When discussing the Middle East there are seemingly endless issues that arise including terrorism, oil, religion, modernity, and human rights. One of the most popular issues, especially for western countries, is how to create peace in this extremely volatile and often dangerous region. Wither looking at terrorism being fostered in Middle Eastern countries and then spread around the world or simply governments violently suppressing the people they govern, the western world has sought to stabilize a region that they have incredibly varied notions about and interests in. These notions are often based on misconceptions and misunderstandings of society, culture, and religion in the region. These misconceptions and misunderstandings have fostered
…show more content…
The most obvious and widely used example of this is that of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. This conflict is often cited as the cause or at least the catalyst for a myriad of other issues and conflicts in the region by both western and Middle Eastern leaders. As Ross points out “The major problem with this premise is that it is not true. There have been dozens of conflicts and countless coups in the Middle East since Israel’s birth in 1948, and most were completely unrelated to the Arab-Israeli conflict.”(Ross 13). This linkage myth has been used to shape western policy in the region as well as manipulate western decision …show more content…
One possible explanation for this democratic void could be the traditional tribal loyalties which have been prevalent through the region for years, instead of larger unified groups. Divisions along numerous “tribal” lines fractures the populace and makes it considerably more difficult to construct a semi unified civil society with strong political parties, which are key for developing liberal democratic systems which can advocate for the rights of citizens. In the same vain, the Middle East is often considered a largely artificial construct, having state boundaries which were drawn with disregard for the differences of the groups of people contained within. This resulting in factions within these states who do not identify with their respective “countries” which also acts to foster resentment to the west for the divvying up of Middle Eastern lands after
The most obvious and widely used example of this is that of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. This conflict is often cited as the cause or at least the catalyst for a myriad of other issues and conflicts in the region by both western and Middle Eastern leaders. As Ross points out “The major problem with this premise is that it is not true. There have been dozens of conflicts and countless coups in the Middle East since Israel’s birth in 1948, and most were completely unrelated to the Arab-Israeli conflict.”(Ross 13). This linkage myth has been used to shape western policy in the region as well as manipulate western decision …show more content…
One possible explanation for this democratic void could be the traditional tribal loyalties which have been prevalent through the region for years, instead of larger unified groups. Divisions along numerous “tribal” lines fractures the populace and makes it considerably more difficult to construct a semi unified civil society with strong political parties, which are key for developing liberal democratic systems which can advocate for the rights of citizens. In the same vain, the Middle East is often considered a largely artificial construct, having state boundaries which were drawn with disregard for the differences of the groups of people contained within. This resulting in factions within these states who do not identify with their respective “countries” which also acts to foster resentment to the west for the divvying up of Middle Eastern lands after