Drilling successfully into a creek near Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859, George Bissell and Edwin L. Drake had miraculously unearthed the now indispensable substance known as petroleum, opening the gates to a world never seen before. Ever since that date, oil has been in the vanguard of innovation, powering homes, cars and asserting itself as the chief resource that helps countries function. At a torrid pace, oil mining was becoming not only lucrative, but a necessity, and thus began a global race and struggle for control over such a critical asset. Many places across the globe have discovered petroleum, but none to the extent of the Middle East, a region nowadays synonymous throughout the Western world with a volatile political climate and
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Incepted in the Middle Eastern country of Syria in 1947, the Ba’ath Party established itself as a puissant political party in the Middle East. Its founder, Hafez al-Assad, an air-force officer was desperately looking to transform his backwater, financially incompetent country, into an international, militaristic force. Only twenty years after its creation, the Ba’ath Party became the ruling political party in Syria, giving its members free and unimpeded range to institute specific ideas and agendas in not only the country but also the region as a whole. In turn, as the party grew, especially on an international scale, relations with the power United States were dawned. Both sides would engage in affairs and meetings sub rosa, secluding themselves in Kuwait, where they would converse about topics primarily regarding weapons and oil. While these meetings were kept top-secret and not disclosed to the public; premonitions and resentment from the Iraqi majority of America grew, and many started to draw parallels to how the United States involved itself in planting the Shah of Iran back into power in his country back in the 1950’s. The Ba’ath party had been seen in a negative light for the Sunni majority of Iraq, who felt muted by their minority Shi’a leaders. As Saddam Hussein took control of the Ba’ath Party and effectively, Iraq, he continued the alliance forged with the United States. This strong bond was exemplified when Iraq went to war against Iran in 1980, with support and supply of weapons from America, the Iraqi army became the 4th largest in the world and allowing for its victory against Iran, and giving Saddam Hussein a sense of arrogance and hubris when dealing with affairs in the
Incepted in the Middle Eastern country of Syria in 1947, the Ba’ath Party established itself as a puissant political party in the Middle East. Its founder, Hafez al-Assad, an air-force officer was desperately looking to transform his backwater, financially incompetent country, into an international, militaristic force. Only twenty years after its creation, the Ba’ath Party became the ruling political party in Syria, giving its members free and unimpeded range to institute specific ideas and agendas in not only the country but also the region as a whole. In turn, as the party grew, especially on an international scale, relations with the power United States were dawned. Both sides would engage in affairs and meetings sub rosa, secluding themselves in Kuwait, where they would converse about topics primarily regarding weapons and oil. While these meetings were kept top-secret and not disclosed to the public; premonitions and resentment from the Iraqi majority of America grew, and many started to draw parallels to how the United States involved itself in planting the Shah of Iran back into power in his country back in the 1950’s. The Ba’ath party had been seen in a negative light for the Sunni majority of Iraq, who felt muted by their minority Shi’a leaders. As Saddam Hussein took control of the Ba’ath Party and effectively, Iraq, he continued the alliance forged with the United States. This strong bond was exemplified when Iraq went to war against Iran in 1980, with support and supply of weapons from America, the Iraqi army became the 4th largest in the world and allowing for its victory against Iran, and giving Saddam Hussein a sense of arrogance and hubris when dealing with affairs in the