many lives already. In a bloodthirsty war between the FSA (Free Syrian Army) and Bashir Al-Assad's military, these factions fight for and against democracy and cross every barrier in morality, principle and culture to both achieve and defend their goals. Both are ferocious towards one another, so who should we as the civilized world be supporting in this bloodbath? The rebels, who want nothing more than to have the freedom and lives mimic that of the first world? Or the government who are trying to restore order into Syria for the benefit of the people and maintain their history? Through each variable, I find that we should be defending the government against the animals on the other side. This is influenced from the analysis of the conflict and its evolution. Or devolution? The rise of the modern Middle East first originated in February 2011 with rebels bringing Gaddafi’s tyranny to an end. This war settled in October 2011 after rebels swarmed into Tripoli where Gaddafi was finally killed and democracy was planned to come forth within eight months of their new liberation. Syria’s people sought the same but Al-Assad was not impressed with this copy of Libyan uproar and sought to broadcast a message that Syria simply wasn't ready for democracy. To ease tension, they release dozens of political prisoners...
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...Institution] [Date] The Truman Doctrine Introduction The fall of the Soviet empire has presented various political and economic opportunities and threats to the world, for these reasons it’s considered one of the major events taking place since the Second World War. The Soviet fall besides various internal factors has been facilitated by US and Western counter parts to attempt to contain further Communism. The Truman doctrine was a US strategy to halt expansion of Soviet Union in the course of the Cold War. In this doctrine the then US President Harry S. Truman vowed to contain the spread of communism in the world particularly in Europe. This doctrine encouraged the US to back every country with both economic and military assistance if the Soviet Union or communism threats its stability. The aim of this paper is to review The Truman Doctrine was one of the significant historical approaches deployed between 1945 and 2008 that has had both negative and positive outcomes for the world. Historical Background In order to analyze the Truman doctrine and its different elements, it is necessary to consider the complex historical context in which it originated, and one that explains how a president such as Harry Truman, laid the foundations seated on the principles of the emerging American political realism after the Second World War (Bostdorff, 2008). The creation of international organizations like the UN itself and its Security Council, had brought hope back to the role, they were going...
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...Introduction: In 2005, the movie Syriana was released in the United States. Directed by Stephen Gaghan and produced by George Clooney this thriller is about the bitter fight of the United States for the control of the remaining oil supplies on Earth. For this movie project, George Clooney entered into a partnership with billionaire Jeff Skoll. Founder of e-bay and Participant productions, Jeff Skoll advertises social change through movies and documentaries. One of the main goals of the movie Syriana is to popularize the oil conflict and the behavior of each of the many entities involved in this conflict. The major part of hydrocarbon remaining on Earth is situated in the Near East. Syriana highlighted the drying state of worldwide exploitable oil reserves and the intense economic fight for controlling them. A situation which raises doubts about the current mode of development of industrialized countries like the United States. Highly dependent of this resource, this dependence, one which will modify international relations. The movie emphasizes the will of the United States to control strategic hydrocarbon deposits. During the movie the viewer is interlocked into several stories, involving numerous character between Orient and Occident all linked by the same issue. The film provides different point of view of the conflict through characters representing the main actors of the conflict. The CIA with George Clooney, a private consulting firm in Geneva through Matt Damon, the US...
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...INTRODUCTION All through the ages human societies have been plagued with tyranny and the abuse of power. Perhaps since the dawn of civilization and government, because long before democracy existed there were only absolute monarchies. People worked together to form the soundest methods of government. Eventually it would lead us to democracy. This cooperation is in our nature and a key factor that separates us from animals that rely solely on primal instinct. It is also human nature to yearn for absolute power and control. Suffice to say we are all greedy, prideful and envious of those above us in the social hierarchy (i.e. kings, presidents, and bosses). But once a member of the populace is exposed to this power over his fellow man, his senses and values have the potential to mutate and become tyrannical. Both male and females of any ethnic or cultural backgrounds are vulnerable to this anomaly and once affected are capable of inciting atrocities. Muammar Ghadafi was born into squalor to illiterate parents in a country dominated by European powers. He died in his palace at the hands of his own people. He gained and lost power during revolutions. The following documents Muammar Ghadafi’s decent into control, madness and the metaphorical abyss. EARLY LIFE Muammar al-Qaddafi was born in 1942 in the town of Surt , in western Libya . Raised in a Bedouin tent in the Libyan desert, he came from a tribal family called the al-Qadhafah. Both parents were nomadic Bedouin, and being...
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...as an integral part of a comprehensive programme of Arab renaissance. The first of these axes presents the premises and principles guiding the knowledge society. The second deals with the conceptual structure of the discourses that have attempted to shed light on the changes in modern societies since the information revolution. Here we have constructed an operational definition of the knowledge society in the Arab world, based on the ideas put forward in the Report’s various chapters. The third axis constructs the systems of reference that have guided, and continue to guide, knowledge discourse in the contemporary world and allows us to become acquainted with the dimensions and options underlying earlier reports on the same topic. The fourth axis examines some of the problematic issues posed today by information and knowledge development in contemporary society, believing that reflection on these issues will influence efforts to close knowledge gaps in the Arab world and achieve comprehensive human development. While subsequent chapters of the Report examine the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the most significant foundations of knowledge, this chapter deals with the theoretical structure of Arab knowledge performance and constructs the intellectual frame of reference that underlies it. It seeks to provide insights that will help us acquire keys to the knowledge society, develop the field of knowledge in the Arab world, and support active intercommunication with the...
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...The Colonial Period: The Root Cause of the Politically Unstable State of the Sudan Introduction Between the 1870s and 1900, Africa faced a process of European aggression, invasion, and eventual conquest and colonization. The European imperialist push to take over Africa was driven by the industrial revolution and the hopes of becoming a world power. After two world wars, countries that had previously been colonized agitated for independence, and eventually colonial powers withdrew their administrators from Africa. For each African state, becoming independent meant something far more than simply gaining back territory. For some, it was the beginning of a stable government, a local economy and a cultural comeback. For others such as the Sudan, it was the start of tragic consequences driven by political conflicts and civil wars. Through the process of decolonization that began, African leaders worked to shape the character of their postcolonial state, usually either against the continued European cultural and political predominance, while others worked with European powers in order to maintain an economically and politically stable state. As the success of each nation and region of Africa widely varied after their independence, their progress also varied. Unfortunately, some are still struggling to overcome these crucial instabilities preventing them from being at peace within their own state, and internationally. By examining Sudan and the decades leading up to its...
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...Hadith Arqam ibn Shurahbeel reported: I traveled with Ibn Abbas from Medina to Syria and I asked him, “Did the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, leave any instructions?” He said, “The Messenger of Allah did not finish the prayer before becoming very ill and he went out while being supported by two men and dragging his feet on the ground. The Messenger of Allah died and he did not leave any instructions.” [Musnad Ahmad, Number 3345, Sahih] عَنِ الْأَرْقَمِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ قَالَ سَافَرْتُ مَعَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مِنْ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ أَوْصَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرَ مَعْنَاهُ وَقَالَ مَا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةَ حَتَّى ثَقُلَ جِدًّا فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَإِنَّ رِجْلَيْهِ لَتَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَمَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَمْ يُوصِ Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The one is who is consulted is in a position of trust.” [Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Book of Manners, Number 2822, Hasan] عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُسْتَشَارُ مُؤْتَمَنٌ Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to Abu Al-Haytham, “Do you have a servant?” He said no. The Prophet said, “If we are given prisoners of war, then come to us.” Later, the Prophet had with him two prisoners and Abu Al-Haytham came and he said, “Choose between...
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...I doubt the framers, however, could have imagined a world in which the President has almost unrivaled power in the realm of foreign policy. Ever since the United States became a world power following World War Two, the Executive Branch has increased in power and authority. Does the Executive Branch need more authority and flexibility when foreign policy is concerned though? When the United States is at war, we may need quick and decisive decisions that only the Executive Branch can give. When the military found Osama Bin Laden, President Obama did not wait to consult Congress. He and his advisors simply sent in the Seals and killed him. This is a good example of why so many believe the President needs more authority in times of war. Wars need a fast response when a situation arises and the country does not need Congress to endlessly debate about what to do; therefore, they have given the President more leeway in war powers over time. Congress did briefly give war powers back to themselves in the War Powers Act of 1973 during the crisis over the Vietnam War and Watergate. People such as former Senator John G. Tower, however, contest that “this act jeopardizes the President’s ability to respond quickly, forcefully, and if necessary in secret, to protect American interests abroad.”[1] I understand that secrecy may be needed in some circumstances, like in killing Bin Laden, but this country believes itself to be a Democracy. Secrecy and almost unlimited power in one branch of...
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