001 Middle East Intro

(“ash-sharq-l-awsat”)

“Middle East,”

“” الشرقاألوسط

The Middle East (or, formerly more common, the Near East) is a region that spans southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa.

The Middle East is also the historical origin of three of the world’s major monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The United States government first officially used "Middle East" in the 1957 Eisenhower Doctrine, which pertained to the Suez Crisis (29 October 1956 Attack).

The Suez Canal was opened in 1869 financed by the French and Egyptian governments.

Establishment of Israel in 1948

In the 20th century, the region's significant stocks of crude oil gave it new strategic and economic importance. Mass production of oil began around 1945, with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates having large quantities of oil.

During the Cold War, the Middle East was a theater of ideological and political struggle between the two superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union, as they competed to influence regional allies.

Throughout the 20th and into the 21st century, the region has experienced both periods of relative peace and tolerance and periods of conflict and war. Current issues include the Iraq War, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Iranian nuclear program.

Çünkü Tanrı dünyayı o kadar çok sevdi ki, biricik Oğlunu verdi. Öyle ki, O'na iman edenlerin hiçbiri mahvolmasın, ama hepsi sonsuz yaşama kavuşsun.

Next Week:

- Seventh century, The World into which the Arabs came- Muhammad and the appearance of Islam- The formation of an Empire