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Well the UK created the Balfour declaration in 1917, where the British Government supported a Jewish homeland in Palestine. It was created due to the pressure of leading Zionist Jews in the British government, and the Christian support for Israel among British MPs at that time. It was an era where it was likely that the Ottoman Empire which ruled Palestine for centuries will soon end.
The British government wanted a expand its interest in the Middle East, and also the French at that time wanted to expand their influence in the region as well. When the war ended Palestine and Iraq was created and part of a British Mandate (The British government allowed Jewish immigration from then onwards, and even though they strived to restrict Jewish immigration, they could not put a stop to this due to the antisemitism in Europe which resulted in many Jews striving to get out of Europe) and Syria and Lebanon was part of the French Mandate.
So it was not just the US that has a history of obsessing over the Middle East. European powers also did as well.
Balfour was before we undertook the Palestine Mandate, a role similar to a UN Peacekeeping role at the time. We carried out the mandate between 1920 to 1947 and were attacked by terrorist forces on both sides and in the later stages by Jewish terrorist groups, and there were even Anti-Jewish riots in some British cities as a result.
By the time og the UN Vote Britain had changed it's mind due to it's own experieces in the area, and told the UN not to partition Palestine, and to engage more with the Palestinian people and not just the Jews.
The British Government allowed some limited immgration but tried to stop Jewish Mss immigation to Palestine, something it was criticised for or have you forgotten about the Cyprus internment camps and SS Exodus.
As for expanding it's influence in the area, we were there during the Mandate on behalf of the UN, and fought in the region during WW2, but by the end of WW2 a bankkrupt Britain was looking to retreat from Empire rather than increase it's sphere on influence, and the mantle as dominant world leaders was passed on to the US and indeed Soviets.
Balfour was before we undertook the Palestine Mandate, a role similar to a UN Peacekeeping role at the time. We carried out the mandate between 1920 to 1947 and were attacked by terrorist forces on both sides and in the later stages by Jewish terrorist groups, and there were even Anti-Jewish riots in some British cities as a result.
By the time og the UN Vote Britain had changed it's mind due to it's own experieces in the area, and told the UN not to partition Palestine, and to engage more with the Palestinian people and not just the Jews.
The British Government allowed some limited immgration but tried to stop Jewish Mss immigation to Palestine, something it was criticised for or have you forgotten about the Cyprus internment camps and SS Exodus.
As for expanding it's influence in the area, we were there during the Mandate on behalf of the UN, and fought in the region during WW2, but by the end of WW2 a bankkrupt Britain was looking to retreat from Empire rather than increase it's sphere on influence, and the mantle as dominant world leaders was passed on to the US and indeed Soviets.
Britian just gave up on Palestine in the end. I believe the British people after WW2 did not want to be too bogged down on the conflict. Before WW2, it was regarded as the UK the most powerful foregin influence in the Middle East followed by France. Britian gained control of Egypt in the late 19th century and Cyprus. Even when Egypt became independent in the 1920s thousands of British troops continuted to be stationed there. Britian also controled Iranian oil, controlled much of the western Persan gulf. Britian also controled Yemen as well. Britian had difficulities administrating Iraq too. Britian conducted its airforce to put down revoltes in Iraq during the 1920s and sent in thousands of troops there.
The French also had difficultiy administrating Syria too. In an expample of a conflict the French damaged a large section of Damasus in the 1920s to put down a revolt.
As others have mentioned, the reasons that the Middle East are a mess predate the US' involvement in the region. The UK, France, and the defunct Ottoman Empire carved the region up along often arbitrary lines, installed leaders and/or supported tribes who were willing to do their bidding. In the wake of WW2, the British and French pulled back and the US and USSR gradually stepped into the void, vying for power and influence in the region.
The two main reasons that these nations all cared so much were due to oil and geopolitics. It's called the "middle East" because it's the converging point between Europe, Central Asia, and Africa, and it sits between the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, and the Caspian Sea; it's a valuable land trade route and also a great staging point for military operations.
The US hasn't been a saint there by any stretch but to pretend that the US is behind everything there is disingenuous. It also absolves the states there from guilt from their own misdeeds; "sure, we are constantly having skirmishes with neighbors and repressing our minorities but... AMERICA!!"
There is no such thing as saintliness and guilt, or any other pompous moralizing, in real politics.
In cheap political theater for an audience, maybe, but not in real politics.
The moralizers are charlatans like the rest of them.
The point must also be made that while everyone looks to the larger and stronger nations - the US, China, Russia, etc - with contempt for their misdeeds, the simple fact is that if they weren't doing it, someone else would be. If the US pulled out of the region completely as the colonial powers did last century, a brief period of elation would give way to an enormous and bloody conflict between the Saudis and Iran, with Russia and China rushing to fill the voids left in the US' wake, propping up sympathetic opposition leaders with coups.
It's the same case in Asia: the US or EU pulls back, China swoops in. Same case in Africa. Same case everywhere. It's been the case for millennia and won't change.
The US is nowhere near self-supporting in oil and hasn't been for a very long time, if it ever was. Currently the US produces enough oil only for 40% of its needs. The main suppliers are these:
The US also imports smaller amounts from a variety of other countries, like Ecuador, Indonesia, and even Russia.
But also, there's the Israel issue. The US supported the creation of the state of Israel, which had a domino effect in the region that hasn't been constructive, to say the least. So there's the aftermath of that to deal with, including Israeli aggression against its neighbors.
It's a mess. I don't follow it closely. But Bush's Iraq war, which is one thing people refer to in the "US destabilizing the Middle East" theme, stirred up a lot of tribal issues that didn't need stirring up. It ended up enabling destructive elements, that had been held in check, previously, which only made everything worse.
You're clueless on so many levels that I can't begin to get my head around this post. You trot out "Israeli aggression" and then you admit that you don't know what you're talking about. The U.S. has more oil than anyone. We're finally taking advantage of our resources now that we have a president who's not afraid to put America first.
08-20-2019, 06:40 AM
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Without overly generalizing because the Middle East is a solid extremely vast region with countries like UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan and other ones that are friendly allies. They create positive optimistic relations that is peaceful, and stable.
Relevant to unique national politics exact situation (See how Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen are the polar opposite version of the first ones). Obviously outside of region, religion, spirituality, or rich culture. Although, people have to research and find out the good ones (There are tons of those nice countries around, including the people) in the Middle East versus the in between's, and the bad rebel zones that are actually not representing the real ones.
I am a tourist from that country and I am an Atheist with family from Eastern Europe: Romania(Bucharest and Constanta: Wallachia Dobrogea regions), and I had tons of welcoming fun in Morocco, and Qatar. No problems. Even up to 10 days in Fes, and Casablanca! Right after Spain. Even friendlier people. Extremely unique nightlife with the smoke objects that aren't cigarettes even when a lot of those countries don't have alcohol. Wow! And very complex language with Arabic, Turkish, Azeri, etcetera.
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No problems. Even up to 10 days in Fes, and Casablanca! Right after Spain. Even friendlier people. Extremely unique nightlife with the smoke objects that aren't cigarettes even when a lot of those countries don't have alcohol. Wow! And very complex language with Arabic, Turkish, Azeri, etcetera.
