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Borders, Borders
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Borders-Borders-by-Sally-McMillan-Conflict_Disaster_Power_Regional-140830-266.htmlBorders, Borders
By Sally McMillan
OpEdNews Op Eds 8/30/2014 at 14:45:58
The Middle East is in chaos. In the chaos friends are becoming enemies and enemies are becoming friends, or at least fighting partners. Years of war and repression have led to an explosion of the masses. With emotions incited by the U.S. attack on Iraq and the removal of Saddam Hussein and his Baathist Party, the people of neighboring countries have seized the initiative to rise up for their own liberation.
In North Africa the Arab Spring has brought mixed results. Time will tell whether the results are positive or not. The conclusions are still in the process of being worked out, with factions still divided over the power structure and what this means for them and for the countries involved.
The people's revolt in Syria added another dimension to the problems evolving. It has spilled over to include the surrounding countries of Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Jordan, and even Israel and the Palestinian territories. Various groups are fighting not just against the Syrian regime, but from their own dis-satisfactions and for their own goals. Much of the breakdown is along ethnic and religious lines.
Historically speaking, these are countries formed from the breakup of the Ottoman empire. Borders were established by Western powers to suit their own interests, but without regard for the wishes of the people living there. Strong leaders were installed friendly to the West to rule these new nation states. For example, Saddam Hussein governed a secular state, but with his Sunni party exerting control over the predominately Shia majority. Kurds in the north were split between Turkey, Iraq , and Iran. The Assad family in Syria with its Allawite connections to the Shiites gave little power to the Sunnis. Since the downfall of Saddam Hussein, Sunnis also lost power in Iraq.
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The Middle East map(s) were redrawn at the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Read all about it:
