10 Things You Need to Know About the Middle East

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST

WHAT IS THE MIDDLE EAST?

1. STRETCHES FROM THE ARAB COUNTRIES OF NORTH AFRICA, INTO ASIA,AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH IRAN IN THE EAST

2. THE REGION IS MADE UP MOSTLY OF ARABS, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES PERSIANS (IRAN) AND TURKS IN (TURKEY)

3. MOST PEOPLE ARE MUSLIMS BUT THERE ARE LARGE POPULATIONS OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS

4. ARABIC IS THE DOMINANT LANGUAGE

IS IT ALL ABOUT OIL?

1. MORE THAN HALF THE WORLD’S PROVEN OIL RESERVES ARE IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2. U.S AND EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT IS EXTENSIVE IN THIS REGION 3. MANY TIMES AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS REGION

WHY CAN’T THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS MAKE PEACE?

1. BOTH JEWS AND ARABS HAVE HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL CLAIMS TO THE AREA 2. ISRAEL WAS FOUNDED IN 1948 IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HOLOCAUST

WHO ARE THE SUNNIS AND SHIITES?

1. ABOUT 85% OF ALL MUSLIMS ARE SUNNI 2. MOST OF IRAN IS SHIITE 3. HISTORICAL DISAGREEMENT OVER WHO SHOULD SUCCEED MUHAMMAD ARE WOMEN MORE OPPRESSED IN THE ARAB WORLD THAN ELSEWHERE?

1. WORST IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO WOMEN’S FREEDOM 2. ½ OF ARAB WOMEN ARE ILLITERATE 3. CAN’T DRIVE IN SAUDI ARABIA 4. DEPENDENT ON MALES TO OPEN UP BANK ACCOUNTS/PASSPORTS ETC (SOME COUNTRIES)

IS SAUDI ARABIA REALLY AN U.S ALLY?

1. STEADY PROVIDER OF OIL 2. ALSO SUSPICIOUS OF IRAN 3. BUSINESS PARTNERS IN SOME KEY COMPANIES

4. GOVT CENSORS MEDIA 5. LACK OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS 6. SPONSOR TERRORISM?

WHY DOES IRAN SEEM TO HATE US?

1. 1953: AMERICA’S CIA ENGINEERED A COUP 2. 1979: ISLAMIC REVOLUTION OVERTHREW THE SHAW AND HELD 66 AMERICANS HOSTAGE FOR 444 DAYS 3. HOWEVER, MANY YOUNGER IRANIANS HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING.

THE 3 MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS WERE FOUNDED IN THE MIDDLE EAST

1. CHRISTIANITY; 2.3 BILLION FOLLOWERS 2. ISLAM: 1.7 BILLION FOLLOWERS 3. JUDAISM: 18 MILLION FOLLOWERS