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