re: Honest Question-Middle East

quote:

---

It's been pretty good since WWII.

---

The EU and the Common Markets plus Nukes- 2 of those 3 are under attack.

The ME has been invaded by outside forces since the beginning of recorded history, certainly prior to the advent of Islam. To really understand this region, you have to understand various occupations and foreign rule imposed on all or parts of the region, from the Greeks and Romans, to the Persians, Mongols, Ottoman Empire (Turks), British and French, and ultimately the Israelis.

The British and French partitioned most of the Middle East after WWI and did a damn shitty job of it, resulting in some of the major sectarian conflicts ongoing today.

There has never been peace there, even between Muslims. The closest thing to a peace was the brief reign of Alexander after he conquered the Persian Empire and Egypt, but after his death, his generals split up the Empire and resumed fighting. The Romans provided some stability in the near East, but they were constantly at war with the Persians. The Vandal invasion eventually took North Africa.

The Islamic Period brought the wars of conquest which toppled Byzantine control of the Mid-East. The Muslims eventually split into three main factions: Sassanid Persians, Ottoman Turks, and Saracens. The Crusades were called to check Turkish advances in Asia Minor and retake the Holy Land from the Saracens. The defeat of the Crusaders lead to the Ottoman Empire taking control of Asia Minor and eventually toppling Constantinople itself. The Ottomans later conquered the Saracens as well, but were constantly at war with Persia. The Persians were constantly at war with Indians (Mugals) and Mongols in the East.

The 19th century brought European Colonization as the French conquered much of Africa under Napoleon, only for Egypt to fall to the British. Greece revolted against the Ottomans. WWI brought France and England into contact with the Ottomans. The Empire was divided up after its fall: Asia Minor became Turkey, The Holy Land became French colonies, Persia became British, and the Arabs became an independent kingdom.

The aftermath of WWII freed the Middle East from direct European control, but the creation of Israel created all kinds of issues. England deposed Iran's leader in a coup and propped up the Shah, who was later overthrown in a violent Islamic Revolution. Saddam used the Nazi model to take over Iraq, and then manipulated the Iranian Revolution to receive American weapons and backing to wage war against Iran. Lebanon was overrun with Palestinian refugees, and succumbed to Civil War, resulting in Hezbollah essentially taking control of the country, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was thwarted by the American-backed Mujahadin, but this resulted in the country being ruled by fundamentalists.

Basically, it's never been at peace.

November of 4004BC?

quote:

---

There was a period of stability after Pharaoh Thutmose III smote a large rebellious coalition of Canaanite vassal states led by the king of Kadesh in the 15th century BC.

Did the Egyptians ever rule Mesopotamia?

---

I don't think they went that far. The site of Alexander's decisive victory over Darius at Arbela/Gaugamela is in what is now Iraq. The actual site is uncertain because Darius chose the flattest place he could find to benefit his war chariots.

LINK

quote:

---

The Muslims eventually split into three main factions: Sassanid Persians, Ottoman Turks, and Saracens

---

Seljuk Turks came before the ottomans, fwiw