History of Islamic Fundamentalism
• Muslim movement against westernization and secularism that supports a return to the values of the Quran
• 1928: Muslim Brotherhood– Egypt– Hassan al-Banna– Less than 10 years after fall of the Ottoman
Empire
• Why hatred toward USA?– 1952-’79: Iran– 1979-’89: Afghanistan
• ’88: AL-QAEDA founded– 1980-1988: Iran-Iraq war– 1991: Iraq invades Kuwait
• US forces sent to Saudi Arabia– Support of Israel
Why do they Hate US?• Westernization– Imperialism
• US overthrew Iranian elected prime minister in 1952 and replaced him w/ a king
– Cultural Imperialism
– economic imperialism
• OIL
• Iraqi sanctions/embargo (1990-2002)
– over 1 million dead
» half of them under 5 yrs
• Support of Israel– $3 billion a year
– uses $ to fight Palestinians
• Support Saudi Arabia– continued military bases
• Good vs. Evil
Why use terrorism?• The higher the target’s profile, the better.
– American Embassies in Africa (Aug. 1988)– World Trade Center (1993 & 2001)
• Military targets– Beirut, Lebanon (1983)
• 241 Marines killed
– Pentagon– US naval ships (USS COLE in Oct. 2000)
• Guerilla Warfare– Desire to wound a more powerful foe.– You may be more powerful, but you can still bleed
• About sending a message!!
JIHAD – Holy War??!– Terrorism: Uses violence
to achieve a political or religious end
– Terrorist: Someone who performs acts of terrorism.
– State Sponsored v. groups/individuals
– Jihad: “Striving or Struggling in the Way of God” (Muslims should try to strive to know and do the will of God)• Greater Jihad: Struggle
with yourself to do what is right.
• Lesser Jihad: Outward defense of Islam.
TERRORIST OR FREEDOM FIGHTER??
“Those that are willing to give up their liberties for temporarysecurity, deserve neither.” Benjamin Franklin
CAUSES OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION (1979)
• ’53: US-CIA w/UK overthrew democratically elected Mu. Mossedegh
• Shah was SECULAR– Westernization– Social programs failed
• Opposed to Iran/US alliance• Corrupt gov’t• SAVAK: Iran’s secret police
oppressed opposition
EFFECTS OF IRANIAN REVOLTION
• led by Grand Ayatollah Khomeini– Theocracy created– Shariah law implemented– Muslim traditions enforced
• Nationalized all foreign owned businesses & OIL
• Iran-Iraq War ’80-’88• Shah of Iran fled to US
– American Hostage Crisis• American Embassy seized
• 52 Americans taken hostage
• crisis lasted 444 days
SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN (1979-89)
• Communist gov’t comes to power in Afghanistan– Cold War tensions arise– Soviet’s support new gov’t
• thus invade
• US supports Afghan rebels– supplied STINGER missiles– trained Afghan rebels in Pakistan
• mujahedeen: holy warriors– Osama bin-Laden
• becomes Al-Qaeda
• Civil war begins btwn opposing Afghan groups– Taliban are the victors
IRAN-IRAQ WAR (1980-88)
• CAUSES• 1980: Iraq invaded Iran• seized the Shatt al-
Arab waterway– key access to the
Persian Gulf
• attempt to end Iranian support of Shiite Muslims that live in southern Iraq
• EFFECTS• Over a million killed• mined t/ Persian Gulf• Tanker Wars• economic collapse• no winner
Who is shaking hands with Saddam Hussein?
PERSIAN GULF WAR (1991)
• CAUSES• Iraq in debt due to
Iran-Iraq War• 2 Aug 90: Iraq
invaded Kuwait– claims Kuwait as
province of Iraq
• access to oil fields• greater ACCESS t/t
Persian Gulf
• EFFECTS• US/UN led COALITION• DESERT STORM• trade embargo against Iraq
– in place until US invasion ‘03• bombing campaign
– @ 100,000 Iraqi soldiers killed• Iraq sends SCUD missiles against Israel • Iraq easily defeated
– retreating soldiers set fires to Kuwaiti oil wells
• Continued presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia
Persian Gulf sits atop the world’s largest known oil reserve.
Iraq’s No Fly Zones
Islamic Fundamentalism: What should we do about it??
• Remove all American military forces from the Arabian Peninsula.
• Remain in Iraq to develop democracy as a model for other Muslim countries.
• Pressure Muslim countries to close religious schools that preach hatred.
• Provide foreign aid to Muslim countries in order to reduce unemployment and poverty.
• Give foreign aid to countries that curb Islamists.• Work to achieve security and justice for Israel and
Palestine.• Capture, try, and (if convicted) execute Osama bin-Laden.• Lessen our dependence on MidEast oil.• How to deal w/ the Causes?? Effects??
Anti-IsraelIslamic Fundamentalist Groups
• Goal: the destruction o/t state of Israel– Reside in West Bank & Gaza– Build schools, clinics, roads, etc– Political parties
• HAMAS: Islamic Resistance Movement– Leading political party in Gaza
Strip– Sunni
• Islamic Jihad: – Sunni
• Hizbullah: Party of God– Southern Lebanon– Shiite Muslims