Author Bio: Thomas Nelson is the author of this excerpt and describes what he has seen during his experience as a surgeon on the Crescent, a British ship working to stop the slave trade of Brazil.
Data/Context: This document fits into our understanding of history and culture because its about the experience of a man working for Britain to stop the slave trade of Brazil. It describes the living conditions of the slaves in detail, which is important because slavery was such a huge, terrible part of world history.
Summary: Overall, the document describes Nelson's experience saving and treating slaves as they were being illegally shipped to Brazil. The document begins with Nelson describing what he saw as he first stepped on a ship. Slaves were in unspeakable condition, many with multiple infectious diseases and all with a lack of food and water. The boats were overcrowded and many people could not walk. The slaves had to suffer through a suffocating heat and many did not recover from their diseases or suffered from lasting effects. In short, Nelson's description of the conditions that the slaves lived through while being transported shows just how inhumane slavery was and how much it needed to be abolished.
Key Quotation: "Many I found afflicted with a confluent smallpox, still more with purulent ophthalmia, and the majority of what remained, with dysentery, ulcers, emaciation, and exhaustion."
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Friday, May 26, 2017
For Crown and Country: A Brief History and Analysis of the Muslim Conquests of Arabia and Northern Africa
The Prophet Muhammad's death in 632 AD marked the beginning of a period of rapid Islamic expansion and consolidation of territory now known as the Muslim Expansion. With unprecedented speed and efficiency, Muslims from Saudi Arabia conquered the Arabian Peninsula, large portions of South Asia, and all of Northern Africa in just under 70 years. What exactly happened? How was a mass conquest and conversion on such a scale brought about? Was it ethical? This post seeks to answer these questions to shed light onto the phenomenon that quite literally took the world by storm.
We begin with a short summary of the events that transpired during the Expansion. Not much is known about the early conquests of Arabia under Muhammad, except for the fact that he managed to take control of and unify much of the peninsula. After his death in 632, his role as caliph was passed down to his father in law Abu Bakr, who ruled for just two more years before he died. Abu Bakr and his future successor Umar ibn Al-Khattab sent troops into modern day Syria, Israel, and Palenstine in order to secure control over the northern Middle East and to weaken the Byzantine Empire who controlled these territories. A series of successful military campaigns saw this large swathe of land become part of the Muslim Empire. After Bakr's death in 634, Umar engaged in relentless warfare against both the Byzantine Empire's southern strongholds, and the Persian Sasanian Empire. The eventual subjugation of over three-fourths of the Byzantine Empire and the destruction and reconstruction of the entire Sasanian Empire ensured Umar had full authority over the Middle East. What happened in Africa is almost identical. With continued sieges and assaults on the remaining Byzantine strongholds in Arabia, Arab troops pressured the Empire into signing a treaty relieving control of Egypt to them as well as agreeing to taxes on non-Muslim citizens. With Egypt firmly under their grasp, the Arabs could go in and out of Africa as they pleased, conquering more and more territory for themselves.
In order to fully understand how such a massive conquest was possible, one must examine the state of the Middle East and Northern Africa prior to the Expansion. The Byzantines and Sasanians been in conflict for many years, leading to weakened homeland security, confusion in both governments, and a decrease in resources available to the government. The opportunistic Arabs used the war to their advantage and swiftly took control of both powers. This gave them more resources, soldiers, and a large amount of maneuverability around the peninsula. In addition, the destruction of the Byzantines in Arabia put pressure on their African counterparts and allowed the Muslims to force Egypt from their control. Gaining ownership of such a powerful African nation was a big step forward in their conquest. From there on out, there was no empire or territory that could oppose the might of the Muslim invaders.
As in many other conquests, the ethics of the Muslim Expansion are often questioned. Many a person has repeatedly heard the same story about the mass conversion of millions to Islam; that traders and missionaries spread their faith to people who heartily received it as liberation from the outdated, oppressive dogma of their old religions without question. While this may be true in certain areas, the
fact remains that large populations of people were converted under the threat of death or second-class citizenry marked by substandard education and high taxes. It is also true that even though some people sincerely wanted to convert, Arab governments often opted to withhold the teachings of Islam from them in order to generate more revenue for the state through taxes. But were they really in the wrong? Quran (8:39) states "And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion is all for Allah." With this excerpt as proof, one could argue that the conquerors were just following their beliefs in forcing people to convert to Islam. In the same way, it can also be pointed out that taxes are an essential aspect of statebuilding in any government's economy, and that the governmenr needed the money in order to give citizens the quality of life they wanted. As such, the actions of Muslim invaders cannot be presented as moral, but they can neither be brushed off as immoral.
Though it was simply one long cycle of war and conquest, the Muslim Expansion will be remembered as one of the greatest territorial expansions in world history; one that transformed a religion into an empire. The mass conquest and conversion of so much territory ushered the world into a new era known as the Islamic Golden Age.
Citations-
Gearon, Eamonn. "The Arab Invasions." 61. MAS Ultra - School Edition,
web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/
detail?vid=6&sid=8fd4640b-f924-4a3a-a89f-f0560d8a8ced%40sessionmgr101&hid=128&bda
ta=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=61866337&db=ulh. Accessed 25 May 2017.
Originally published in Hstory Today, June 2011, pp. 47-52. History Today
is a trusted and prestigious history-based magazine. The author, Earonn
Gearon, is a seasoned writer and historian with a focus on the Middle East
and its history. He has written three books about Middle Eastern history
and contemporary issues.
Created: 05/25/17 04:19PM
Ibrahim, Raymond. "The Historical Reality of the Muslim Conquests." Middle East
Forum, 1 Mar. 2012, www.meforum.org/3182/history-muslim-conquests.
Accessed 15 May 2017. The site's description of Raymond Ibrahim is as
follows: "Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David
Horowitz Freedom Center and Associate Fellow at the Middle East
Forum." Ibrahim is a widely published Egyptian-American author who gained fame for his writings on the Middle East and Islam. He has appeared on and been interviewed by Al Jazeera, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NPR, and Reuters. Ibrahim's article on this forum is extremely popular and
has been reposted numerous times online on other trustworthy websites such
as The United West. The site on which he posted this article, the David Horowitz Freedom Center, is a conservative foundation that seeks to empower people through freedom of the press. I believed it would be a good idea to compare and contrast a conversative source (The
David Horowitz Freedom Center) to a relativley liberal source (History
Today) to see the arguments of both sides and come to a conclusion after
taking both into consideraton. Created: 05/17/17 06:44PM | Updated: 05/17/17 06:46PM
Rezakhani, Khodadad. "Arab Conquests and Sasanian Iran." History Today, Apr.
2017, pp. 28-36. History Today is a highly reputable and prestigious
historically-based magazine. According to this magazine, the author is an
"Associate Research Scholar at the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani
Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies in Princeton University," making
him a credible source for the subject at hand. I believe the topic makes
bias in this article very hard to implement, so I do not expect there to be
any outstanding examples of it.
We begin with a short summary of the events that transpired during the Expansion. Not much is known about the early conquests of Arabia under Muhammad, except for the fact that he managed to take control of and unify much of the peninsula. After his death in 632, his role as caliph was passed down to his father in law Abu Bakr, who ruled for just two more years before he died. Abu Bakr and his future successor Umar ibn Al-Khattab sent troops into modern day Syria, Israel, and Palenstine in order to secure control over the northern Middle East and to weaken the Byzantine Empire who controlled these territories. A series of successful military campaigns saw this large swathe of land become part of the Muslim Empire. After Bakr's death in 634, Umar engaged in relentless warfare against both the Byzantine Empire's southern strongholds, and the Persian Sasanian Empire. The eventual subjugation of over three-fourths of the Byzantine Empire and the destruction and reconstruction of the entire Sasanian Empire ensured Umar had full authority over the Middle East. What happened in Africa is almost identical. With continued sieges and assaults on the remaining Byzantine strongholds in Arabia, Arab troops pressured the Empire into signing a treaty relieving control of Egypt to them as well as agreeing to taxes on non-Muslim citizens. With Egypt firmly under their grasp, the Arabs could go in and out of Africa as they pleased, conquering more and more territory for themselves.
In order to fully understand how such a massive conquest was possible, one must examine the state of the Middle East and Northern Africa prior to the Expansion. The Byzantines and Sasanians been in conflict for many years, leading to weakened homeland security, confusion in both governments, and a decrease in resources available to the government. The opportunistic Arabs used the war to their advantage and swiftly took control of both powers. This gave them more resources, soldiers, and a large amount of maneuverability around the peninsula. In addition, the destruction of the Byzantines in Arabia put pressure on their African counterparts and allowed the Muslims to force Egypt from their control. Gaining ownership of such a powerful African nation was a big step forward in their conquest. From there on out, there was no empire or territory that could oppose the might of the Muslim invaders.
As in many other conquests, the ethics of the Muslim Expansion are often questioned. Many a person has repeatedly heard the same story about the mass conversion of millions to Islam; that traders and missionaries spread their faith to people who heartily received it as liberation from the outdated, oppressive dogma of their old religions without question. While this may be true in certain areas, the
fact remains that large populations of people were converted under the threat of death or second-class citizenry marked by substandard education and high taxes. It is also true that even though some people sincerely wanted to convert, Arab governments often opted to withhold the teachings of Islam from them in order to generate more revenue for the state through taxes. But were they really in the wrong? Quran (8:39) states "And fight with them until there is no more fitna (disorder, unbelief) and religion is all for Allah." With this excerpt as proof, one could argue that the conquerors were just following their beliefs in forcing people to convert to Islam. In the same way, it can also be pointed out that taxes are an essential aspect of statebuilding in any government's economy, and that the governmenr needed the money in order to give citizens the quality of life they wanted. As such, the actions of Muslim invaders cannot be presented as moral, but they can neither be brushed off as immoral.
Though it was simply one long cycle of war and conquest, the Muslim Expansion will be remembered as one of the greatest territorial expansions in world history; one that transformed a religion into an empire. The mass conquest and conversion of so much territory ushered the world into a new era known as the Islamic Golden Age.
Citations-
Gearon, Eamonn. "The Arab Invasions." 61. MAS Ultra - School Edition,
web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/
detail?vid=6&sid=8fd4640b-f924-4a3a-a89f-f0560d8a8ced%40sessionmgr101&hid=128&bda
ta=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=61866337&db=ulh. Accessed 25 May 2017.
Originally published in Hstory Today, June 2011, pp. 47-52. History Today
is a trusted and prestigious history-based magazine. The author, Earonn
Gearon, is a seasoned writer and historian with a focus on the Middle East
and its history. He has written three books about Middle Eastern history
and contemporary issues.
Created: 05/25/17 04:19PM
Ibrahim, Raymond. "The Historical Reality of the Muslim Conquests." Middle East
Forum, 1 Mar. 2012, www.meforum.org/3182/history-muslim-conquests.
Accessed 15 May 2017. The site's description of Raymond Ibrahim is as
follows: "Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David
Horowitz Freedom Center and Associate Fellow at the Middle East
Forum." Ibrahim is a widely published Egyptian-American author who gained fame for his writings on the Middle East and Islam. He has appeared on and been interviewed by Al Jazeera, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NPR, and Reuters. Ibrahim's article on this forum is extremely popular and
has been reposted numerous times online on other trustworthy websites such
as The United West. The site on which he posted this article, the David Horowitz Freedom Center, is a conservative foundation that seeks to empower people through freedom of the press. I believed it would be a good idea to compare and contrast a conversative source (The
David Horowitz Freedom Center) to a relativley liberal source (History
Today) to see the arguments of both sides and come to a conclusion after
taking both into consideraton. Created: 05/17/17 06:44PM | Updated: 05/17/17 06:46PM
Rezakhani, Khodadad. "Arab Conquests and Sasanian Iran." History Today, Apr.
2017, pp. 28-36. History Today is a highly reputable and prestigious
historically-based magazine. According to this magazine, the author is an
"Associate Research Scholar at the Sharmin and Bijan Mossavar-Rahmani
Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies in Princeton University," making
him a credible source for the subject at hand. I believe the topic makes
bias in this article very hard to implement, so I do not expect there to be
any outstanding examples of it.
The "Human Race" to a Better Tomorrow: Evolutions of the World in the Mind and Body
The human existence continues to flourish day by day as a result of globalization and the differences among people. Globalization spreads culture which includes language. The spread of culture leads to the spread of ideas and evolution of minds and the way that people live their everyday lives. The first source, "Beyond Human" includes humans moving around the world and changing biologically. This is a change in the sense of people moving to different places from starting in Africa to other climates with people with different beliefs. This changes people over time biologically according to different climates but also changing people culturally with religion and languages from being isolated (Max). This is called geographic determinism which is the premise of "Guns, Germs, & Steel". The second source, "Human Evolution" is about the more scientific bias of evolution of the human based upon globalization. This source states that as populations of early humans began to increase, more human ancestors moved around into separate groups. The people being closer together while isolated from other peoples had their own form of communication, whether is was stratching on a rock or making the smallest but of noise. This was very important because it is what led to different languages and different people based on where and with whom they lived. The third source, "Language and Globalization" is evidently about globalization and how it affects languages around the world. As stated in our notes from "A Civilization Primer", Language is any kind of communication, non verbal, written, or verbal, and is the most important of the seven components of culture. This relates to every one of the texts because culture is what is created and learned as humans evolve in every way. Humans learn from other humans and culture is a vital aspect to learn. So, if language is the most important part of culture, and culture is one of the most important parts of human evolution of the mind and body, then each and every one of these sources connects to the importance of all human beings and the spread of ideas through globalization. This was introduced to our class through every unit that we have gone through so far which is why we circle back to Jared Diamond so often and his philosophies.
"Beyond Human" connects to "Human Evolution" because they both relate to a statement from the second source, "At some point in our development, humans began to rely more on learned behavior (which creates culture) than on genetically fixed or instinctive behavior," (Lerner). The third source "Language and Globalization" links to the other two sources because it states the description of evolution, not biologically, but linguistically, or culturally, "...continuity of the linguistic diversity created by humanity through its Diaspora all over the world, and the need for intercommunication between these groups of linguistically- diverse individuals in the new – ‘glocal’ – era of positive re-unification of the species," (Delhumeau). This connects and summarizes the aspect of globalization and its connections and significance to World Cultures and the arguments of globalization and evolutions of cultures and languages.
Delhumeau, Herve. “Language and Globalization.” Wordpress.com, 22 July 2011, hdelhumeau.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/language-and-globalization/. Accessed 22 May 2017.
Lerner, K. Lee, and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. “Human Evolution.” Gale Encyclopedia of Science, Marion Dresner, 2014, ic.galegroup.com. Accessed 15 May 2017.
Max, D.T. “Beyond Human.” National Geographic, vol. 231, no. 4, Apr. 2017, pp. 40-63.
"Beyond Human" connects to "Human Evolution" because they both relate to a statement from the second source, "At some point in our development, humans began to rely more on learned behavior (which creates culture) than on genetically fixed or instinctive behavior," (Lerner). The third source "Language and Globalization" links to the other two sources because it states the description of evolution, not biologically, but linguistically, or culturally, "...continuity of the linguistic diversity created by humanity through its Diaspora all over the world, and the need for intercommunication between these groups of linguistically- diverse individuals in the new – ‘glocal’ – era of positive re-unification of the species," (Delhumeau). This connects and summarizes the aspect of globalization and its connections and significance to World Cultures and the arguments of globalization and evolutions of cultures and languages.
Works Cited
Lerner, K. Lee, and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. “Human Evolution.” Gale Encyclopedia of Science, Marion Dresner, 2014, ic.galegroup.com. Accessed 15 May 2017.
Max, D.T. “Beyond Human.” National Geographic, vol. 231, no. 4, Apr. 2017, pp. 40-63.
The Scourge of Syria's Civil Strife: The Foundations and Implications of Syria's Civil War
For about seven years now the world has been honing in on the current events and news that are consistently updated concerning Syria's Civil War. A spark of the civil war ignited in December of 2010 when anti-government demonstrations were first appearing (Syrian Civil Unrest). Throughout the seven years the conditions in Syria have worsened tremendously. After conducting research on the details I have found specific areas of interest in the background that lead to Syria's conditions now, what is currently going on in Syria, and what we should do in the future. What needs to happen is that the United States along with other developed countries should open their arms to the refugees and work together to remove the current government, the terrorists, and the fearful factors that have affected thousands of lives.
First the background of the civil war needs to be understood. In December 2010 along with the spring of 2011 anti-government demonstrations were being seen all over the Middle East, this became known as the Arab Spring. Originally the civil war began as a protest movement that was going against their president Bashar al-Assad. This was the spark of the factional civil war. Bashar al-Assad is the son of the previous president, Hafez al-Assad. Hafez al-Assad regained economic stability for Syria however he had such a tight control over the people with his leadership that the pro-democracy activists started fighting again against the government hoping for change. The change never came. Bashar al-Assad carried on his father's tradition of suppressing the pro activists so they could not be successful. The "Day of Rage" occurred on March 15 2011this was the first time the activists held large scale demonstrations. Because of the demonstrations the police and military became involved and arrested thousands however the fight continued for multiple days and the government eventually resulted to violence (Syrian Civil Unrest).
The violence continued to increase and on April 25 2011 tanks moved into Daraa to "seize control and subdue protestors" after the protestors destroyed and took down a statue of Hafez al-Assad. On April 30 the government opened fire on a mosque where demonstrators were and they killed six people. By the end of May the estimated number of deaths by police or military was over one thousand civilians. The movement continued to gain supporters especially since the news was breaking out all over the world (Syrian Civil Unrest). This reminds me of the Tiananmen Square massacre where the tanks opened fire on all of the protesting civilians killing them in traumatic ways. The government is also using extremely harsh weapons against their people like chemical weapons such as rockets filled with sarin and chlorine being used "'systematically and repeatedly'" against their people (Syria: The Story of the Conflict). Today all Syrians are living in fear as described by one Aleppo resident who describes that when the bombing in Aleppo finally halt he runs out to find any food or medicine they can scavenge for. He goes on to say that "Every day when I leave my home to look for supplies, I tell myself that this will be the last time I see my family." He continues to describe the weapons the government used in Aleppo, "This is the worst bombing we've seen since the start of the war. The new weapons make the ground beneath our feet shake. It feels like the end of the world" (Agony of Aleppo 45). Clearly the government is doing everything in their power to fight the country's population through weapons and fear just like what happened in Tiananmen Square except to another level. The people are dying every day and the government makes no effort to stop the predicament in a peaceful way.
The question I keep asking myself is "what should we do?" There is not a straight forward answer but there are ideas. One main idea that incorporates itself into the Syrian Civil War is ISIS. ISIS is a terroristic group that has caused major tragedies to occur in multiple areas affecting multiple people. Because of ISIS the world has opened its eyes more to what is going on in the Middle East because they are considered a threat in every country. Recently President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airfield which destroyed around 20 planes. Russia criticizes this decision because they believe that the action can have string consequences that follow. All countries are in edge because of the ISIS attacks that have impacted everyone in the world that we have to truly think about what we are doing and make sure it is the right decision. Another issue is that the Russians are supporting Assad in this war and are once again going against the United States (Syrian Civil Unrest) just as we were at opposite ends in the Cold War and competed with each other during the Space Race. The politics of this issue are very complex because there are certain countries siding with Assad but a huge problem is ISIS. The UN is working to try and make Syria better however Assad is being resilient in allowing others to come and assist his people (Syrian Civil Unrest). I believe that what we have to do in order to get this issue resolved is work together as a world and prepare ourselves for a fight against ISIS if they continue to bring the terror they are bringing. For Syria's Civil War I believe that we have to again come together and send as many people as we can over to help others and bring them back to a place where they can recover while there are discussions with Assad about changes he could bring. In closing, we have to make a peaceful arrangement where Syrians will benefit and their lives can begin to return to normal ways of life. The processes will take decades but if the world comes together to help each other out it may be possible.
In the end, the big idea is that Syria is going through a depressing and horrifying war that does not look as if it will get better unless help is given from countries around the world. The history of the war started from protests for democracy and turned into a worldwide concern where terrorist groups like ISIS incorporated themselves into the terroristic acts that the world is seeing. This issue is current and we have to figure out a way to assist the people of Syria and begin to get peace in Syria and the Middle East. The Middle East was a whole unit we discovered and learned about this year in class. All of the factors that we learned about like the Silk Road, the Shia and Sunni people, and the history of the Middle East like the Ottoman Empire have all affected this region and gives background to the reader. The background information helps the reader to make connections about the rivalries between two groups like the Shia and Sunni people who were enemies just like the pro-democracy advocates and the government. The Silk Road established the Middle East and how it has a strong impact on the lifestyles in the Middle East. All of these factors assist the reader in making connections between the old ways the Middle East worked and how it is today. All in all, looking at the origins of this war and where we are now is very upsetting. The world needs to come together to assist getting peace between the people and the government as well as fighting off the terroristic groups like ISIS in order for our world to be safe and civil once again.
"Syrian Civil Unrest." Global Issues in Context Online Collection, Gale, 2016. ic.galegroup.com/ic/gic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&search_within_results=&p=GIC%3AOVIC&mode=view&catId=GALE%7CZKNXYC769819838&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CCP3208520407&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=hell32414&jsid=dc82ee1392e3441707540f539e68d156. Accessed 26 May 2017.
“Syria: The Story of the Conflict.” BBC News, BBC, 11 Mar. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868. Accessed 22 May 2017.
First the background of the civil war needs to be understood. In December 2010 along with the spring of 2011 anti-government demonstrations were being seen all over the Middle East, this became known as the Arab Spring. Originally the civil war began as a protest movement that was going against their president Bashar al-Assad. This was the spark of the factional civil war. Bashar al-Assad is the son of the previous president, Hafez al-Assad. Hafez al-Assad regained economic stability for Syria however he had such a tight control over the people with his leadership that the pro-democracy activists started fighting again against the government hoping for change. The change never came. Bashar al-Assad carried on his father's tradition of suppressing the pro activists so they could not be successful. The "Day of Rage" occurred on March 15 2011this was the first time the activists held large scale demonstrations. Because of the demonstrations the police and military became involved and arrested thousands however the fight continued for multiple days and the government eventually resulted to violence (Syrian Civil Unrest).
The violence continued to increase and on April 25 2011 tanks moved into Daraa to "seize control and subdue protestors" after the protestors destroyed and took down a statue of Hafez al-Assad. On April 30 the government opened fire on a mosque where demonstrators were and they killed six people. By the end of May the estimated number of deaths by police or military was over one thousand civilians. The movement continued to gain supporters especially since the news was breaking out all over the world (Syrian Civil Unrest). This reminds me of the Tiananmen Square massacre where the tanks opened fire on all of the protesting civilians killing them in traumatic ways. The government is also using extremely harsh weapons against their people like chemical weapons such as rockets filled with sarin and chlorine being used "'systematically and repeatedly'" against their people (Syria: The Story of the Conflict). Today all Syrians are living in fear as described by one Aleppo resident who describes that when the bombing in Aleppo finally halt he runs out to find any food or medicine they can scavenge for. He goes on to say that "Every day when I leave my home to look for supplies, I tell myself that this will be the last time I see my family." He continues to describe the weapons the government used in Aleppo, "This is the worst bombing we've seen since the start of the war. The new weapons make the ground beneath our feet shake. It feels like the end of the world" (Agony of Aleppo 45). Clearly the government is doing everything in their power to fight the country's population through weapons and fear just like what happened in Tiananmen Square except to another level. The people are dying every day and the government makes no effort to stop the predicament in a peaceful way.
The question I keep asking myself is "what should we do?" There is not a straight forward answer but there are ideas. One main idea that incorporates itself into the Syrian Civil War is ISIS. ISIS is a terroristic group that has caused major tragedies to occur in multiple areas affecting multiple people. Because of ISIS the world has opened its eyes more to what is going on in the Middle East because they are considered a threat in every country. Recently President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airfield which destroyed around 20 planes. Russia criticizes this decision because they believe that the action can have string consequences that follow. All countries are in edge because of the ISIS attacks that have impacted everyone in the world that we have to truly think about what we are doing and make sure it is the right decision. Another issue is that the Russians are supporting Assad in this war and are once again going against the United States (Syrian Civil Unrest) just as we were at opposite ends in the Cold War and competed with each other during the Space Race. The politics of this issue are very complex because there are certain countries siding with Assad but a huge problem is ISIS. The UN is working to try and make Syria better however Assad is being resilient in allowing others to come and assist his people (Syrian Civil Unrest). I believe that what we have to do in order to get this issue resolved is work together as a world and prepare ourselves for a fight against ISIS if they continue to bring the terror they are bringing. For Syria's Civil War I believe that we have to again come together and send as many people as we can over to help others and bring them back to a place where they can recover while there are discussions with Assad about changes he could bring. In closing, we have to make a peaceful arrangement where Syrians will benefit and their lives can begin to return to normal ways of life. The processes will take decades but if the world comes together to help each other out it may be possible.
In the end, the big idea is that Syria is going through a depressing and horrifying war that does not look as if it will get better unless help is given from countries around the world. The history of the war started from protests for democracy and turned into a worldwide concern where terrorist groups like ISIS incorporated themselves into the terroristic acts that the world is seeing. This issue is current and we have to figure out a way to assist the people of Syria and begin to get peace in Syria and the Middle East. The Middle East was a whole unit we discovered and learned about this year in class. All of the factors that we learned about like the Silk Road, the Shia and Sunni people, and the history of the Middle East like the Ottoman Empire have all affected this region and gives background to the reader. The background information helps the reader to make connections about the rivalries between two groups like the Shia and Sunni people who were enemies just like the pro-democracy advocates and the government. The Silk Road established the Middle East and how it has a strong impact on the lifestyles in the Middle East. All of these factors assist the reader in making connections between the old ways the Middle East worked and how it is today. All in all, looking at the origins of this war and where we are now is very upsetting. The world needs to come together to assist getting peace between the people and the government as well as fighting off the terroristic groups like ISIS in order for our world to be safe and civil once again.
Works Cited
“The Agony of Aleppo.” The Economist, vol. 421, no. 9009, 1 Oct. 2016, pp. 45-46."Syrian Civil Unrest." Global Issues in Context Online Collection, Gale, 2016. ic.galegroup.com/ic/gic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=true&displayGroupName=Reference&currPage=&scanId=&query=&search_within_results=&p=GIC%3AOVIC&mode=view&catId=GALE%7CZKNXYC769819838&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CCP3208520407&windowstate=normal&activityType=&failOverType=&commentary=&source=Bookmark&u=hell32414&jsid=dc82ee1392e3441707540f539e68d156. Accessed 26 May 2017.
“Syria: The Story of the Conflict.” BBC News, BBC, 11 Mar. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26116868. Accessed 22 May 2017.
Tipping over the Edge: The Deteriorating State of Israeli Democracy
Israeli democracy is increasingly fragile due to their recent corruptive tendencies in regards to politics, society, and international standings, and a change must be made in all these aspects if any hope of a true democracy remains. These tendencies and changes are depicted by many aspects and details of Israel's situation. A few of the contributing factors are the problems arising in the government and society with Jews as an outstanding majority, the failing attempts to stop the corruption and discrimination by Arabs, and the creation of new legislation that furthers the government corruption and negative global view by Jewish authority.
The increasingly harsh government tactics in Israel exemplifies the negative political change occurring. This is shown through laws implemented by the right-wing side of the government. For example, the government has gotten away with passing nongovernmental organization (NGO) and expulsion laws by making their own justifications that they are aimed at increasing transparency and symbolic intimidation, when in reality they single out minorities and spur more public dissent (Waxman 360-361). There is also an increasing amount of loyalty to the state required, regardless of the means of enforcing it, to ensure the government's power. However, this has only increased tensions between different groups and demonstrates how even though Israel still calls itself a democracy, their changing policies make this uncertain (Waxman 361). Furthermore, the Jewish majority government, under Prime Minister Netanyahu, is becoming even less merciful as it continues to destroy Arab homes and towns and refuse to recognize them with orders from the state (Odeh). Legislation has been implemented to specifically allow Jews to legally settle on more Palestinian territory and force them out. This moves the government and the people farther away from the possibility of a peaceful two state solution. Many people believe that these laws undermine their country as one of law and order and decreases their future ability to defend their country (Fisher). These changes are extremely significant for the future of Israel because a loss of the government's praised democracy amidst other conflicted countries in the Middle East would be disastrous for not only their own country, but nearby countries and allies as well.
The need for improvement of Israeli democracy can also be seen through the state's degrading society. The outstanding social problem is the mistreatment of the minority Arab Palestinians by the Jewish majority government. The problem is only getting worse now that Palestinian discrimination has become essential to Prime Minister Netanyahu's agenda. Keeping Palestinian areas unrecognized and under a constant threat from the government of being demolished is his method of staying in power. The Arab resident of these towns have come up with compromise solutions but the government has only shot them down. They continue to destroy illegally built buildings outside of Arab territory, knowing that many Arabs have no other option but to build them since they are being forced out of their legal homes (Odeh). These social aspects are very significant because it draws into question the legitimacy of the Israel democracy due to the cruelty expressed towards certain groups. True democracies fairly incorporate all citizens into the government, and the severe treatment towards the Arabs does not hold up this aspect of democracy.
All of the internal forces pushing Israel away from democracy also contribute to the shifting international policies. To start, one of Israel's biggest allies, the United States has always supported Israel in the Middle East, primarily due to their democracy. With the deteriorating conditions of the democracy, this may not be so assured in their future. However, this is not concrete because things are shifting in other countries as well. With the recent change in the president of the United States from Barrack Obama to Donald Trump, their relations may possibly change in regards to Israel. The Jewish majority government originally expected to have more leeway under President Trump than they did under Obama, who was extremely against Jewish settlements (Fisher). This is partially because it has been observed that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are using a similar tactic of power through hate and fear (Odeh). However this new hope for support is uncertain since Trump has expressed that thinks settlements are detrimental to his interest in establishing a deal with the Palestinians in the future. Furthermore, the support that Britain originally gave to the Jews and settlements after the Balfour Declaration is now questionable. When Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Prime Minister Theresa May of Great Britain, she said that the declaration was over a century ago and they now want to stay committed to a two-state solution because they believe it will ensure stability, peace, and prosperity for the future (Fisher). All of these international considerations are extremely significant for Israel's future of foreign policy. Based on the uncertainty of support from many countries, they may not have the means to defend themselves in the future or acquire the help to do so.
In essence, the changes in the government, society, and global policies heed an uncertain future for Israel. The presence of more legislative corruption, increasing Arab discrimination, and shifting international policies all show that Israeli democracy is declining, and with each step, it becomes farther away from the possibility of a commendable peaceful solution.
Fisher, Ian. “Israel Passes Provocative Law to Retroactively Legalize Settlements.” The
New York Times, New York Times Company, 6 Feb. 2017,
www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/world/middleeast/israel-settlement-law-
palestinians-west-bank.html_r=1. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Odeh, Ayman. “Israel Bulldozes Democracy.” International New York Times, 11 Feb.
2017. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 14 May 2017.
Waxman, Dov. “Is Israeli Democracy in Danger?” Current History, vol. 115, no. 785,
Dec. 2016, pp.360-62.
The increasingly harsh government tactics in Israel exemplifies the negative political change occurring. This is shown through laws implemented by the right-wing side of the government. For example, the government has gotten away with passing nongovernmental organization (NGO) and expulsion laws by making their own justifications that they are aimed at increasing transparency and symbolic intimidation, when in reality they single out minorities and spur more public dissent (Waxman 360-361). There is also an increasing amount of loyalty to the state required, regardless of the means of enforcing it, to ensure the government's power. However, this has only increased tensions between different groups and demonstrates how even though Israel still calls itself a democracy, their changing policies make this uncertain (Waxman 361). Furthermore, the Jewish majority government, under Prime Minister Netanyahu, is becoming even less merciful as it continues to destroy Arab homes and towns and refuse to recognize them with orders from the state (Odeh). Legislation has been implemented to specifically allow Jews to legally settle on more Palestinian territory and force them out. This moves the government and the people farther away from the possibility of a peaceful two state solution. Many people believe that these laws undermine their country as one of law and order and decreases their future ability to defend their country (Fisher). These changes are extremely significant for the future of Israel because a loss of the government's praised democracy amidst other conflicted countries in the Middle East would be disastrous for not only their own country, but nearby countries and allies as well.
The need for improvement of Israeli democracy can also be seen through the state's degrading society. The outstanding social problem is the mistreatment of the minority Arab Palestinians by the Jewish majority government. The problem is only getting worse now that Palestinian discrimination has become essential to Prime Minister Netanyahu's agenda. Keeping Palestinian areas unrecognized and under a constant threat from the government of being demolished is his method of staying in power. The Arab resident of these towns have come up with compromise solutions but the government has only shot them down. They continue to destroy illegally built buildings outside of Arab territory, knowing that many Arabs have no other option but to build them since they are being forced out of their legal homes (Odeh). These social aspects are very significant because it draws into question the legitimacy of the Israel democracy due to the cruelty expressed towards certain groups. True democracies fairly incorporate all citizens into the government, and the severe treatment towards the Arabs does not hold up this aspect of democracy.
All of the internal forces pushing Israel away from democracy also contribute to the shifting international policies. To start, one of Israel's biggest allies, the United States has always supported Israel in the Middle East, primarily due to their democracy. With the deteriorating conditions of the democracy, this may not be so assured in their future. However, this is not concrete because things are shifting in other countries as well. With the recent change in the president of the United States from Barrack Obama to Donald Trump, their relations may possibly change in regards to Israel. The Jewish majority government originally expected to have more leeway under President Trump than they did under Obama, who was extremely against Jewish settlements (Fisher). This is partially because it has been observed that President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are using a similar tactic of power through hate and fear (Odeh). However this new hope for support is uncertain since Trump has expressed that thinks settlements are detrimental to his interest in establishing a deal with the Palestinians in the future. Furthermore, the support that Britain originally gave to the Jews and settlements after the Balfour Declaration is now questionable. When Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Prime Minister Theresa May of Great Britain, she said that the declaration was over a century ago and they now want to stay committed to a two-state solution because they believe it will ensure stability, peace, and prosperity for the future (Fisher). All of these international considerations are extremely significant for Israel's future of foreign policy. Based on the uncertainty of support from many countries, they may not have the means to defend themselves in the future or acquire the help to do so.
In essence, the changes in the government, society, and global policies heed an uncertain future for Israel. The presence of more legislative corruption, increasing Arab discrimination, and shifting international policies all show that Israeli democracy is declining, and with each step, it becomes farther away from the possibility of a commendable peaceful solution.
Works Cited
New York Times, New York Times Company, 6 Feb. 2017,
www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/world/middleeast/israel-settlement-law-
palestinians-west-bank.html_r=1. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Odeh, Ayman. “Israel Bulldozes Democracy.” International New York Times, 11 Feb.
2017. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 14 May 2017.
Waxman, Dov. “Is Israeli Democracy in Danger?” Current History, vol. 115, no. 785,
Dec. 2016, pp.360-62.
Six Days, Three Countries, and One Special Relationship: The Six Day War and the Effects it had on the United States and Israel
The Six Day War did not only affect Israel and Palestine, it also affected the United States and its effects can still be felt today. To begin, the Six Day War created a division between Israel and Palestine that the United States is still working to help resolve. To continue, the war was not all negative since Israel and the United States formed a special relationship. Finally, the war helped Israel to gain some respect and power.
The Six Day War divided Palestine and Israel and has also included the United States in the predicament. The United States has gotten involved by trying to make the two countries reach an agreement for a long time, “Several U.S. presidents have tried and failed to get Israel agree on permanent peace” (Berger 20). Also, the United States have fell victim to terrorist attacks since getting involved. Due to these issues in Palestine and Israel, terrorism has grown and one of the major targets is the United States, many terrorists want to destroy the U.S. (Berger 21). The United States is affected by the Six Day War in a variety of ways.
Due to the events leading up to the war Israel and the United States formed a special relationship. A special relationship is what two countries have a very close and trustworthy relationship. The United States and Israel were able to trust each other which seemed to be what Israel was looking for before entering the war (Stephens 18). The two countries relied on each other and Israel depended on the United States to help them in the war, but the United States was unsure of whether or not they wanted to help (Stephens 18). The Six Day War helped the United States to form a new relationship although the U.S. was not the most reliable country when concerning warfare.
Finally, Israel and the Jewish were considered to be weaker and a minority country. Israel was considered a minority country and believed people would always protect them, Israel would always be protected, it assumed; the world would protect it” (The Six Day War 1). Israel won a few major battles, advanced forward and made rulers of other countries fear them, “Nasser did not want to face Israel alone. He was afraid deep in his heart that Israel would be able to mobilize an army sufficient enough to defend itself against his forces” (The Six Day War 2). This shows the fear that Israel and its army instilled in leaders of different countries who were believed to be more powerful. Israel relied on other countries before the war but by the time it was over they had become one of the more powerful countries.
All in all, Israel and the United States were affected majorly by the Six Day War, as well as Palestine. Israel developed into a more important, prominent country, the United States tried to help solve a conflict and became a target of terrorist attacks. Also Israel and the United States formed a special relationship that will lead them to feel safer and have eachothers backs during combat.
Works Cited
Berger, Joseph. “The Six-Day War, Then and Now.” The New York Times Upfront, 24 Apr. 2017, pp. 18-21.
Stephens, Elizabeth. "America, Israel & the Six Day War." History Today, vol. 57, no. 6, June 2007, p. 12. EBSCOhost.
“The Six Day War.” Jewishhistory.org, www.jewishhistory.org/the-six-day-war/. Accessed 22 May 2017.
The Six Day War divided Palestine and Israel and has also included the United States in the predicament. The United States has gotten involved by trying to make the two countries reach an agreement for a long time, “Several U.S. presidents have tried and failed to get Israel agree on permanent peace” (Berger 20). Also, the United States have fell victim to terrorist attacks since getting involved. Due to these issues in Palestine and Israel, terrorism has grown and one of the major targets is the United States, many terrorists want to destroy the U.S. (Berger 21). The United States is affected by the Six Day War in a variety of ways.
Due to the events leading up to the war Israel and the United States formed a special relationship. A special relationship is what two countries have a very close and trustworthy relationship. The United States and Israel were able to trust each other which seemed to be what Israel was looking for before entering the war (Stephens 18). The two countries relied on each other and Israel depended on the United States to help them in the war, but the United States was unsure of whether or not they wanted to help (Stephens 18). The Six Day War helped the United States to form a new relationship although the U.S. was not the most reliable country when concerning warfare.
Finally, Israel and the Jewish were considered to be weaker and a minority country. Israel was considered a minority country and believed people would always protect them, Israel would always be protected, it assumed; the world would protect it” (The Six Day War 1). Israel won a few major battles, advanced forward and made rulers of other countries fear them, “Nasser did not want to face Israel alone. He was afraid deep in his heart that Israel would be able to mobilize an army sufficient enough to defend itself against his forces” (The Six Day War 2). This shows the fear that Israel and its army instilled in leaders of different countries who were believed to be more powerful. Israel relied on other countries before the war but by the time it was over they had become one of the more powerful countries.
All in all, Israel and the United States were affected majorly by the Six Day War, as well as Palestine. Israel developed into a more important, prominent country, the United States tried to help solve a conflict and became a target of terrorist attacks. Also Israel and the United States formed a special relationship that will lead them to feel safer and have eachothers backs during combat.
Works Cited
Berger, Joseph. “The Six-Day War, Then and Now.” The New York Times Upfront, 24 Apr. 2017, pp. 18-21.
Stephens, Elizabeth. "America, Israel & the Six Day War." History Today, vol. 57, no. 6, June 2007, p. 12. EBSCOhost.
“The Six Day War.” Jewishhistory.org, www.jewishhistory.org/the-six-day-war/. Accessed 22 May 2017.
Children Never Get to See Their Parents, and They Are Not Playing Hide-and-Seek: China’s Economy Causing Parents to Leave Their Kids and Head for the City
Making a sufficient amount of money is a concern for anyone today, but it does not outweigh leaving your kids alone and expecting them to survive on their own. Many children in China are being left in the rural areas while one or both of their parents go to China to find better jobs. While the parents may be making more money, their kids are developing physiological and behavior problems and are coping with many other hardships. In fact, about two million of these left behind children are living alone and are responsible for taking care of themselves (Sudworth). While the left behind children may seem like a controversial issue, in my opinion, no child should be growing up without their parents.
Many left behind children suffer from behavioral and mental issues once their parents leave them. For example, in one occasion, a grandmother was yelling at her sixteen year old granddaughter telling her that she was useless and stupid (A Generation Left Behind). The granddaughter must not feel very confident in herself to begin with, but especially not when her grandmother is telling her that she has no hope. In addition seventy percent of left behind children have some sort of “emotional trauma”, a third of the children will commit a crime, while another third will have to go into mental health institutions (A Generation Left Behind). In addition, the left behind kids must not feel very good about themselves when they see other kids living happily with their parents and they are struggling to provide for themselves. Lastly, another twenty-five percent of left behind children think that they have no hope for their future (Ross 16). While parents are trying to make more money for their family, they are really sending their kids down the wrong path.
On another note, most parents think that they are doing what is best for their children by going to the city to try and create a better future. While parents might think that this is true, they are not really creating a better future for their kids. The kids do not have as good of an education without their parents. For instance this one grandparent who is taking care of her grandkids basically says that she can not really help them because she has no education. The grandmother cannot help her grandkids with homework or school and only feels that she can encourage them to behave and pay attention. In addition, the kids would feel guilty if their parents stayed back just to take care of them (A Generation Left Behind). Lastly, while their parents think that they are helping, in reality some of the left behind children are already planning to set out for the city when they can in hopes to find a job and they will leave their children behind as well. This will put China in a bad state because the amount of homeless people will increase and more and more places around the country will turn into slums.
China’s economy causing the generation of left behind children relates to class in many ways. For example, we have discussed urbanization in many units, most recently in our Southeast Asia Unit. In China and parts of Southeast Asia, commercial farming is causing a lot of the independent farmers to lose their jobs because they can no longer afford to farm. The unemployed farmers then migrate to the city in hopes of finding a job. This has affected China because it is causing the urban population to increase substantially. In addition China’s urbanization and industrial revolution are at an extreme level: “Britain had a population of around 10 million when its industrial revolution began - China’s today, is more than a hundred times that size” (Sudworth). We have also discussed the industrial revolution in class. We learned that the industrial revolution is causing many of the independent farmers to lose their jobs. The industrial revolution is bringing higher tech farming equipment to the farming industry, but the smaller, more independent farmers cannot afford to buy this equipment. This results in the commercial farm groups producing better crops and taking over the farming industry. Lastly, although none of the articles reference communism directly, communism is still playing a role in the left behind children. Communism has played a role in the urbanization of China because the government monopolizes the economy. Because of this, more and more people are seeking jobs which can only be found in the urban areas. One can see, the left behind children relate to class in many ways.
All in all, I believe that while parents need to find a sustainable job, they should not leave their children in order to do so. Not only will this affect the original generation of left behind children, but it will affect China in the long run. The country will not be as well run in the future because of the emotional and behavioral problems of the left behind children, but many of the children are also not getting a good education. This issue needs to become more wider known throughout China and the rest of the world so that hopefully, important figureheads can step up and start to put an end to this problem.
Works Cited
“A Generation Left Behind: Millions of Chinese Children Abandoned as Parents Seek Work.” ABC Premium News, 6 Sept. 2016. Newspaper Source Plus. Accessed 26 May 2017.
Ross, Brooke. “China’s Left-Behind Children.” New York Times Upfront, 19 Sept. 2016, pp. 14-17.
Sudworth, John. “Counting the Cost of China’s Left-Behind Children.” BBC News, BBC, 12 Apr. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35994481. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Started From the Bottom Now We're Here: Cuba's Way to Reform After Castro
Started From the Bottom Now We're Here: Cuba's Way to Reform
By Kimmy Polefka
Cuba is on its way to reform after many years under harsh Communist rule. Under the rule of Raul Castro when he took over he is pushing the people, government, and economy through strong reform. This is allowing Cuban life to grow and expand from what the people have ever known under Fidel Castro. Raul Castro is significantly making positive changes on the Cuban economy, and way of life for Cubans.
Fidel Castro was a leader in Cuba who began the Communist rule. As a Communist involves "equality" for all he put harsh restrictions on Cuban life. They could not go out of the country without a card, people could not expand their businesses, and were in poverty because of barely any foreign connections. Cuba was in dire need of reform and breaking out of its Communist ways. When Fidel Castro turned over his power to his younger brother Raul, Cuba started to change for the better ("Briefing Fidel Castro").
The Cuban economy is starting to slowly getting better little by little. Since Cuba is starting to reconnect with other countries such as the United States their economy has started to produce more money (Sweig). This allows Cubans to also buy foreign imports. Raul has also allowed for the vast lands of Cuba to be sold for farmers farm on now (Burbach). Now more Cubans are becoming more self-employed. This allows for the economy to expand and new businesses to grow.
The way of life for Cubans has significantly improved. Now Cubans are allowed to leave the country more easily. They can visit outside family, and send money to them. Since big businesses have been receiving most of the money, now smaller businesses can expand to all around Cuba. Also they can sell their produces out of the country now, which allows them to have better connections with the outside world. This allows Cubans to feel a better sense of freedom which many have probably not felt in awhile.
All in all Raul Castro making these positive changes on Cuba will greatly help the country in the long run. Cubans will be more happier living there, and other foreign countries will be happier to be associated with the country. As many countries do not want to be associated with a Communist country. Cuba is slowly rebuilding but over the next few years will take leaps and strides from where it was.
Works Cited
“Briefing Fidel Castro.” The Economist, vol. 421, no. 9081, 3 Dec. 2016, pp. 18-20.
Burbach, Roger. “A Cuban Spring?” NACLA Report on the Americas, vol. 46, no. 1, Spring 2013, pp. 10-12. MasterFILE Premier. Accessed 15 May 2017.
Sweig, Julia E., and Michael J. Bustamante. “Cuba After Communism.” Forgein Affairs, July 2013, www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/cuba/2013-06-11/cuba-after-communism. Accessed 19 May 2017.
One State, Two State, Three State, Four: How in the world will do we solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem?
The Arab-Israeli conflict, perpetuating for decades, has everyone begging for peace. However, the means of peace are still a question considering the stubbornness of both the Israelis and Palestinians in their claim to land east of the Mediterranean Sea. Although many solutions are suggested, neither nation can agree due to the desires of each and their vision of how the area is laid out. Notwithstanding, the viability of a two-state solution is declining as continued bad behavior and unreasonable demands by the Palestinians has swayed Israel public opinion against a solution. Instead, more creative one state solutions are being considered. While these solutions will surely be unacceptable to Palestinians, they may represent the only opportunity to alter the ugly realities of this situation which have persisted for half a century.
First, the terrorism committed by Palestinians has eroded the Israeli population's trust in the ability of Palestine to function as a reasonable, secure and rational state. Palestinians frequently celebrate their people who kill Israelis through dedicating public structures to them and paying terrorists for committing crimes against Israelis (Abrams 20). Also, the existence of Hamas, who is openly hostile to Israel and even denies its right to exist, has caused angst and concern amongst the Israeli population (Kershner). This has manifested itself through increased security measures, more scrutiny of Arabs or Palestinians who are Israeli citizens, and the expansion of settlements into territories that the Palestinians consider their rightful land (Bryant 28).
In addition, Palestine continues to have unreasonable expectations about what concessions Israel will make to achieve a two-state solution. For example, they still expect to gain control of Jerusalem (Kershner) and have additional aspirations for territorial expansion that Israel will not concede without military defeat. These outlandish requests diminish Israel's confidence that Palestine is a rational actor.
Finally, the election of a more pro-Israel United States President further strengthens the position of Israeli conservatives who are ardently opposed to a two-state solution. With the Israeli populous growing more conservative and without international pressure that was more prevalent during the Obama administration the likelihood of achieving a two-state solution is extraordinarily low (Bryant 28). Also, the increasing amount of settlers moving into Palestinian territories makes the task of drawing borders in a two-state solution even harder. If carried through, 30,000 families will be displaced and have to be compensated along with switching borders around to best divide Israelis and Palestinians into their territory (Kershner). Thus, Israel is exploring creative one-state solutions which will provide more autonomy of Palestinian citizens while maintaining a security apparatus that ensures Israeli citizens will not be harmed.
With no one solution perfect, it is crucial to evaluate all possible realities for Israel and Palestine. Aside from annexing Palestine or creating two states, another option would be to join the two nations under one rule. However, this idea is quickly shot down because Arabs would outnumber Israelis, then making the state an Arab majority and defeating the purpose of the creation of Israel (Bryant 32). The final most discussed answer is to leave the two nations as they are, but this makes the fighting persist with no hope of a peaceful future as the uncertainty of what will happen to Palestine is hanging over everyone's head (Kershner).
In conclusion, any one motion of either creating or joining territories will result in more conflict and fighting as a perfect solution to satisfy both sides is obviously not feasible. However, the smartest long term decision to keep parties somewhat a bay would not be a two-state solution. The unreliability of the Palestinians would put Israelis at great risk for more wars and deaths as well as prolonging the Palestinian nationalist movement. Although alternate solutions have their cons, the clear decision that will ensure the safety for the majority is to not create two tense states in extreme proximity to each other.
First, the terrorism committed by Palestinians has eroded the Israeli population's trust in the ability of Palestine to function as a reasonable, secure and rational state. Palestinians frequently celebrate their people who kill Israelis through dedicating public structures to them and paying terrorists for committing crimes against Israelis (Abrams 20). Also, the existence of Hamas, who is openly hostile to Israel and even denies its right to exist, has caused angst and concern amongst the Israeli population (Kershner). This has manifested itself through increased security measures, more scrutiny of Arabs or Palestinians who are Israeli citizens, and the expansion of settlements into territories that the Palestinians consider their rightful land (Bryant 28).
In addition, Palestine continues to have unreasonable expectations about what concessions Israel will make to achieve a two-state solution. For example, they still expect to gain control of Jerusalem (Kershner) and have additional aspirations for territorial expansion that Israel will not concede without military defeat. These outlandish requests diminish Israel's confidence that Palestine is a rational actor.
Finally, the election of a more pro-Israel United States President further strengthens the position of Israeli conservatives who are ardently opposed to a two-state solution. With the Israeli populous growing more conservative and without international pressure that was more prevalent during the Obama administration the likelihood of achieving a two-state solution is extraordinarily low (Bryant 28). Also, the increasing amount of settlers moving into Palestinian territories makes the task of drawing borders in a two-state solution even harder. If carried through, 30,000 families will be displaced and have to be compensated along with switching borders around to best divide Israelis and Palestinians into their territory (Kershner). Thus, Israel is exploring creative one-state solutions which will provide more autonomy of Palestinian citizens while maintaining a security apparatus that ensures Israeli citizens will not be harmed.
With no one solution perfect, it is crucial to evaluate all possible realities for Israel and Palestine. Aside from annexing Palestine or creating two states, another option would be to join the two nations under one rule. However, this idea is quickly shot down because Arabs would outnumber Israelis, then making the state an Arab majority and defeating the purpose of the creation of Israel (Bryant 32). The final most discussed answer is to leave the two nations as they are, but this makes the fighting persist with no hope of a peaceful future as the uncertainty of what will happen to Palestine is hanging over everyone's head (Kershner).
In conclusion, any one motion of either creating or joining territories will result in more conflict and fighting as a perfect solution to satisfy both sides is obviously not feasible. However, the smartest long term decision to keep parties somewhat a bay would not be a two-state solution. The unreliability of the Palestinians would put Israelis at great risk for more wars and deaths as well as prolonging the Palestinian nationalist movement. Although alternate solutions have their cons, the clear decision that will ensure the safety for the majority is to not create two tense states in extreme proximity to each other.
Works Cited
Abrams, Elliott. “Stop Supporting Palestinian Terror: Why Congress Should Pass the Taylor Force Act.” National Review, 17 Apr. 2017, pp. 20-22. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 15 May 2017.
Bryant, Christina Case. “Why Israel Digs In.” The Christian Science Monitor Weekly, vol. 109, no. 14, 20 Feb. 2017, pp. 27-33.
Kershner, Isabel. “Is 2-State Solution Dead? In Israel, a Debate Over What’s Next.” The New York Times, 16 Feb. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/world/middleeast/israel-palestinians-two-state-solution.html?_r=0. Accessed 22 May 2017.
Mummies from the Marshes: Investigating Europe's Bog People
Northern European countries like Denmark, Britain, Ireland, and the Netherlands are home to many bogs and marshes. What is unusual about these bogs is that they have yielded hundreds of corpses over the past three centuries. The vast majority of these so-called “bog bodies” date back to the Bronze and Iron Ages, and many of them are incredibly well-preserved. These extremely important archaeological finds, many of which were probably killed for ritual sacrifices, have provided much insight into what their societies and cultures were like.
There are many theories on how the bodies ended up in the bogs, but most known evidence points to ritual sacrifice. For instance, the corpses show signs of brutal, meticulous murder, with multiple fatal wounds, and wounds inflicted after death. However, there aren't many signs of struggle from the victims (Levine 70). This probably means that the killers' motives were more than just murder, and the victims already knew their fate. Also, some nonhuman artifacts have been dug up from bogs as well, like weapons and food (Mikanowski). These were most likely offerings to the gods too, which indicates how important and sacred the bogs really were to these societies. Finally, some other peoples, particularly the Romans, actually wrote about Northern European traditions and practices, including sacrifices (Mikanowski). While many Romans exaggerated their writings to make other peoples sound more barbaric, there is a definite correlation between their writings and the bog bodies. This is especially important as concrete evidence, since most Northern Europeans didn't keep written records at the time.
This also shows connections between the bog people's societies and others in Europe. The Romans perhaps had the largest, or at least the earliest, effect on these people. Take, for example, the Druids, of which the bog body called Lindow Man is speculated to be one. The Druids were a sort of ancient Celtic upper class, consisting of priests, sages, judges, and the like. Very little factual information is known about them, and over the centuries they have become shrouded in myths and lore. The Druids were pushed out of Gaul and Britain, and into Ireland, by the Romans. There, with Saint Patrick's pagan conversions, and later the oppression of the English, Druidic culture gradually dwindled to nothing (Wernick). However, Lindow Man could be the very first physical piece of evidence of the Druids, among the mystery surrounding them. The Druids are just one example of Northern European interaction with other peoples at the time.
Finally, cases like Lindow Man's also prove the significance of these bog bodies for history and archaeology. Factors like where the bodies were found, their wounds, and the time period they are from can determine how they as people lived and died. Looking at how the bodies are built can indicate social status; for example, a well-fed corpse points to an upper-class person (Mikanowski). In addition, the acidic, low-oxygen environments of the bogs themselves inhibit bacterial growth, which has made for excellent preservation of the bodies, or at least of their skin and petrous bone (Levine 69). Unfortunately, this preservation process has left little DNA to examine, but if archaeologists can extract some from the petrous bone, they can learn much more about who exactly the bog people were. In short, the millennia-old bog bodies of Northern Europe are still important today because of the information they contain about the often obscure societies from which they came.
Works Cited
Levine, Joshua. “The Living Dead.” Smithsonian, May 2017, pp. 66-76.
Mikanowski, Jacob. “Were the Mysterious Bog People Human Sacrifices?” The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/03/were-europes-mysterious-bog-people-human-sacrifices/472839/. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Wernick, Robert. “What Were Druids Like, and Was Lindow Man One?” Smithsonian, Mar. 1988, pp. 146+. Student Resources in Context. Accessed 16 May 2017.
Race versus Radicalism: Why the Community Should Not be Blamed for the Actions of Extremists
As evidenced by historical events and current situations, an entire group or race should not be blamed for the actions of a few radical extremists, and taking this opinion can lead to disastrous consequences. In the context of World War II, there were many examples of this type of worldview at work. One example of this is the propaganda against the Jews in Germany, which served to blame the country's economic issues on them. This, of course, led to genocide. The focus of this post, however, is on the actions and treatment of the Japanese. In WWII, the Allies were pitted against the Axis, which consisted of the nations Germany, Italy, and Japan. The actions of these three countries varied greatly throughout the war, but some of the greatest noticeable differences were in the treatment of Japanese, Germans, and Italians in the US and Canada. Most notably, the internment of Japanese-Americans and the use of the atomic bombs comes to mind. As shown by the article, "The Sinking of Japan," Japan proved to be a formidable enemy in the beginning of the war, boasting a primarily offensive strategy. However, as the fighting wore on, their lack of resources and undefended importing system was becoming their downfall. In the end, it was the pride of leaders in the Japanese military that was dragging the war on, but it was coming to a close. This brings us to the article "Japanese Internment: Was the Internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese Canadians During the War Justified?" Due to the actions of a few high-ranking authority figures in Japan, residents of the US were incarcerated and sent to internment camps. In most cases, there was hardly any reasonable suspicion against these people. The only prerequisite for these actions was to have Japanese heritage or connections to the culture. These actions are usually justified by arguing that it prevented espionage, but most scholars agree that the internment was a decision enacted out of fear that did not accomplish anything but cementing racism in people's minds. Curiously, German-Americans and Italian-Americans did not receive this same treatment. This could be partly due to the fact that it was the Japanese who were more successful with their attempts at espionage, but it is also reasonable to assume that an element of prejudice played a role. In addition, there were other events that punished the Japanese civilians rather than the extremists, such as the atomic bombs. Although there are arguments to justify either side, in "Was the US Justified in Dropping Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War? You Debate," the two co-authors debate both. The two sides of the argument boil down to whether it was necessary or not. One states that the war needed to come to a close quickly to prevent the deaths of more US soldiers, and the other argues that the war was beginning to end anyway. However, both agree that it was a horrible act that killed civilians who had no part in the fighting. This relates back to the main point; many times, the whole race or group suffers from the actions of a few.
This is a topic that has many connections to modern events, most prominently the attitude against Muslims by the people of the world. Due to the rise of terrorism, prejudice against people of the Middle East has skyrocketed. Many political decisions were made that exemplified fear over logic, and many US citizens have targeted their anger on them. It is not uncommon to hear Muslims as a whole being blamed for terrorist attacks, even when the community makes an effort to uproot extremism or when nothing could have been done for the situation. This worldview, which paints entire groups of people as enemies, serves to do nothing but inflate conflict and must be apprehended.
Works Cited
Murfett, Malcolm. "The Sinking of Japan." History Today, vol. 66, no. 12, Dec. 2016, pp. 20-27.
Showalter, Dennis, and F. H. Min Min Lo. "Japanese Internment: Was the Internment of Japanese
Americans and Japanese Canadians During the War Justified?" History in Dispute, edited by Dennis
Showalter, vol. 5: World War II, 1943-1945, St. James Press, 2000, pp. 183-190. World History in
Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX2876500034/WHIC?u=hell32414&xid=27789261.
Accessed 15 May 2017.
Evans-Hulme, George, and Roy Ceustermans. "Was the US Justified in Dropping
Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War? You
Debate." History Extra, Immediate Media, 6 Aug. 2015. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Who You Calling Chicken?: Turkey’s president taking more power for himself
The once great power in the Middle East, Turkey, is continually being divided which causes worry for its allies. Erdogan had recently proposed a referendum on whether the people of Turkey were willing to give him more unchecked power in hopes that he would be able to bring stability (Turkey’s Referendum: On Razor’s Edge 18). In the past year a glimpse of this power was shown when Erdogan initiated a three month state of emergency after the attempted coup, but he ultimately abused this power for his own personal gains (Malsin 10). Erdogan believes the coup was plotted by his rival, Fethullah Gulen, but many also believe he staged the coup as a ploy for more power (La Porte 1). Erdogan’s rule threatens the state of Turkey and its democracy, which is supported by the recent referendum and the current conflict in Turkey.
In the recent referendum Erdogan is asking for more power than he already has which will be put in place by the new constitution written by his party, the AKP. The new constitution will take away the checks that the parliament once had in order to give Erdogan an authoritarian rule over Turkey. In doing this Erdogan will gain complete control of Turkey and its citizens much like the control China has over its people and the parliament will have not be able to check his power (Turkey’s Referendum: On Razor’s Edge 18). In the state of emergency after the attempted coup Erdogan was set on jailing anyone connected to the coup plotters as well as jailing his journalists and those that oppose him because he states they were committing treason. This is much like the information control in China where all their press is positive towards the government and people in power and anything against them is not allowed. If the people in Turkey are to vote “Yes” in the referendum this authoritarian rule will continue which is a threat to the citizen’s freedom and the country's democracy. The citizens are afraid of voting “No” in the referendum because of the government and how they are arresting those that are against them. Under the new constitution Erdogan would also be able to put in place successors so that his party may stay the party in power for as long as possible (Turkey’s Referendum: On Razor’s Edge 19-20).
Turkey’s internal conflict lies with the people and their political ideologies which explains the attempted coup. The military last year had attempted to overthrow the government because they did not align themselves with the people in power. Erdogan had taken this coup as an act of treason and blamed it on Gulen who currently resides in Pennsylvania in self-imposed exile. Gulen stands for the people who believe in a secular government and are pro-western while Erdogan and his party tend to be more conservative and non-secular (La Porte 1-2). These people all came together on the night of the attempted coup to stop it, sparking a sense of nationalism in the citizens. Erdogan will be able to use this night of conflict and the unification of the people to get a “Yes” vote in the referendum because the people believe he will be able to bring stability back with more power (Malsin 8-9). The people of Turkey are also living in fear of being attacked by the separatists Kurds who live in the southeast of Turkey because of a falling out Erdogan had with the leader of the separatist movement. This instability is a main factor in why the country was so divided, and it may be a possibility that Erdogan realized he needed more support and staged the coup for his own political gains (Turkey’s Referendum: On Razor’s Edge 18).
Erdogan’s corrupt rule over Turkey is significant because it exemplifies how a once democratic country can ultimately fall into a dictatorship. Although it is not the exact same type of dictatorship that North Korea may have, Erdogan’s new constitution is going to make him an elected authoritarian dictator. The people of Turkey will now find it even more difficult to use basic human freedoms such as the freedom of speech as well have almost no say in their government. Not only does Erdogan threaten Turkish democracy, but he also used extreme situations in order take more power for himself. In conclusion, Erdogan having more power than he already does is a threat to the people of Turkey and to their democracy.
Works Cited
La Porte, Amy, et al. “Who Is Fethullah Gulen, the Man Blamed for Coup Attempt in Turkey?” CNN, Cable News Network, 16 July 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/07/16/middleeast/fethullah-gulen-profile/. Accessed 21 May 2017.
Malsin, Jared. “Turkey’s Long Night of the Soul.” TIME, vol. 188, no. 5, 1 Aug. 2016, pp. 7-10. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Accessed 15 May 2017.
“Turkey’s Referendum: On Razor’s Edge.” The Economist, 15 Apr. 2017, pp. 17-20.
Women are Equivalent to Dust: How Sierra Leone treats women
Women in Sierra Leone get treated like close to nothing
Women's rights have always been an issue in our world today, but in Sierra Leone they have close to nothing to themselves. In the African country, Sierra Leone, women are taught to value their bodies more than their minds. Women are getting beaten, raped, and they have no education. In my opinion, they are living life to a fraction of what it should be lived to.
In the first article I read it explained how the birth rates in Sierra Leone and the raping is out of control. Their are girls that are 15 who are walking around pregnant and people think that it's normal, because it is in Sierra Leone. Most of the women are victims of rape and sexual assault which goes unpunished. Women who are victims of sexual assault usually get kicked out of their house and have no where to go besides the man that abuses them. It's their only way of survival. The government does not support women at all either. Any law or policy that is created, women have no say. The government is fully aware about the issues going on, and they choose not to do anything about it. (Okeowo)
The second article I read was more in depth about the education in Sierra Leone. The ebola disease has swept over the country, leaving many kids not able to go to school. The disease has force the school system to shut down entirely. People living in Sierra Leone have a hard time finding work and money. Many people have to sell lights or other goods to make their way through life. In 2013 a quarter of children were not in school in 50% of teachers had no qualifications. This disease has caused the loss of income and jobs in the in the country. This disease has also put a strain on education and has worsened problems in the country along with the problems they already have. (Al Jazeera)
The last article that I read explained how the domestic violence and rape issues the country is having lacks any enforcement of the laws. Over 2/3 of the population lives on $1.25 a day and less than a quarter of the women can read or write. If a woman refuses to have sex with her husband she can be summoned to a traditional leader to be reprimanded. After A woman's husband's death he still can control her. She can be forced to marry his brother or lose her land, home and children. A law that was made in 2007 said that the the maximum penalty for domesticated violence is two years in prison or a fine of 5 million Leones which equals $1200 in US dollars. In a recent study people are asked if it's acceptable for men to hit women and they all said that it's very acceptable. The enforcements of laws and support that women get is very slim.
In conclusion, women'a rights in Sierra Leone is a very important issue that needs to be addressed. Women's rights in any country is an issue but in this country it's taken to a different level. No woman should be beaten and raped and the man doesn't get a punishment. This issue is inhuman and needs to be addressed by all countries over the world. This issue shows how women get treated very differently than men in other countries and how it's accepted in many countries.
Works Cited
Education falls prey to Ebola in Sierra Leone." Al Jazeera. EBSCO eBook
Larson, Krista. "For women in Sierra Leone, another kind of civil war." Usa
Today, The Associated Press, www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/
12/sierra-leone-domestic-violence/1828623/. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Okeowo, Alexis. "Sierra Leone is one of the worst places in the world to be a
girl." National Geographic, Jan. 2017, pp. 136-51.
It’s Not Wrong to Get Along: How Governments Can Mediate Foreign Conflicts
The United State’s role in ending the politically-motivated violence in Northern Ireland was successful due to its foundations in inclusivity, neutrality, and the promotion of democratic solutions (Alashqar 68). Beginning in the 1960s, Northern Ireland was faced with a problem: was Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom, or seek independence? This question led to clashes between Irish Nationalists and Irish Unionists, leading to the intervention of the United States. The United States, under President Bill Clinton, communicated with both Northern Ireland and The United Kingdom in order to maintain positive relationships with each party. The United States also remained neutral during talks and negotiations; the US allowed the countries to figure out the solutions by themselves in the presence of the mediator. The US also pushed for legitimate, democratic solutions to the conflict, which in turn created a tangible solution to the fighting. It is only with fair and legitimate solutions and documents that conflicts like these can be solved.
To contrast, the United States did not follow the same precedent they set in the Northern Ireland-UK talks in the attempted resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The US has neglected to portray a sense of neutrality, inclusivity, and has failed to create or embrace democratic solutions. The United States considers Israel a strategic ally, and often favors Israel during negotiations between Israel and Palestine (Alashqar 71). This one-sidedness and exclusivity has likely made the situation in Palestine worse, exacerbating the conflict. The US also does not allow other countries to negotiate with Israel and Palestine, trapping Palestine into either fighting or resigning. This lack of fair, legitimate, and unbiased mediation has failed to solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
Given that fair mediation is provided, the conflict between China and Taiwan as well as the fight for Kashmir could be solved. China and Taiwan have been in conflict for over 60 years due to the exile of the old Chinese government in 1949, when Mao Zedong took over China. This lead Chiang Kai-shek to start a new nation on the island of Taiwan, claiming to be the only “real China” (Great Brawl 23) Even now as both parties have agreed to disagree on the matter of which country is the real China, there are still tensions between Taiwan and China. China is prepared to go to war if Taiwan attempts independence, but war could lead to bigger conflicts as the United States, as per the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, is obligated to help Taiwan against China’s forces should need be. A mediator from an outside country would likely help deescalate the situation. The fight for Kashmir between India and Pakistan, dating back to the late 1940s, has been an occasionally violent conflict, originating when the prince of Pakistan decided to remain neutral from India and Pakistan (Kashmir Conflict). A mediator would likely deescalate the stakes here too, and prevent further violence.
In times of conflict, a country striving to be a mediator must embrace neutrality, legitimacy, and inclusivity in order to maintain a peaceful and beneficial relationship between both countries. When done correctly, mediation results in a tangible solution that maintains prosperity, but when done carelessly, can result in further conflict.
Works Cited
Alashqar, Yaser. “Comparative Perspective: The United States and Conflict Resolution in Northern Ireland and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” Palestine-Israel Journal of Politics, Economics & Culture, vol. 22, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 68-75. EBSCOhost. Accessed 19 May 2017.
“A Brief History of the Kashmir Conflict.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 24 Sept. 2001, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1399992/A-brief-history-of-the-Kashmir-conflict.html. Accessed 22 May 2017.
“The Great Brawl of China.” The Economist, vol. 422, no. 9031, 17 Mar. 2017, pp. 23-26.
Keep Your Friends Close, But Your Enemies Closer: How The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is Causing Major Conflicts Throughout Their Populations and The World
The Israeli- Palestinian conflict has caused and is still causing many problems including illegal actions, intifadas, and violent actions towards the rest of the world. Overall, this conflict occurred over land. Palestinians claimed the land that they shared with Israel as their land, due to them living their there for so long. Then the Israelis claimed they had religious ties to the land, and after the Hollocaust, the jewish started approving the idea of a separated state. Jews started moving into Palestine territory, causing conflicts, and the U.N. interfered resulting in the Jewish population getting their own state, Israel. Palestinians tried to fight back against Israel, but lost land in the process and caused their own kind to be stateless. This rivalry has been occurring ever since.
In one of the articles I have read, the topic of the article was on illegal actions being done by Israeli prison workers against Palestinian prisoners. According to the author of this article, Israeli prison workers are neglecting the prisoners' medical needs, abusing them, and giving them unfair sentences due to unfair judicial systems. The author of this article is a Palestinian prisoner currently, and he has many followers on his side fighting to get him out after he was accused of starting an Intifada. His imprisonment has caused hunger strikes across many jails in Israel (Barghouti 2)
In another article, the topic was about a possible third Intifada forming and how this terrorist group and the past Intifadas have affected Israel and neighboring nations. The author starts by talking about how Marwan Barghouti started past Intifadas, and how these groups caused violent acts towards Israel. These Intifadas also caused violence in the rest of the world, and these actions were classifies as terrorist attacks. The author then describes how the possibility of a third Intifada is alarming Israelis and how Barghouti called for this Intifada to form (Frykberg 20).
In the last article, the topic was about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how this conflict affects the rest of the world. The author starts out by describing the history behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it started. Then it is stated that past United States presidents have tried to solve the problem by introducing new ideas on how Palestinians and Israel could split up the land. All of these presidents have failed, and there have been terrorist strikes on the United States caused by terrorist groups from Israel. The violence done to the Twin Towers in the U.S. is an example of these terrorist attacks ( Berger 21). In essence, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a major problem for everyone.
Works Cited
Barghouti, Marwan. “Why We Are on Hunger Strike in Israel’s Prisons.” The New York Times, New
York Times Company, 16 Apr. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/opinion/palestinian-hunger-
strike-prisoners-call-for-justice.html?_r=0. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Berger, Joseph. “The Six-Day War, Then and Now.” The New York Times Upfront, vol. 149, no. 12,
24 Apr. 2017, pp. 18-21.
Frykberg, Mel. “A Third Intifada: Waiting in the Wings.” Middle East, no. 433, pp. 20-23.
MasterFILE Premier, web.b.ebscohost.com/src_ic/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=4&sid=def0941e-
eccf-423a-bed1-7db085d6a773%40sessionmgr104&hid=125. Accessed 15 May 2017.
In one of the articles I have read, the topic of the article was on illegal actions being done by Israeli prison workers against Palestinian prisoners. According to the author of this article, Israeli prison workers are neglecting the prisoners' medical needs, abusing them, and giving them unfair sentences due to unfair judicial systems. The author of this article is a Palestinian prisoner currently, and he has many followers on his side fighting to get him out after he was accused of starting an Intifada. His imprisonment has caused hunger strikes across many jails in Israel (Barghouti 2)
In another article, the topic was about a possible third Intifada forming and how this terrorist group and the past Intifadas have affected Israel and neighboring nations. The author starts by talking about how Marwan Barghouti started past Intifadas, and how these groups caused violent acts towards Israel. These Intifadas also caused violence in the rest of the world, and these actions were classifies as terrorist attacks. The author then describes how the possibility of a third Intifada is alarming Israelis and how Barghouti called for this Intifada to form (Frykberg 20).
In the last article, the topic was about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how this conflict affects the rest of the world. The author starts out by describing the history behind the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it started. Then it is stated that past United States presidents have tried to solve the problem by introducing new ideas on how Palestinians and Israel could split up the land. All of these presidents have failed, and there have been terrorist strikes on the United States caused by terrorist groups from Israel. The violence done to the Twin Towers in the U.S. is an example of these terrorist attacks ( Berger 21). In essence, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a major problem for everyone.
Works Cited
Barghouti, Marwan. “Why We Are on Hunger Strike in Israel’s Prisons.” The New York Times, New
York Times Company, 16 Apr. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/opinion/palestinian-hunger-
strike-prisoners-call-for-justice.html?_r=0. Accessed 19 May 2017.
Berger, Joseph. “The Six-Day War, Then and Now.” The New York Times Upfront, vol. 149, no. 12,
24 Apr. 2017, pp. 18-21.
Frykberg, Mel. “A Third Intifada: Waiting in the Wings.” Middle East, no. 433, pp. 20-23.
MasterFILE Premier, web.b.ebscohost.com/src_ic/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=4&sid=def0941e-
eccf-423a-bed1-7db085d6a773%40sessionmgr104&hid=125. Accessed 15 May 2017.
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