The United States interest inthe Middle East

SS7H2d. Explain US presence and interest in Southwest Asia; include the Persian Gulf conflict and invasions of Afghanistan

and Iraq

What's so Interesting???

• In your notes, quickly write down 3 reasons why you think the United States would have interest in the Middle East..

Lets take a closer look….

• Iraq

• Persian Gulf War

• Afghanistan

Persian Gulf War• 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait

- Reasons: Saddam Hussein wanted control over Kuwait's oil fields and more access to Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf War• The U.S. responded as an

ally of Kuwait.Reason: to prevent Saddam from having power/ oil.

• US and other nations reclaimed Kuwait in 1991.–Called: Operation Desert Storm–Air attacks and ground forces forced Iraqis out of Kuwait

Persian Gulf War

• Before leaving Kuwait, Iraqi forces set fire to oil rigs causing a lot of economic damage to Kuwait's oil industry.

• 85% were destroyed

United Nations Responds• The UN placed embargos on

Iraq when they invaded Kuwait.– They remained even after the

Persian Gulf War• Removed when Weapons of Mass

Destruction (WMD) were destroyed…

• UN inspection team left in 1998

• Some believed Hussein was hiding WMDs.

Taliban/ Al Qaeda: Attack on America

• September 11th, 2001– Terrorist Attack on USA

• World Trade Center, Pentagon

• US government held Osama bin Laden responsible– Considered attack as an act of

war

Afghanistan: First Stop in the War on Terror

• Taliban: an extreme religious sect of Islam

• The Anti- American Taliban sheltered Al Qaeda terrorist group.– Leader: Osama bin

Laden

United Sates responds• November 2001

– US ground forces entered Afghanistan to disarm the Taliban and find bin Laden

• Taliban has retreated to Pakistan and still attacks Afghanistan– Suicide bombers– Roadside bombs– Attacks on US and international

military posts

• Bin Laden was found and killed May 2, 2011

Back to Iraq• After UN inspection, some US

leaders still believed Saddam Hussein had WMD.– Saddam didn’t comply with

inspectors.– 2003 US, Britain, and other

countries invaded Iraq.• Iraqi government fell and the war

was over in less than 2 mos.

• Hussein was captured, tried, and put to death

Back to Iraq• Temporary government was

put in place until constitution was written.

• 2005 Iraqis took part of free elections to establish its democratic government.

• December 2011: American forces withdrew from Iraq

Quick Review1. The UN inspection team left Iraq in _____.

2. After the UN inspection team left Iraq, some American leaders were concerned that Iraq still had __________________.

3. Military forces from the US, Britain, and other countries invaded Iraq in ________.

4. _________ was captured, tried, and sentenced to death.

5. Battles still rage between _______ and ______ Muslims.

6. Iraqis voted in free elections in ________.

Quick Quiz1. In 1990 Iraq invaded:

a. Iran b. Saudi Arabia c. Kuwait

2. Which country led the international coalition invading Iraq in 1991?

a. USA b. Israel c. Iran

3. Who imposed a trade embargo against Iraq?a. UN b. USA c. OPEC

4. A UN inspection team was in Iraq for seven years finding and destroying these…

a. Oil Fields b. Helicopters c. weapons