Hitler Youth Middle Eastern Youth

Going back to the road to 9/11 and the image of the little boys and girls of some Middle Eastern countries reciting "I will willingly die for Allah." made me think about how similar it is to the Hitler youth. The adults brainwash these kids into thinking it is okay to die for a cause. Each of these kids is awarded weapons and are encouraged to use them. They are told that if they are loyal to their country and religion they will be prosperous in the afterlife. Much like the Hitler Youth, the kids were brainwashed by propaganda and are told to kill. The children are brainwashed and scarred for life as these angry people that is the reason that these countries are so angry, because as young people they were beaten and oppressed and in result take it out on the generation below them, it is a vicious cycle. AM

wOMEN voting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4874990.stm for the first time women will be allowed to vote. This is proof that womens rights are begining to change and sufferage is becoming more universal.Out of 28,000 voters 60% of them are women and will be making their vote this year. Last year women actually recieved full politcal rights yet, we know women do not seem to be equal in common everyday life.
ASM

Ethnic Cleansing or Ethnic Brainwashing?

The art of persuading a large group of people is all about political and social propaganda. When a country is lead to a dictatorship the main reason that not only is the person allowed to stay in power but get to that stature is usually because of propaganda and brainwashing. For instance, in Iraq there were posters and signs everywhere with Saddam Hussein's face on the front. The posters were powerful and intimidating. People are forced to be sheep and follow everything that the government tells them to do. If not, they will be killed or severely beaten. They use fear to get people to do what they want, which in many ways is terrorism. People say that most these days is the middle east attacking other countries, for instance, 9/11 in 2001, the London and Spain bombings in summer 2005, but at the same time terrorism in the middle east is happening to itself, sure the suicide and car bombs but also the more settle form of terrorism, governmental terrorism, the act of using fear to get people to do what they want. AM

"Welcome to Tehran,"he said in unaccented English."You are American, yes?" I nodded, still catching my breath. "I hate America," he continued."It is not personal. I like Americans very much. I went to UCLA for four years." (pg. 239)

These are the words from a man Horwitz meets while finding his way in the streets of Tehran. I do not find these words funny, but different because when you meet someone for the first time, it is uncommon to greet them by bashing their country. If say a man from North Korea was meeting you for the first time, I am sure that your first words would not be,"Hi how are you? By the way I hate your country; nothing personal though." I find it strange that this man at first says "I hate America" but then goes on to say things about how he likes Americans as in the people that live in America, and that he attended school there. Today in schools, especially after 9/11, parents and teachers are trying to educate people that just because a select few Middle Eastern men are considered "terrorists" that doesn't mean that the whole Middle East is full of them. As we are being taught that all middle eastern coutries aren't the same, and Chinese and Japanesse aren't the same, on the flip side the same thing is happening. Because of politics and the way our government has gone into war, all Americans are given this label that we are too power hungry. I think that this quote this man said is a great example of how little everyone knows about everyone else.
*ml

Governing a Place

“It is a useless place and we could not govern it… The Sudan could be made to pay it’s expenses, but it would need a dictator, and I would not take the post if offered to me” (pg176). Charles George Gordon, a British commander in 1884, said the quote above. I believe that it is astonishing how some views of this place has not changed in the eyes of many in over a hundred years. As we look at what was written over a hundred years ago and today is that the fact that now Sudan has oil and is being ruled by the few who are in charge by owning these oil refineries. But even now, we all have herd the man or woman say “Bomb the hell out of them, that will solve the whole problem”. Quotes like this one shows us how little some understand about how fragile a government can be. Even if there was drastic bombing the land will still be there, as well as some people left who would need to find a way to get back into reality, starting with an actual government, throwing a place even further behind in history/ making the problems worse.
ASM.

Solutions?

Although many people do not agree with any U.S. involvement in Iraq, or anywhere in the Middle East, the fact is our military is there. And, depending if you look at is future heaven or hell, troops of ours will probably be there for quite some time. Maybe we need to find out what ‘we can do.’ While most of us will not travel there, at least not “to change the world,” that does not mean we cannot be productive. I have mentioned that things such as pollution and crime need to be changed here, too, but to a much larger degree there. Perhaps because many of the countries are dry and denser than the U.S. as a whole, their pollution stands out? Either way, there are more important matters. The book was one of the only first hand accounts of experiences in the Middle East. I hope that by saying I doubt too much has changed I do not offend anyone. The news, at least, has barely changed its’ theme over the last 10 years. Different people and places are always introduced, but similar themes are used over and over again: the oil industry, Palestinian and Israeli suicide bombings, feuds over religious rights and restrictions, etc. Again, not to insult anyone, but the fact that it has been so long and little change has taken place should indicate something. Whether ‘it’ is that the west needs to intervene is debatable, and of course what the west should do if we do intervene is debatable too; however, I believe that change is needed soon. Changes are not always economical, political, or even within their societal traditions, but ‘it’ has to be along those lines, and drastic. The reason for all this talk of change, to me, is simple: the Middle East is so large and important to the rest of the world in several ways that as long as they ‘suffer’ others may too. I would not mind the abolition of things from the Middle East such as incredible numbers of extremists and terrorists, but I truly believe the Middle East, as a whole, is more important to the world than people realize. Quite selfishly, I want improvement in the Middle East. Sincerely,
C.S.

The UAE boom

Although it was earlier in the book, I wanted to comment on how strange the UAE’s situation when Tony H. visited, seemed to me. I am not ignorant enough to think of the average Middle Easterner as poor, but I certainly do not see the majority of a country being very wealthy. They were not just wealthy in their terms, but ‘western’ terms as well. It was comparable, I believe, since they mentioned the different cars they had. Cars are oftentimes symbols of social status here in the U.S. so the fact they all had new and nice “rides” was impressive. When I think of people in the Middle East who have been successful with oil, I picture a small percentage of an average to below average economic nation. I picture them being the top 9, for example, wealthiest people in that particular nation. UAE undoubtedly had its top winners, but it was fascinating to learn how many people gained so much in such a short time. The thing that will help explain my intrigue with this was how they were still traditional Arabs in many senses. They did not seem like sell-out bread winners to me. They had mixed wealth and comfort into their everyday lives. I found only a few good quotes to display what I’m talking about: “…They came here only on Fridays to race their camels and picnic in the desert. Even the food had been prepared beforehand in Mobarak’s kitchen. ‘It is nice sometimes to live in the old way,’ he said, sipping Pepsi.” “…seemed as much at ease in air-conditioned splendor as he had that afternoon squatting in the sand.” (pgs. 54, 56 respectively) There is no central theme or message to this blog, so I guess I was just intrigued how the U.S. as a nation is not the only one (recently) that is/has benefiting/ed from oil. –C.S.

Finally Fed Up

Throughout the story Horwitz deals with many problems and troubles. He keeps calm while people try to rip him off, while he takes dangerous flights and ridiculous airport security, and when he gets his interviews with important figures rejected. So many bad things happen to him and he keeps on going and keeps enjoying his stay. He always goes on and finds new interviews and pays the people who are scamming him, and goes through the plane rides. I thought that he must have the highest tolerance of anyone I've ever met. But finally at the end of the story he talks about how he has had about enough of all the Middle Eastern mishaps and is just ready to go home. He took so much and is finally ready to leave, I felt this book was very educational and fun to read and Horwitz was very impressive with all that he did.-AB

Just another high school track

I found it quite interesting in the story; Exodus from Egypt: metal fatigue, how he describes the track in Cairo as looking like "a high school field in Lubbock, Texas or Butte, Montana. It seems as though in comparison to some of the other places Horwitz saw, Cairo was the best. It seemed to be the closest to America. Earlier in the book he also describes how he enjoys Cairo and how beautiful it is. During many parts in the book, I found myself thinking about how awful the Middle East is and how different we are from them. But this showed me that, although it's only one small part, not all of the Middle East is baron wastelands filled with crooks and thieves and criminals. Some places could be very similar to us.-AB

Jordan Security

"While I'd been reliving Hebrew school with the redheaded soldier, they'd been having their suitcases emptied, their shoes X-rayed and their orifices probed for weapons..." P. 136

It is sad that the hatred of Jews has gotten that part of the middle east by groups like Hamas and the Palestinians. Imagine going through security where if so much as a hint of dislike for a Jew was displayed, you would be thrown in jail. Obviously it is necessary to have this level of security with all of the suicide bombings, but that does not make the security interesting because of its high level. Going to the extent of a cavity search is pretty gross, but I understand where the Jordan airport is coming from. Every day Israeli people die from car and suicide bombings. It is sad that people have sunk to the level of martyrdom (or what they think is martyrdom) just to regain land from "intruders". Horwitz went through security just fine because he was Jewish, the Islamic couple however, was strip searched. Racial/Religious profiling. To be honest it seems like a much more effective way of security. It is a fact that an american suburban mother is not going to get on a plane with a bomb. Where a middle eastern man, obviously not necessarily having any ties to terrorism or even Islam whatsoever, has a possibility of being a terrorist because Islamic terrorists are from a certain part of the world. This is the same thing that the Jordan airport security did, only with religion. -MAD

Disguise

In Chapter 4, the Persian Gulf: the straight of Hoummos, they are talking about the body of water which people travel from when leaving Dubai. It’s right off the coast of the United Arab Emirates where they’re many “tankers” and big fishing boats. The people describe it as beautiful clear water but they consider it to be one of the world’s most dangerous waterways. In this chapter Horwitz says, “If one goes into Arabia, he should carry his shroud under his arm.” When traveling into Arabia they recommend that they should come disguised because Horwitz went hoping to be able to explore the Persian Gulf but the only way he could get on a ship was if he was hidden because of his job as a reporter. He says, “You must let no current move you from the path you have chosen.” (66) I found it interesting how he had to be careful because of the mines in the water and the chance of a water war happening, and also how he got snuck onto a boat to hide his identity as a reporter where in the US reporters can basically travel anywhere because of their job. -rb

Sudan air

In Arabian Flights: Sky High over Islam, Horwitz discusses the dilemma of getting on the planes and the dangers of actually flying. He talks about how during the haboob season, when the sand storms happen especially often, many planes don't even take off, let alone land safely. As he sat in the airport he noticed one of the runways was already "littered with the charred remains of crafts that hadn't made it." (pg. 211) To Americans this seems ridiculous that some one would even board a plane after seeing this but it seems not very rare in these countries. Horwitz also describes why he would be a perfect target for terrorists. He is one of the only white people aboard the plane so he will naturally stick out. I could not get myself to fly with all these fears but He has to, to get around; I find it impressive that he can even get himself to board the planes. -AB

Different Point of View

"'Attack us? Iraq?'" one man said, genuinely astonished. 'Why? Bush knows how strong we are. America does not want Vietnam again.' The others raised their glasses and shouted their assent.'"(p.280) It's quite interesting to see what they people of Iraq think about the war. Here in America, we believe that our army is very powerful and can overtake any army in its path. But in Iraq, they believe Bush is completely oblivious to the strenghth of the Iraqi army. In the present time, we know that the America does have a stronger army then then Iraq and we captured Saddam and he is now executed. Saddam before he lost his power, had brainwashed his people into thinking no one could defeat Iraq and that they and especially he was all powerful. The Iraqi people obeyed his every word and believed everything he said. America, some people think it was a stupid move for Iraq to become involved in a war but it's the opposite over there. I find it interesting to hear this point of view on the war while knowing how it all played out. -ak

Weapons and Killing (Libya)

"I nodded. Take a head shot, get a head shot. And what kind of gun did he prefer? 'Different jobs demand different guns,' Stead said. 'Now an AK-47, it's got bettter range than your M-16...'" (p.149)

What can you assume about a society where people talk about the best type of weapon for an assasination? Obviously you can assume that it is a violent society. What would you think if you were sitting with some friends and they started discussing what weapon they were going to buy to dispatch someone who rubbed them the wrong way? I know I would think that my friends were crazy. It is just such a different world in the middle east. It is much more primitive to be able to discuss subjects such as that. Stead goes on to describe the mindset of a killer. That you have to hide behind your beliefs basically, just like every last terrorist. Terrorists kill for their cause/religion. -MAD

Weapons and Killing (Libya)

"I nodded. Take a head shot, get a head shot. And what kind of gun did he prefer? 'Different jobs demand different guns,' Stead said. 'Now an AK-47, it's got bettter range than your M-16...'" (p.149)

What can you assume about a society where people talk about the best type of weapon for an assasination? Obviously you can assume that it is a violent society. What would you think if you were sitting with some friends and they started discussing what weapon they were going to buy to dispatch someone who rubbed them the wrong way? I know I would think that my friends were crazy. It is just such a different world in the middle east. It is much more primitive to be able to discuss subjects such as that. Stead goes on to describe the mindset of a killer. That you have to hide behind your beliefs basically, just like every last terrorist. Terrorists kill for their cause/religion. -MAD

culture

Throughout the novel, tradition in the dress of different countries is constantly brought up. In chapter 12 Tony travels to Khartoum along with other reporters. He talks with another reporter who talks about traveling to Muglad and picking up a mosquito disease. He describes the traditions of Muglad's people who "were exotic to me as I was to them" (pg.195) Horwitz describes the tall Dinka men who wore white Arab robes and gracefully greated eachother with the words "sheebak and salaam aleikum" which mean hello, and "peace be upon you." In the U.S. the first saying is normal, but rarely do u see people greeting their collegue by saying "Hey!Let peace be upon you." If you heard that in the U.S. you might give back and awkward smile or laugh. Being curtious and polite is taught by parents to their toddlers when they are young. "Pleases and thank yous" are taught at birth. However, the sincerity of it is often not there. When Horwitz vists the village it seems to me that the village is very important to everyone. They all rely on each other, and show everyone with the respect they deserve. The U.S. is spolied with so much wealth and opportunites that saying "please or thank you" is not always meant as truely as it should.
*ml

Saddam and Hitler...Notice the similarities (please)

"Saddam is like Superman" (pg105). As we see in the book pictures of propaganda of Saddam is everywhere. We see posters put up practically everywhere you turn as well as major monuments such as airports with names such as "Saddam National Airport". If we look back at WWII, it would be very similar in Germany. One of Adolph Hitler's main men was a man by the name of Joseph Goebbels; his job was placing pro-Hitler propaganda everywhere. Any given man would see pro-Hitler posters, names, and monuments in his favor wherever any one was, very much like Saddam.
ASM

knowing so little

While reading Baghdad Without A Map, I got a much better sense of how life is like in the Middle East. Most teenagers think they know what is going on in countries like Iraq and Sudan, but really all they know is what they hear from their parents and on the news. Reading a book by a man who has physically visited these countries gives you a better appreciation for what you have because you learn in his book that life is not as easy as you live it. This book has given me a better understanding of traditions and the cultures in Middle Eastern countries. Styles of dress and politics surround this book. The U.S. needs to be informed more about countries other than our own. Although the U.S. is more technilogically advanced, in a way we are behind in the fact that a majority of Americans do not really know what is happending in outside countries. People need to read more about other lifestyles such as the ones lived in Yemen. You can read all you want, however the best way to truely know something is to live it yourself.
*ml

Hamas on Martyrdom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgzB5n3Cuv0
This is an amazing video on the tactics of the Hamas radical group. It is really worth watching because of the sick and crazy things that they say. Children are taught at young ages that Jihad and the blood of martyrs is the way to win their Jihad on Israel. The video goes on to show a speech of the Hamas leader, who says that whoever fights them is ready to die. The people of Hamas are ready to die because they believve that life after death, with Allah, is better than life itself. An interesting question to raise is: In history, howcome whenever a radical action such terrorism took place in the middle east, the person/group who committed acts of terrorism or murder always hides behind the Koran...? Where is the fine line between right and wrong? To generally answer these questions, I would say that strapping a belt of explosives on your chest and blowing yourself up in a crowded area just is not right. Jihad and martydom may have been acceptable thousands of years ago when the Koran was written, but clearly killing innnocent people to regain your homeland just seems slightly harsh. -MAD

Difference In Travel

Whenever there is a change in travel plans or when something goes wrong, Americans cause chaos and tend to over react to unnecessary events. Tony Horwitz talks about how when he was taking a flight out of Cairo how the pilot didn’t remember that he forgot to fill up on gas until up in the air. If an American was traveling somewhere and mid-flight the passengers found out that the pilot forgot to fill up with fuel everyone would over react and would think that something bad was going to happen, because of post September 11th. It was also interesting to hear about how unorganized the airports were with who was going on which plane, when the planes were leaving and most importantly which plane was going where. In America if people didn’t know what plane they were supposed to be on, or if they knew there was something wrong with the plane they were supposed to get on, they would simply not get on it. After September 11th most Americans have become paranoid about flying becuase they think the security is not strict enough about what people can get away with. Where as it sounds like people just do whatever they want before getting on a plane in the Middle East. -rb

Is Overweight the new "Good Looking"?

In chapter six, Cairo Nights: Dancing Sheik to Sheik, I found it very interesting how the men were attracted to women of a larger size. In America men consider most large women to be disgusting and are not attracted to their physical appearance. In this chapter it is the total opposite. Is it just because these are the only women that they get to see that aren’t covered head to toe in clothing? In America a lot of women are pressured to be skinny mostly because of their hobbies, but in fact, the majority of Americans are overweight. The men described the belly dancers as big ladies with fat bulging out of the clothing that they were wearing, and yet they were still attracted to them. Was it because as the night went on they became more drunk and they were the only women around? Or was it simply because of the difference in society and what they classified as “good looking”? -rb

intimidation

http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1029&p=front&a=2

This article I found to be very interesting as it is about a journalist, Khalid Dallaq who has been what he calls intimidated and unfairly followed by soldiers that are stationed outside his home. The government filed a lawsuit against him which he is now appealing against.I think that this situation is surprising since most news reporters are the ones intimidating and following people, all for a story. In this article it seems as if the tables have been turned.
*ml

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5bSUCj3qk50

I thought it was interesting and was also appalled to see not only the way they treat women but also kids in the Middle East. While reading Baghdad without a Map, we learned that in the Middle East women are considered to be dangerous and are supposed to be protected and controlled by men. In the Middle East, kids are used to protect people by using them as shields, or by making them do dangerous work that no one else wants to risk their lives by doing. Kids aren’t supposed to be running around as “slaves” for other people; they are supposed to be hanging out with their friends having a good time. -rb

Yemen Trying to Disarm Rebels

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0130/p99s01-duts.html


In the article above, Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, is warning the rebels of Yemen to disarm. This action was caused by the death of six government soldiers. I thought it was funny that the president of Yemen was trying to disarm people because acquiring weapons is so simple. You could walk up to almost anybody and buy a knife, gun, or even a tank. I think that limiting weapons is a step to making a safer country, but it may just cause more trouble than good. I also think that what president Ali Abdullah Saleh is trying to do will be impossible. Even if he does manage to disarm the rebels, what will be stopping them from getting more weapons (which they could probably do in a day)? mg

Misunderstanding the Game

"The crowd showed no interest in the scoring, apparently unaware that this was the point of the game."(208) The ridiculous game of soccer that Horowitz participated in could easily be seen as a misunderstood game of soccer. The fans did not enjoy the goals as much as they enjoyed a missed kick or a ball between the legs. Horowitz first saw this as them not having interest in the sport but then he had a realization. It as that this game was a comic relief to this people who spent days waiting for rations of sorghum, and a time for them to have a laugh and a fun time in their very difficult lives. Most people would see it like this, but it is time for them to relax and have some fun. I wonder though is this the only excitement in these peoples lives? Can they have anything else to look forward to or is this it? If that is true than I am deeply saddened because people should have more to look forward to than just a simple game.

TH

Protection in Style: Not Exactly

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6378821.stm

AV wrote a blog about how women are dress this way as a possible way of protection. They claim that if they wear the traditional dress which covers their entire body then they are less likely to be raped or assaulted. In this article(link above)a women claims to be sexually assaulted by policemen. Even though she was wearing the traditional dress, she was still assaulted. So this protection in style thing is put to the test, and it failed mine. No matter what a woman wears, she is always at the same risk for rape and assault. Covering their whole bodies and using that as an excuse is unexeptable. -ak

d

Poverty in Yemen

http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/2683.cfm#down

This is a link to an article regarding the current poverty situation in Yemen. Their economy is one of the slowest growing in the Middle East, but it is growing. However, many immigrants from Somalia make the number of homeless people very high. The article includes an interview with a Somalian woman who came over with her five children to escape the war in Somalia only to find that the situation in Yemen is not much better. 43 percent of the population is making under $2 per day. This is ridiculous! I didn't know that it was such an impoverish country, it is really shocking.-AB

Distiction of Cultures

" After several months in the Middle East I had made a hobby of identiying nationality by the cut of a man's robe, the shape of his headdress, the way he said certain words." (p.90) I find it facinating and I admire Horwitz for spending the time to try to make those distictions between nationalities between their dress and speech. If two men from the Middle East were to walk by me, I would never be able to distinguish the differnce of nationality between them. For this I feel quite ashamed. Sometimes people get so wrapped up in their own countries and the fashions that are big in their country but are unaware of the common dress of the foreign countries. I believe it is very important to know these differences for you can insult someone by calling them a different nationality then what they truely are. An example would be if you called a Japenese a Korean, they would probably find that very insulting. When you are in a different country, you should know their customs and that even includes dress. I truely commend Tony Horwitz for his determination to become more aware of the other cultures that suround him. -ak

Poverty in Sudan

When something is wrong, most people look for something or someone to blame. In Sudan, for example, most would point fingers at their religion or something along those lines. But the fact is that they are a poor country. Their government doesn't provide enough jobs and a citizen is either extravagantly rich or dirt poor. There is such a divide in their social and economical classes. Few are considered "middle class". This is absolutely no way a country should be living. Ideally, people's incomes and "classes" should fall along something that on a graph would resemble a bell curve. However, in places like Sudan, their graph looks more like a V-shaped graph. Good to be on the high end of things, but on the low end, you would live a life in a "hole" that would be very hard to dig yourself out of. In America, we pride ourselves on the idea that you can build a life for yourself all on your own, even if you are born into a life were you are provided with few opportunities. However, over there, you are born into the life in which you will live. It must be awful to live your whole life and learn, while growing up, the difficulty of you ever being able to build a comfortable life with a comfortable amount of money because of what family you were born into. LB

I am amazed to still find that people hate each other enough to kill. It seems that car bombs like this one go off every day. The thing is though, they only seem to kill civilian’s who don’t care much about the war. I think whoever planned to send a car bomb to a popular shopping center, as what happened according to the article, is quite arrogant. Resorting to tactics like this is wrong, mainly because you can kill anyone. Anyone could be walking by when it goes off, and that is usually the case. It kills someone who is not connected to the war in anyway. It also makes it hard to stop because we don't want to stoop to their level, of killing everyone. I think they need to find a solution or compromise quickly because not only is it wrong but a stupid way to fight a war. ed

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/11130498/detail.html

"Iran to Take Part in Iraq Security Conference"

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/28/world/middleeast/01iraqcnd.html?ex=1330318800&en=19827d2513c79f90&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
By:By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr.
Published: February 28, 2007
Accessed: February 28, 2007

This article featured in the New York times is very significant because it will be the first direct, high-level diplomatic contacts between American and Iranian officials in more than two years. The meeting is going to be a regional security conference very important to all countries of the Middle East and it is a big step that Iran will take place. Just like in Baghdad Without a Map there is still conflict with Iran, Afghanistan, and many nations of the Middle East. The question this article makes me think about is why the Middle East is still suffering from problems this day that they were almost ten years ago? Why can conflict not be resolved? Will it ever be?

TH

Exchanging Weapons

While Tony Horwitz spent some time in Libya, he came up with an assessment, which was to go up to random people and ask them for different weapons, curious to see if they would give him what he had asked them for. The reason why he did this was to gain the knowledge of just how easy it is for, say, a terrorist to go up to a person and demand a weapon from them. On page 149, Horwitz discussed the type of weapons he could take from people with a man he was sitting with on the plane, who knew a lot about weapons. It is amazing how in Libya, people can exchange weapons so casually. In America, if anyone was caught illegally exchanging weapons of any sort, they would be thrown in jail. Laws and regulations in the Middle East and laws and regulations in America are so different. America allows things that the Middle East does not, and vice versa. An example of that is, as many of us have discussed to a great extent before, that some Middle Eastern women might not be able to show their faces, but people can, however, exchange weapons freely. - a.v.

Uncomfortable Encounter

“Mercenary for eight years, I was,” Stead said flatly. “Cyprus, Belgian Congo, few other bad spots.” He Laughed. “See the world, kill people.”(148) While waiting in line to board the Libya Air plane Horowitz began to talk with a man named Jim Stead who worked as a diver on an oil installation near Tripoli. They began to talk and Jim told Horowitz that he used to be a Mercenary. In this situation you would believe one would become uncomfortable or uneasy but Horowitz did just the opposite becoming incredibly intrigued. He looked at the mans tattoos and listened to the stories each one had and also looked at the man’s wounds which he so openly showed to Horowitz. They talked about the best gun for doing a “job”, and Horowitz soaked every single bit of information right up. When the landing card came asking religion though Horowitz was frightened to put down Jewish as his religion so he safely put Quaker and exited the plane, with Stead’s address and the invitation to his camp outside Tripoli. Horowitz again in this instance puts himself into a situation that may be seen as uncomfortable some but he has the ability to take information from a man and learn so much about the Middle Eastern culture. My question is why are people so willing to open up to just any stranger on a plane about being a mercenary? How does he have this ability to get people to open up and tell him things that should not be told to just any stranger? Or do they just tell it to everyone?
TH

Israeli Apartheid

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253906,00.html?sPage=fnc.world/mideast

"An independent report commissioned by the United Nations compares Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza to apartheid South Africa "
I found this rather short article to be very interesting for two reasons. One, it made me think of the negative side of Israel. We always hear about how bad the middle east is, which may be true, but we rarely hear the bad things about our ally. Israeli's obviously look down on the palestinians and may even treat them like blacks in the apartheid system of sout africa. The other thing, is the general miss information about Israel. We here are so quick to defend this country, but few really know what is going on over there. (I don't). But they may be just as opressive and cruel as their bordering countries, but they atleast support the U.S. Islamic extremists have a clear goal. To wipe out isreal and the west. But what is israel's goal? Do they want to wipe out the middle east? Or do they want peace in the region? If so, even after war has subsided in the middle east, how do they expect to have peace if they instill this prejudice in their children against arabs? MW

Sudan

When Horwitz went to the Sudan, I thought it was absurd how horribly they lived there, but I realized, it has nothing to do with the people or the religion. There are places in the world that have always been centers for poverty. Africa for example has the lowest number of native animals that can be domistaced for any continent (except antarctica). But that doesn't mean it is something that can't be prevented. There are a lot of charities that go into the sudan to help, but an opressive islamic government and a country constantly at Civil war, it is hard to affect change here because in such turbulant times, the people want to hold on to what they know. It will take time to make a difference here and is something that others should think about. I do not think it is a result of Islam or anything to do with the middle east, but just an example of how geography affect people like this. MW

Outsourcing

Just to make a quick observation how in the story the United Arab Emirates and other countries surrounding the Persian Gulf have few natives boating across the gulf with their oil and other exports/imports. This is neither unfair nor inhumane, they are merely protecting their own people and preventing their citizens from undesirable (and dangerous jobs). I found it interesting how Indians, Koreans and other people from all over the globe were boating across the gulf at around this time. While outsourcing to the point of slavery and poor job treatment is wrong, my argument is when countries such as the U.S. do it, it cannot be blamed. Sweat shops, for example, with all of their atrocities, create jobs for those that have the worst opportunity for them. People working in sweatshops do not always deserve the treatment they receive (rarely ever, seeing as it appears like very poor treatment), but these people are actually improving their lives. From the standpoint of U.S. citizens, it is atrocious that ‘we’ could do this to people within our country, or anywhere outside it just for our ‘material needs.’ While I believe much material possessions-especially those commonly made in sweatshops-are superfluous and trivial, some person some where wants them made. With this continual demand, we will see the misfortunes of the continuation of extremely low wages and poor working conditions. We also need to ask ourselves though, if we would rather have a bad job and barely provide for our family, or not have a job at all and (unfortunately, literally) sift through dumps-thus not getting anywhere. I agree that the majority of outsourcing that the United States of America does is not with the correct integrity or fairness. I wish that selfish company owners would improve wages and conditions for their workers. These business owners won’t unless they are made to, however, because they understand that a) since their workers are already working their hardest his or her (the boss’) company will not improve with increased wages or improved conditions, and b) these jobs that people have are better than no jobs. All of this seems very different than the skilled boating needed throughout the Persian Gulf, but I would argue it is similar. 1. These foreigners-from dangerous places with poor economies-take jobs that the locals refuse to. In the case of the United Arab Emirates, their economy(s) was flourishing at the time, so they had even fewer willing employees than usual. Who can blame people who recently got rich off of the oil industry that don’t want to boat for weeks at a time through bombed and mine-infested seas? Why would anyone take such a dangerous job? In the case of the Indians that Tony meets, they do it because they are good at it. With all of their experience, they have faith they will not blow up. They make sacrifices for their families, however, and take these jobs with POOR CONDITIONS. Something to mull over.
-C.S.

9/11 preventable

Especially with President Bush’s second term, approval for the war in Iraq has decreased a great deal. People say that it has nothing to do with the ‘war on terror,’ yet there have been proven links between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. [See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq27.xml for more]. The problem that I see, with the little I know on the topic, is that previous commander-in-chiefs, one in particular, was too selfish to stop known terrorists (Bin Laden). The following article talks about Clinton’s failure to act on two (maybe more) separate occasions about Bin Laden and proven terrorist crimes. Again, had Clinton done so with just reason there would be no problem. However, he was known to be very nervous when it came to foreign action because he feared anything aggressive would cost him his re-election. Clinton did get re-elected, but Osama Bin Laden executed a near flawless 9/11/01 attack on the citizens United States because he was never captured or killed. I am not even trying to blame any of the deaths of the 9/11 victims on a former president, because of course he had no knowledge of what would happen. He did, however, take his own success over his country’s safety by refusing to work with Sudan and their evidence against Bin Laden (and known associates). http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20030901-102359-9067r.htm
P.S.---As for the credibility of the article it was written by the former secretary of defense (under Ronald Reagan) Caspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger. He was also a former publisher of Forbes magazine and recently passed away.

C.S.

A mask of kindness?

I thought that Libya was a rather contradicting country. They showed no affection or justice for people at some moments and at other moments they seemed to actually care. Libya first gathered up all the reporters they could and enrolled them on a program. The reporters thought they were going to get great stories and maybe see the chemical weapon plant they were convinced was there. The reporters never got any good stories however, and were robbed of hundreds of dollars by the hotel. They paid for a one-week stay with U.S. dollars and were kicked out after a few nights. Their money was refunded in Libyan dinars (a worthless currency). When the reporters were traveling around on the program they saw many mobs chanting, “Down down U.S.A!”. Finally, when Tony is standing in line at the airport his wallet gets stolen. Up until this point Tony along with the other reporters had been treated poorly, but when Tony tackles the guy who stole his wallet things change. The guards take Tony to a room where he tells them what happens. The guards beat up the man who stole Tony’s wallet. They then rush Tony past all security, lines, and checks-ins, and put him on his plane. They also tell him, “There was a mistake, but it has been corrected” and “Remember, this does not happen in Libya”. Why would the guards go through all this trouble to help Tony out when they already shown that they don’t care about reporters or Americans? ed

Shipping Through a Battlezone

Looking back on the chapter of the Persian Gulf, I noticed amazing things about the Iranian men on the shipping boat that Horwitz stayed on. The men were fearless over navigating through mines and persian boats. It reminds me of the American men who king crab-fish in Alaska. Because there are designated months for crab-fishing, the fisherman go out in storms and dangerous weather. King crab fishing in Alaska is said to be one of the most dangerous jobs in our country. When comparing it to being an employee of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (during the Persian Gulf War), it does not seem so bad. Imagine knowing that an unknown water mine could vaporize your boat at any point during the day.
"The last time Kochrekar had made this run from Dubai to Fujairah, just south of the Strait, the supply boat patroling ahead of him struck a mine. Kochrekar reached the scene in time to haul his fellow captain out of the sea. 'The man was not broken but he was swollen with water, like a fish,' he said. The others came ashore in pieces."
Crab fishing in a storm does not seem as bad as hitting a mine on a calm sunny day. Just the thought of "The others came ashore in pieces." is shuddering. How much more complicated would your life be if a war came to our countrie's soil? When the property of a private company is damaged, your profits plummet. Warzones create problems for capitalism. The companies that shipped goods were hurt during the gulf war.
-MAD

The problem has always been there!

Here is an article showing that the problem was not created by the American Invasion- hopefully we can help to solve it (AS)

http://www.slate.com/id/2159936/

Women Gaining Power

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4874990.stm

"I have broken the ice and hope this will benefit the cause of women." said Dr. Khader. This article found on BBC News informed that women in Kuwait are allowed to run as a candidate for the seat in the Salmiya district for the first time in history. This is a huge step towards women's rights in the Middle East and will hopefully have a good turn out. Not only are women allowed to run as a candidate, but also they are allowed to vote (since they were granted equal political rights last year). "They have given us some attention. We became equal," said voter Iman al-Issa talking to AP. This differs from the novel, Baghdad Without A Map, because even though it took place just a few years ago, women then did not have these rights to vote and to run as a candidate as they do now in Kuwait. Hopefully the outcome of women candidates will be successful. -a.v.

Women in Religion

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6392531.stm

Above is a link to a BBC news report that reports on the fact that recently, Islamic Women are now being let to be priests in Morocco. One new women priest(ess) spoke about why women should now be aloud to be part of the bigger picture of religion in middle eastern countries: "Women make good priests because God has made them more sensitive, merciful and more patient than men!" I thought this was relatively interesting because it is relatively true based on the behavior of men in the various other middle eastern countries and I think it will be interesting to see how this new radical movement will play out. AM

Faces of the Dead

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/20061228_3000FACES_TAB1.html

This a interactive thing that allows you to search a name, hometown, or state of a fallen US solider in the Iraq war. To us, or most certainly to me, the war seems so far away it almost feels like a story or a movie and that all these events we hear about so much aren't really happening. To play around with this "faces of the dead" thing, it hits home and makes you think about how every single square in the picture that they show repesents a real person. A father perhaps, a friend, someone who was just like you and they lost their lives in the war. To put all these faces to people that you hear about dying in a helicopter accident or a shooting, really makes you think. I saw that 4 people died today, one year ago. Today the families and friends of 4 different people mourn the death of a young solider. It hurts my heart to know that people everyday suffer over the lost of their loved ones over in Iraq and that people are still dying over their. Maybe even as I type this, a poor, young solider lost his/her life for their country. LB

Harmony

"War is the only language Jews Understand"(page 133). In this region of the world, war is such a big part of people's past and even present. War to us is something that is happening so far away and almost seems unreal. However, Middle Easterns, especially people in Israel and Iran, war is a part of their world. There is a strong hatred between Israel and Iran. It reminds me of the rivialry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Only the baseball teams fight with bats and balls. Red Sox fans and Yankees fans always bicker and when the teams come together, it is like a baseball war. Sometimes fights even break out in the stands or once in a while on the field. But yet, Sox and Yankees fans have to live in a some what harmony. Israel and Iran will always have that rivialry but hopefully one day citizens can live among one another peacefully and not bicker and fued. Hopefully there will not be wars between the two in the furture and the countries and their citizens can learn to live as peaceful neighbors. LB

Differences

People including Americans tend to not know much about other cultures. I am no different. When I think of the Middle East I picture a place were everyone is the same, the same clothes, food, religion and traditions. I am getting better at recognizing differences, but still am not where I would like to be. Tony Horwitz discovers a difference for himself. “The first thing you notice, coming to Israel from the Arab world, is that you have left the most courteous region of the globe and entered the rudest.” This is a bit of a stereotype but a good beginning. Not all the Israelis are nasty and Arabs nice but to him there seems to be a pretty obvious distinction between the two. The Israelis have been affected by different events, ideas, customs, and problems; therefore the people will have a different disposition. ed

"Crazed Cabbies"

“Cus ummak!” he screamed, finally giving in. Cus ummak is the one Arabic phrase known to every Israeli cabbie. It means “your mother’s cu*t.”(Page 138). All of theses harsh words were delivered to Horowitz while taking a cab ride in Israel. Not only do the cab drivers recklessly drive through the crowded streets, but they also try to cheat everyone out of their money. They hide their meters in the glove compartment, so that no one can see them and they can run the price up on you as much as they want. Horowitz was very aware of their scheming ways, and confronted his cab driver asking him to turn the meter on so he would not be cheated out of his money. Upon reaching his hotel the driver asked for ten shekels for the fare of the half mile they drove without the meter on and he yelled at Horowitz, who yelled back and won the argument causing for that dramatic outburst by the cab driver. I think this conflict with the cab driver shows how criminal, and unjust so many people in the Middle East are. I know it may sound and I will be criticized for generalizing all of the Middle East as I have before, but the sad part is that it is the harsh truth. Why are so many people in all of these countries in this area thief’s and crooks? Everywhere you turn you are getting scammed by someone. You cannot trust anyone, and why is that? If people think that one day this region of the world can get along with all of the others in the world I think we need to look again and see what these people do, and how many wrongs they do, and why they do them?

TH

Slim Irony

In Cairo, the night clubs are very different from those in America, and the women who are performers in each night club are also quite different from each other. In Cairo, the people cheered for the belly dancers even though they were not particularly skinny, the way most American men like women to be. When Horwitz asked the manager of the club what he thought of the dance the dancer was performing, the manager said that “My customers drink, they joke, they say bad words. They do not know good dance or bad dance.” (95)
This passage of the novel proves that America is filled with people that believe that being skinny is the right way. In other countries, including many countries in the Middle East, it certainly shows that the men there don’t particularly care for skinny women. Belly dancers are actually known for having curves, but I know that I once believed that belly dancers had “perfect” figures. I was wrong. It is very interesting how men of different countries see and treat women. In America, men treat women better, I believe, but they also demand beauty (as in skinniness). In the Middle East, the majority of men treat women like dirt, but they are more open to not so beautiful appearances. Why is that? -a.v.

How Could They Live Like This?

I could not believe the extent of poverty in Southern Sudan. I had always heard about starving children and the like, but I never realized it until reading Southern Sudan: Six Dinka Deep. Horwitz talked how "they were eating grass and tree leaves to stay alive". What a horrible way to live. These people have absolutely nothing, and yet they still care for each other. "A middle aged man named Andreea Atyek had come north to search for his three children, snatched two years before in an Arab raid. He had wanted to come earlier, he said, but felt he had to provide first for his remaining family members" (205). After reading this, I felt ashamed to go down and eat my dinner of steak and potatoes. I had so much that I couldn't finish, and that made me feel even worse. These people would kill for some of the food that I had, and I was just throwing it away? It really made me appreciate the saying "finish your food there are starving children in Africa". I wish more people would appreciate what they have, and give more to relief efforts. Even giving a few dollars to be able to wear jeans many people don't do, even though the money goes to great charities. At The Governors Academy we should do more to help these starving nations.
Another thing that struck me was about the quality of life in Beirut. It is a war zone, bombs are going off right in front of people, entire city streets are being leveled, and people still live there. How can people live in a country where at any second they could be killed by a bomb? I was very surprised that people actually were returning to Beirut after they had left. As one man said it, "its home", but how can home be a place where you and your family might die at any second? *gr*

Quote Unquote Living

In the Natural History Museum, one of the more prominent museums in Khartoum, "the Living Collection was mostly dead" (176). That statement seems to most accurately describe the residents, and the city itself, of Khartoum, Sudan. They are like the opposite of the living dead; people supposed to be living, but all of their dreams and hopes are dead. There seems to be nothing to live for, certainly not pride in ones country. It is a shame that their museum has be so neglected as so that most of their exhibits are dead. They don't even care enough to feed the animals, never mind make a healthy habitat, replace the animals when they die, or even take the animals out of their cages when they succumb to starvation. Besides feeling bad for the poor animals, I also felt bad for the people. Where is their pride, their desire to have a great country? The people seem to sit back and watch as their world crumbles around them. Most want to escape the degradation and poverty that they call home, but once they realize that it is almost impossible, they sit and wait. They are waiting for what? Allah to come rescue them? Where is the drive to make a better life for themselves instead of waiting for someone to help them? Al-Rabaa, the curator of the museum, tried to raise money abroad, but when no one responded, he was content to sit back and wait for some one to magically appear, instead of taking action and trying harder. How are we supposed to help them if they don't want to help themselves? It seems to me that the entire country of Sudan has become like the Natural History Museum, considered living, but actually dead. *gr*

Journalistic Integrity

Journalistic Integrity

While reading about how the journalists in Libya were reporting their news, I realized how easy it is too be fooled by the media. Many of the reporters were simply reporting rumors! "The pack circled again, pens poised, taking down details that were now tenth-hand" (153). Don't the reporters care that the information they are getting could be completely false? How are we supposed to believe anything that we read in the newspaper, now knowing that it could be the busboy's opinion on something he never even considered before that moment? The duty of a journalist is to report the news fairly and truthfully. However, all these journalists are one step above making up their stories. It scares me to think that we don't know virtually anything about the world around us because we have no idea if the information we are fed has any truth in it. This reminds me of some of George Orwell's novels, and most of the Middle East in general, where newspapers blatantly publish lies on their covers. How do we know that this is not happening right here in the United States? *gr*

The Middle East; Racist!

"The second striking thing about Israel, arriving from the Arab world, is how much the two cultures have in common" (138). Israel and the rest of The Middle East have so much in common, but they refuse to get along. Many Middle Eastern countries won't even stoop to call Israel their proper name, instead naming it "the Zionist entity" or something else along those lines. Some even refuse to believe that Israel is its own country, instead saying that it is still under their control. Israel is not completely free from blame. They seem intolerant of their Middle Eastern neighbors, letting Horwitz go with out inspection because he was Jewish, but detaining his Palestinian friends for further interrogation. This prejudice has almost no foundation. These countries are almost identical; Arabic and Hebrew are very similar, many people from Israel are from immigrants from the Muslim world, and their recent history is almost identical. Why do these countries hate each other then? Their hatred seems to me to stem from two ideas; fear and anger. The Israelis seem too different to the Muslims, and vice versa, and therefore they are scared of one another. The most apparent difference between Israel and the Arab world is their religion. Obviously, people from Israel are Jewish, and people from Arab countries are Muslim. They don't know about each others religion, and it is human nature to fear the unknown. Also, people who live is Israel are mostly immigrants from other countries. There must be some resentment from the Arab countries that they are losing people to this pagan nation. There is also the fact that Israel created their own country, how dare they do that! The Middle East must think that Israel is very egotistical; people in Israel think that they are special enough to have their own country! This hatred between Israel and the Muslim world reminds me of racism in the US between the whites and blacks. We hated each other simply because of the color of our skin, even though we spoke the same language, had almost the same history and saluted the same flag. Israel and the rest of the Arab world need to come to terms with each other and stop this blatant racism. *gr*

Finally Understanding

While reading the chapter titled "The Iraq-Iran Front: Bodies" I was struck about how real the war suddenly seemed to me., The descriptions by Horwitz of the bodies and death hit me hard. Even though Horwitz visited Iran and Iraq about 18 years ago, this is probably a similar description of what is happening today. I think most of America does not really know what is happening in Iraq; the death and destruction. Sure, we hear about it on the news, but I for one don't really watch the news that often. We certainly hear about the death toll, but that seems to just the numbers; I don't connect the figures with the faces. Reading this chapter in Baghdad With Out a Map, I actually realized what our soldiers go through when they are deployed, and how people actually die over there; go figure. The war became real to me; but I wondered, how many other average Americans don't realize what is actually going on in Iraq? Many people say that they don't support the war, but most of that is politics. How many of the soldiers didn't fully realize what they were getting themselves into when they signed up? Maybe we need to educate more people about what actually happens overseas instead of just throwing a bunch of numbers at them.
Another thing which struck me was the emotional detachment of the reporters. They seemed to not even care about the hundreds of dead soldiers littering the ground. One American journalist even said "This is all very scenic... but where are all the goddamn bodies?" (124). Aren't they affected by the death all around them? I know that reporters can not be biased, and are not supposed to have feelings about the event, but where is the compassion which would help their readers understand the war better? *gr*

Not So Far From '84

Although at first I thought the comparison between Saddam and Big Brother from Eric Blair’s (George Orwell) 1984 was unoriginal. Then I realized why it had been made: when Tony, the other foreign reporters, and the Iraqi officials are going to the battlefield to see the “bodies,” the airport’s attempt at normality is described. “To bolster morale, the Iraqis also tried to carry on as though the war hadn’t disrupted everyday life…Every passenger on board was a reporter or Iraqi official. No commercial planes had flown to Basra for years.” (pg. 120) None of this is strange, least of all in a country where the regime in power is very strict. By creating the situation on the flight that without a doubt had no commercial intent, reminded me of 1984. Another large similarity was the extreme press censorship. Of course every country has it-the U.S. supposedly leaves out the most graphic stories, images, etc.-but Iraq got away with ridiculous amounts of it. “…In eight years of war, no Iraqi defeats and no Iraqi casualties were ever reported.” (pg. 106) C.S.

getting a room

In the short story the hotel teller says right at the beginning "I
can't give you a room it's against the law for woman." At first she
cannot understand why she cannot get a room, earlier she did not tell
them she was a woman, so they suspected that she was a man, and got a
room with no problem. This is a prime example about the roles of woman
and men in Middle Eastern society. Also woman in the culture cannot
even walk down a public street without the proper attire, as well as
without a male escort. This is why it will be more and more difficult
for some of the countries in this region of the world to become
modern, because while half of there people are not allowed to even be
educated, only half of their people are allowed to have a chance at
succeeding in life.

ASM

The Middle East Compared to... The Middle East

In reading the prologue to The Nine Parts of Desire I found it interesting that there are such extreme differences in woman's rights even in direct bordering countries. It talked about how in Pakistan they were the first to elect a woman prime minister, but in countries like Saudi Arabia women are oppressed and infinitely disrespected. "In Saudi Arabia’s neighboring state, the united Arab emirates, Muslim women soldiers, their hair tied back in Islamic veils, jump from helicopters and shoulder assault rifles. a little farther, across the Persian gulf, the strict Muslims of Iran vote women into parliament"- page 5. Again, I learned something that I had no idea about, I will be the first to admit i know very little about middle Eastern countries, and as ignorant as it sounds I thought most were relatively the same but as I have come to realize through reading this book so far, and this passage for Nine Parts of Desire, I have come to learn that no, the Middle East is not basically just one big country, but in a lot of cases Middle Eastern countries are different from other Middle Eastern countries like we are different from say, England or a European country. AM

"Islam is the Answer"

While Ms. Brooks was in Egypt she met a woman named Sahar whom she believed embodied western life in the middle east. She called her a "yuppie". Yet when the month for the holiday Ramadan arrived, Sahar became a completely different person. She wore a veil instead of the business suit. When Geraldine Brooks asked, Sahar replied "Islam is the Answer". For muslims, it would be impossible to den this statement. How can a believer in God argue that something is greater than him, No matter what religion you are a part of. It just so happens that in the middle east it is Islam. Thats one of the problems for denying the radical ideas. How can you argue to defy the Koran in muslim countries? Even if it means (from a westerners point of view) exploiting women. In the western world we become more and more secularized as time passes, but if you believe in God, ask yourself, is there anything more important? Most truly religious people would say no. So here is Geraldine Brooks baffled by a woman she thought her middle eastern counterpart. She immediatly describes how Sahar veiling herself is like watching a butterfly re entering a cocoon. How it is for desperate people to look for heavely solace and how she has the worth of 1/2 a man, and can be beaten for misbehavior. But does Sahar believe in God? Most likely. And Is Mohammed her prophet and the Koran God's word? Yes. So if in the Koran it describes a lifestyle like this, and She deems herself a good Muslim how is it wrong to follow this? More importantly what right does Geraldine Brooks have to look down upon her and her "backwardness?" MW

The Roots of Oppression

While reading the prologue to nine parts of desire, the part which struck me most was when it talked about the prophet Muhammad and his many wives and how his life led to all the current oppression of women. As god told him his lessons about his wives and how he could have more than 4 and then that they must remain secluded or covered at all times, it slowly explained the traditions which are still major points of their religion and society today. I also found it interesting how the women being covered was hardly resisted in the neighboring countries and in some places it was actually an honor to be allowed to conver oneself and if a slave was caught doing this she could have "molten pitch poured over her head" (pg.5) This was very different from what i would have thought. It was a sign of class to have to cover yourself in public, it seems ridiculous to me but it is their customs. To see where the oppression began and how it was excepted was really interesting for me. -AB

unfortunate traditions

Gerladine Brooks’ Prologue to Nine Parts of Desire at first glance seems to be a personal story of herself being rejected from staying overnight in a hotel in the city of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. After reading further, you soon realized that not being allowed to stay in a hotel was the least of problems. Brooks’ uses her experience to further describe the life of women in the Middle East. Brooks describes how women are looked upon as being “dangerous” and how staying alone in a hotel room for a few hours can result in the presence of an armed guard at the entrance of the elevator.

“They must think I’m dangerous,” I muttered. The bellman didn’t smile. “The think all women are dangerous,” he replied, dropping my bag just inside the door and retreating under the guard’s watchful eye.” (pg. 2)

This idea to me is puzzling since women are essentially oppressed by the men. A woman cannot walk alone unless she is a prostitute, has to be fully dressed, and can be just another of her husbands many items. Where is the “dangerousness” in that? After reading about Brooks personal story, I felt like I had a better understanding of the traditions surrounding the lifestyle of someone living in the Middle East. If the U.S. and Saudi Arabia changed lifestyles for one day, I can guarantee chaos. No one likes change, but in the U.S. change has proven, in the subject of more equality for women, that change has benefited our way of life. On the other hand, what if the traditions did change in Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia maybe more good things could come out of it that bad. However tradition is tradition and by what it seems, it doesn’t look like anything is going to change for women’s rights soon.
*ml

Women Hated in Saudi (and the rest of the Middle East)

After reading the fist half a page of this prologue I was immediately filled with disgust of the Middle Eastern culture. Geraldine Brooks the author of Nine Parts of Desire was denied the simple task of checking into a hotel in Saudi Arabia. She did not have anywhere else to go and was forced to sleep at the police station where she was surrounded by jail cells in a very harsh environment. All of the time in these Middle Eastern societies women are completely mistreated. They are looked down upon, made mockery of, and not even allowed to show their faces or any other parts of their bodies and some countries. Everything about the treatment of women in these countries is cruel and unjust and should not be permitted anywhere on earth. The treatment women receive is not right and I believe action should be taken to change the many ways of these countries horrible mistreatment of women.

TH

Protection In Style

After reading the prologue of Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks, it was brought to my attention that different regions and countries have different styles of clothing that are acceptable for women to be allowed to wear. In the novel, Geraldine works with a Middle Eastern woman, Sahar, who was first known for her "poise and sophistication" (6). Later when Geraldine saw her during Ramadan, Sahar was dressed in the "uniform of a Muslim fundamentalist" (7). As I read on, it was clear that Sahar prefers to wear hijab - the Islamic dress. It is surprising that such a wealthy and sophisticated woman would rather wear hijab than her normal Westernized clothing. We Americans assume that all of the women in the Middle East would prefer to dress more similar to the Westerners. We are, however, quite wrong, because a counterexample is that Sahar would rather dress in hijab because it gave her "security on Cairo's bustling streets." (9) It is very rare that veiled girls get raped, so by wearing hijab, it makes some women such as Sahar feel more protected. As much as women might seem to get too protected by the men of the Middle East, it is evident that they would rather be protected than to have no protection at all. -a.v.

Right or Wrong

After reading the prologue to Nine Parts Desire by Geraldine Brooks, I realized just how poorly women are treated by Islam’s. A first example of the discrimination against women would be when; Geraldine Brooks was unable to get a room in a hotel without special permission because she was by herself. In a way women are forced into marriage, which can be just as harsh as the outside world. Women can be beaten by their husbands if they disobey him, are forced to share his attentions with three other wives, can be divorced whenever, and can lose custody of their children. I could not imagine many people who would enjoy these things happening to them.
When Geraldine interviews Sahar, I was amazed by some of her responses. Sahar believes that men and women are “different”. She agreed with the decision that banned all women from being judges in Islamic courts. She claims, “ Women are more emotional than men, because God has designed them to care for children. So, in court, a woman might show mercy where logic demands harshness.” What about the cases where logic demands mercy? Serah also claims that when she wears the Hijab she feels protected. She doesn’t have to fear going out in public in it. This is great for her, but what about the women who want to go out in public without it and without fear. Not all Muslim countries treat women 2nd rate, but everyone should have a choice like Sahar. “Islam did not have to mean oppression of women. So why were so many Muslim women oppressed?” This is a great question, and I have no answer for it. ed

Culture Shock

In the year 2008, Hilary Clinton will be the first woman running for president. Travel to the Middle East and say that people would never believe you. A woman, in their eyes, is property for them to handle at their will. It's not as if men just discriminate against woman, they create laws to restrict the things that woman can do. For example, when Geraldine Brooks tries to rent a room, the hotel receptionist says "But you are a woman..I can't give you a room. It is against the law for woman."(p1) That amazes me that a hotel would refuse to rent out a room to someone because of their sex. It reminds me of in Remeber the Titians when a restuarant refuses service to two men because they are black. It seems ridiculous to us now if anyone was to refuse someone service because of any dicrimantory reasons, but back then it was completely acceptable. It is the same way in the Middle East. Everyone accepts these certain ideas about woman because that's just how it is. In the Holocaust, same idea. The Jewish were lower than everyone else because that's the belief that was spread. It's so funny how easily people are influenced and how people can just believe the ideas they are forced to believe. People are affected by each other and their surroundings. The idea that woman are below men is just simply common sense in their part of the world, and personally, I think its outrageous to think that any person is below anyother human being.
LB

Behind Every Great Man

As the saying goes, “Behind every great man is a great woman.” This proverb hits the nail right on the head when describing Muhammad, the holy prophet of Islam, and Khadija, his wife. Muhammad was illiterate, poor, and orphaned, but yet he marries a rich business woman, Khadija. What is even funnier is that she had proposed to him. Even when Muhammad was most vulnerable, Khadija was there to help him. It was she which Muhammad had turned to when he was starting to question his sanity after his first visions of the angel Gabriel. “Then he made his way to his wife on his hands and knees and flung himself across her lap. ‘Cover me! Cover me!’ he cried, begging her to shield him from the angel (page 3, Nine Parts of Desire).”
Though Khadija had helped him through life, Muhammad had started to proclaim that God believes that men are superior to women (this event taking place after Khadija’s death). I found it very strange that Muhammad now tried to spread oppression over the very type of person who was his greatest aid through life. -mg

Qat

I thought that the idea of how people in such a poor country would spend a good part of their money everyday on what is simply a drug. My first thought was how pathetic it was that people would do that and why would they do that. Than, it hit me how so many people in our own country spend $20 on beer or cigarettes and how our country, just like theirs, has its own addiction. Only our addiction causes all sorts of cancers and health problems, often death. So many of my peers reactions were how stupid and strange it was that these people do this "drug". It is as if people dont see that what they are critizing is happening all around them. Qat is a funny thing that I've never heard about until this book, but now im most certainly intrigued by it.
LB

Lack of Trust and Respect

It’s sad to think about the lack of trust and respect women receive in the Middle East. In the prologue of Nine Parts of Desire, Geraldine Brooks talks about her personal experience with life in the Middle East. When she tried to check into a hotel, they refused to allow her to stay there, because women were not allowed to travel alone or else they would be considered a whore. In the Middle East men are allowed to have up to four wives, because they believe women need to be protected or they would be considered dangerous. Because of the stereotypical precedents set on women because of Mohammed’s wives, in the Middle East they believe a woman should not be left unattended. This reminds me of the laws about children in America, and how it is illegal to leave little kids in the car by themselves for just a minute while you run into the grocery store or something. As kids, we think that is the most ridiculous law ever, but how do you think the women in the Middle East feel about always having to be supervised or under the control of men? If women are considered to be dangerous in the Middle East and yet men control them, why wouldn’t men be considered dangerous, too? -rb

Dangerous Women

"'They must think I'm dangerous,' I muttered. The bellman didn't smile. 'They think all woman are dangerous.'"(p.2) Reading the prologue of Nine Parts of Desire, it was hard to believe that this hotel went to such great measures to make sure a woman was following the rules. Dangerous was not a word that I thought would be used to describe women in the Middle East. Men could have up to four wives because it was unfit for a woman to live alone and she would not be able to survive. It is also believed in those countries that women are ruled by their emotions which is a reason they need to always be under a man's thumb. So how can a woman that is always ruled, protected, by a man possibly be dangerous. "But out on the streets, among the ordinary people I really wanted to meet, most men only spoke to women to whom they were related. To them, being approached by a lone woman reporter was either an occasion for embarrassment or an opportunity to test the widely held assumption that all Western women are whores."(p.6) Women are now so dangerous that the men only talk to ones they are related to. Why are the lone women reporters compared to a whore? The men of these countries believe that women who talk to them with a man not by their side must indeed be a whore for if she wasn't she would have a man at her side. Women should be allowed to talk to a man without having the assumption that she is a whore and also should be allowed to stay in a hotel room alone. Allow women to have rights for it would be a huge step to become Westernized. -ak

A world different from ours (9 parts of desire)

Change is inevitable. If any form of institution or entity failed to change, it would not mix with the rest of the world. A perfect example of this mentality of living in the past is the Islamic Establishment. Poeple have not changed their beliefs for thousands of years which is absolutely insane. Many of these people are still living in the dark ages. As society changes, so must you. The belief that god created man to exceed the abilities of a female is just purely outdated/wrong. Imagine going to a hotel and being denied a room because you are a female. Any female who had been unexposed to the islamic culture would be extremely shocked and insulted. Even in middle-eastern history, women have proved themselves and yet still have half of the testamony that a man has in court. One of the most disturbing parts of the unequal rights in the middle east is that many women have not realized the atrocities of how they are being treated. Instead, they accept the law and the fact that men are greater. Women leave the catholic church here merely because of the opinions on birth control and abortion. In the middle east, women pray to allah every day and get flogged when they misbehave. Clearly Americans do not understand this mentality, Geraldine Brooks could not even find the answer to this strange loyalty. "I learned that one of the words for woman, hormah, comes from the same root as the words for both holy, sacrosanct, and sinful, forbiden." What makes the least amount of sense out of all of this, is that women are praised, and holy, yet "kept on a leash". Basically, the Koran says that if women are good, praise them, if they are bad then punish them. It sounds like a guide on how to train wild dogs not human females. Its just like AK said, "Wives or Pets?" Obviously it depends on how one translates the Koran, but in an extremist type interpretation, this is one of the crazy things that happens every day in the middle east and frankly, is an insulting aspect of the islamic tradition. MAD

Neighbors Try to Teach Saudi Arabia; Fails

While reading Nine Parts of Desire, I couldn't help but notice how Saudi Arabia continues to be held captive by its traditions. Brooks says that women in the neighboring United Arab Emirates "have their hair tied back in Islamic veils, jump from helicopters and shoulder assault rifles" (5). She also mentions how Iran and Turkey, as well as other Muslim nations, all have women in positions of power and prestige. In Saudi Arabia however, all the women are horrifically oppressed, They can not do anything with out their husbands, including sleep in a hotel alone, a basic right of which, in America, we would not dream of not having. Saudi Arabia says that the women in the West have way too many freedoms and that they are "whores". However many women in Saudi Arabia's neighboring countries, which can certainly not be considered Western, have many of the same opportunities and rights that women in the United States and other Western countries have. Saudi Arabia needs to learn from their neighbors and modernize their views about women. gr

Eygptian blogger sentenced for blog insult

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm

Posted by KG


Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'
An Egyptian court has sentenced a blogger to four years' prison for insulting Islam and the president.
Abdel Kareem Soliman's trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.

He had used his web log to criticise the country's top Islamic institution, al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator.

A human rights group called the verdict "very tough" and a "strong message" to Egypt's thousands of bloggers.

Soliman, 22, was tried in his native city of Alexandria. He blogs under the name Kareem Amer.

A former student at al-Azhar, he called the institution "the university of terrorism" and accused it of suppressing free thought.

The university expelled him in 2006 and pressed prosecutors to put him on trial.

'Slap in the face'

During the five-minute court session the judge said Soliman was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mr Mubarak.


On blogs everyone is allowed to write what they want. This proves how unintelligent the president and Al-Azahr are
Kasia


Egypt arrested a number of bloggers who had been critical of the government during 2006, but they were all subsequently freed.
Hafiz Abou Saada of the Egyptian Human Rights Organisation called the sentence "a strong message to all bloggers who are put under strong surveillance".

The UK-based organisation Amnesty International said the ruling was "yet another slap in the face of freedom for expression in Egypt".

Fellow blogger Amr Gharbeia told the BBC it would not stop Egyptian bloggers from expressing opinions as "it is very difficult to control the blogosphere".

There have been no reported comments on the sentence from the Egyptian authorities.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6385849.stm

Published: 2007/02/22 14:48:36 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Iranian Prisoners

I thought it was very interesting how the Iraqi prison was described. Not much description was given about both the prison and the inmates and I was struck by the lack of emotion. It didn't really seem as if Tony Horwitz saw these people as they were. They are in a country were people are known to be treated in humanely as it said the prisoners were "writhing from gruesome wounds", but I would think that this scene would stir emotion more than it appeared to. For instance, a 22 year old man scribbled a note asking Tony Horwitz to tell his brother he is still alive. It seems as if he brushed off this prison scene too quickly. Maybe he is excluding emotion so we as the reader can interpret it ourselves, but that would contradict his interjections and thoughts throughout the book. I think the lack of physical and emotional description in this scene was interesting.MW

Schools for Peace

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070213-025944-3463r
This story caught my attention because it shows how education is the key to peace in the Middle East. The Taliban does not want education because it will make people think for them selves which would obviously be a threat to the Taliban. It shows how Islam, although not a violent or oppressive religion, has become violent in order to push the agenda of a frightened people in a chaotic region.
It was devastating to learn how many people’s dreams had been ruined by a government starved for power and purpose. These people, determined to educate themselves to improve their country, are the hope for peace. They would accept all religions, because they would feel secure and therefore unthreatened by other religions; they would not need to put other people down. In their self-peace, they would not need the rock of anger to make them feel secure. The Taliban does not want peace because then they would not be in power. They need power to feel useful. They have grasped that their anger can survive only in war, like how many revolutionary leaders kept creating a crisis situation, because they could not control a peaceful country. Education would create a people who thought for themselves. A thinking person would except all religions and would never burn the schools that perpetuated peace. as

Great Website for Articles about The Middle East

A great website for news and articles regarding The Middle East written by reporters from The Middle East is the Middle East Times. It has both articles about Middle Eastern Countries and international news. Subjects include Business, Culture, Women, and Sci-Tech. One article that I found fascinating was that Iran is looking to create a women-only island for female tourists. Check it out!

www.metimes.com

gr

The Strength of the Hijab

Geraldine Brooks appears to misinterpret the role of religion in the life on the Arab woman. Iit was fascinating to learn that Mohammad changed his views on women, as it became convenient to lock them away. However we must keep in mind that Ms. Brooks appears biased and that there must be a lot of conflicting information about what happened in the 7th century. In defense of the Prophet, maybe it is better for his wives to live away from men, where their reputations will not be sullied by ridiculous gossip and they will be free to focus on more important things. Geraldine Brooks seemed most upset not about the religious, but about the fashion, conversion of her friend Sahar, yet if a woman has enough self-respect to wear ugly clothes and still feel good, then we can only envy her and perhaps try and emulate her strengh. Sahar felt freer in the hijab to focus on work, walk the streets, and make friends. She also felt more connected to her religion. Brooks seems to treat the conversion as a sort of mental illness, that adhering to religious beliefs so strongly is as hard to understand as the mind of a schizophrenic.She believes Sahar has imprisoned herself. Yet we should admire those with such strong beliefs and the will-power to maintain them. Indeed, Brooks would herself if she did not think they clashed so strongly with her own feminist ones. Her feminism seems to believe that there is one way for a woman to live a productive and happy life. This life does not seem to include ugly clothes or a faithful and strong connection to God and one’s faith. Yet is the one way of life for an Arab woman which drives her so insane. If Brooks seems to forget that a woman’s strength is oftentimes to look around and draw in the good from different ideas, not to be as militant as the men who fight wars. Because she forgets this, she forgets that she has no right to feel anger with the Islam which has made her friend so happy and free. She should be happy, for the peace of Sahar’s Islam may allow her to use the strength she derives from the hijab to bring peace to other Islamics. There are different ways to live and fight. as

Culture Shock

"After several months in the Middle East I had made a hobby of identifying nationality by the cut of a man's robe, the shape of his headdress, and the way he said certain words." -90 When he said this i was impressed with the ability to pick up such details and knowledge in the limited amount of time he had been a part of this foreign culture. I feel as though, and we have discussed this many times, the fact that we know so little about the middle east even after so much media coverage over the last couple of years still amazes me. When Horwitz describes the differences in the apparel of the people, and he distinguishes the differences between the different cultures it fascinates me, because before i was totally blind towards the fact that different robe cuts meant different cultures and different countries. In the beginning of this seen he is sitting at a bar examining people walking in and he then explains the fact that he could distinguish visitors from other countries from the people who are part of the town. It just opened my eyes to the fact that there really is so much unknown to me about Middle Eastern culture that it makes me wonder what else could possibly be so different. For me, if I sat down to eat at a restaurant I would not be able to tell a person from across the country or across the town, so it fascinates me to think that there culture is rich enough to have such differences even as specific as robe cuts and differently folded head dresses. AM

The World as an Enormous Dinka Soccer Field

Tony Horwitz, although a funny guy and very brave, is nearly as intolerant as the Arabs he makes fun of for their intolerance. He views them with a prejudiced eye and makes many Arabs appear ridiculous caricatures rather than real people. He never edits their grammar, so we end up interpreting most of Arab’s comments as ridiculous and juvenile, rather than insightful. He seems to underline more than anything that they cannot speak English. When he meets Mr. Z in Tehran, he shrugs off Mr. Z’s name as pointlessly long and incomprehensible to him, a Westerner, while to Mr. Z himself his name is obviously of immense significance and pride. He does not even bother to discover the truth about someone, which might lie in a name. He portrays the Dinka as unable to comprehend the concept of shirts and skins. To his mind this is a simple concept. Misinterpreting it is ridiculous and asinine. But the Dinka have never come across it; their people would rather walk naked and they are happy enough to oblige the strange white man. Horwitz never considers that perhaps his directions were incomprehensible He laughs at their field and focuses on their physical attributes more than any personal ones. He does not absorb the sheer joy and bravery of these starving people playing soccer. He comes with the idea that there is a right and a wrong way to play, just like East and West come to the UN table. He wastes a lot of time discussing broken telex machines (does anybody know what these are, by the way?) and whining about the inconveniences of phones and travel instead of discovering what is so distracting these people from modernization or perhaps, what is more important to them. He makes fun of the quotations in his Yemeni travel book, certain that they are impossible to understand. But perhaps he has not opened his mind to different ways of thought. Well that sounds familiar doesn’t it? It is exactly what he says about Arabs. To the Arabs mind, he is a stupid, pampered American who plots to overrun their countries, while to his they are stupid, backwards and lazy. He refuses to look beyond his American mindset at the desert in front of him and try to understand why these people have become what they have, and, if what they are is so bad after all. Modernization is not a synonym for Westernization: what is so great about a telex machine in the first place? What is wrong with living in a city half falling down when its people are still standing up? What is wrong with playing soccer on a enormous field without keeping score? America keeps score and the Middle East keeps score and it has ended in two wars and thousands dead. Maybe we should try it the Dinka way. Modernization does not mean becoming enclosed by dull technology, but interpreting old ideas and the ideas of others in a way which allows for progress. Until Horwitz and the Arabs come to a real agreement, with true open minds, not just running up and down a field together thinking snarky comments about how the goals are too big. Maybe the goals are too big, but no one will know until someone tries to score by trying or thinking something new.

When reading about Iraq, it was easy to parallel the country to the U.S.S.R. when Stalin ruled. There was so much propaganda as well as censorship. Iraq reminded me a lot of a communist country. Saddam’s pictures were everywhere similar to Stalin, but what struck me more was that although the countries are so similar in many aspects, they have one major difference. In Russia, Stalin’s pictures were everywhere because although they had no religion anymore, the communist leaders understood the people needed something to look up to. Also, Stalin had a huge ego. Similarly, Saddam’s picture is everywhere. Tony Horwitz commented on how Saddam was trying to act like God yet Iraq is an extremely religious country. How is it that Saddam can balance a worship of him and keep up Islam? The answer is because Iraq is so isolated from everything else. They know nothing of what is going on outside, and they fear too much to even question Saddam at all.MW

A Secluded world

"America could vanish in a mushroom cloud and I'd still be sitting there watching Saddam on television as the chorus sang,'The people love you, oh Saddam, and you love the people.'"(112) People who live in Iraq are in total isolation from the rest of the world. Saddam has made his country secluded from the outside world. All the telephones are tapped and on the television is only positive information on Iraq and Saddam. Trying to reach other countries is impossible even for a reporter like Horwitz. But why does Saddam do this to his country? This is really plain and simple; if the people of Iraq have never witnessed or seen how any other countries are ruled then they believe the way Saddam is ruling is the way other rulers are ruling their countries. Saddam makes his people naive to a better way of living. If some people realize this is the way people shouldn't be living and speak out, they will be prisoned and most likely killed. The Iraqis have no sense of freedom of speech, they must speak positively about Saddam no matter what they truely believe. But here in present times, Saddam has been killed and American troops are now in Iraq. Will this change anything? The people have been brainwashed for such a long time that dictatorship is the only way a country can be ruled so it won't be easy to form a democratic form of government in Iraq. Although there culture has been with a dictator with absolute power, Iraq should change into a democratic form of government to help them become more Westernized. This would be for the best of the country for it would no longer be secluded. -ak

Big Brother: God or Tyrant

In Baghdad, everything is watched over by Saddam Hussein. Putting aside current events, Hussein was a loved figure in the eyes of many. There were posters and signs with his image everywhere. He was also featured on merchandise. To somebody with no knowledge of Hussein, he appeared like a great person. However, there were a few people willing to talk about negative feelings toward Hussein. “Saddam Hussein, he is the worst dictator ever in the history of man.” (page 111) This is the current feeling of many people in America, but I wondered why more people didn’t feel this way towards him in Baghdad (remember, this book takes place around 1991). He tapped phones and restricted almost everything, yet he was popular. I think that his popularity, though some may be genuine, is deeply rooted in the fear he instills on the people of Baghdad. Why wouldn’t people like him when others who hated him were killed? -mg

“Too much education and too little to do.”

This quote is found on page 102 of Baghdad without a Map. Yousri, a Nubian, uses this sentence to explain why he lives the way he does. Despite having qualifications that could get him a job as a businessman or professional in America, he works the graveyard shift at a hotel and lives in an apartment with his parents. He isn’t the only one stuck in this predicament. While Tony and Yousri are eating at a restaurant in a hotel, they spot a waiter with “Dr.” written on his name tag. I’m sure that there are also countless more people that would fit into this category.
The idea of somebody with the potential to be a doctor or a businessman being limited to such mediocre jobs is simply astounding. Those who go through the work of being educated are just getting by while people who smuggle and steal do much, much better. All of the education people acquire is being tossed away, and nobody can do anything to help. Personally speaking, if I knew that being a learned individual wouldn’t get me far in life, I wouldn’t care about education. I believe that this is the mindset of many people in the Middle East and the reason for the state of affairs going on today. -mg

Wanted: A Sense of Community

Besides how to respect women, another thing that the United States could learn from Arabian countries and cities, such as Cairo, is how to have a sense of community. Cairo, Egypt is a enormous city, however it still has a sense of community and family. "Still, like so much of Cairo, Shubra retained a village air... It was also that someone at every corner recognized Sayed as he tore past on his motorbike" (73). There is something nice about living in a place where everyone knows your name. At The Governor's Academy, it is like a small village; everyone knows everyone else, and we all seem to care for one another. On a typical day, one can see people shouting greetings to each other and inquiring about the health of a family member. Once we leave GA though, it all changes. Unless you move to a tiny town in the midwest, that sense of community no longer exists. Even in Boston, which has suburbs, like Cairo does, one will never step out of their apartment and recognize everyone they see. Maybe we should learn from Cairo, and try to foster a sense of community in our cities and streets. Take a chance and introduce yourself to your neighbors, so that there can be a feeling of friendship, even in the big city. gr

Iranian Oil

"Iran might mine the oil chokepoint, Turn off the tap on the Free World's Energy Lifeline" (pg69). As Tony Horwitz states, oil drilling is a major part of the Middle Eastearn economy. As we saw in the movie, different groups have targeted forms of government strictly around who is in charge of the drilling profit. Due to this nature, the people of these lands cannot agree on an efficient government since only a small group of people will be satisfied with it at a time. As we have seen, the Middle East has gone through many changes ever sine the “humiliation” they have endured since the end of World War I, as their Ottoman Empire collapsed. Since then they have gone through a series of leaders, that have tried to change every aspect life as they knew it. Some of this was done by westernization. This term means that these leaders would rebuild their government and life stile around ours, such as taking religion out of the government. That one act created an uproar, which had over throne many rulers through rioting and other forms of a revolution

ASM

Al Qaeda Video Attack On U.S. (In Afghanistan)

I thought that the article was very interesting. Although threatening, I am not worried that America-the-Beautiful will prevail. The Al-Qaeda is very immature with these threats. All though they underestimate the U.S. military’s skill, might, and will to get the job done, I think many Americans underestimate the fearlessness of Al-Qaeda. I truly believe ‘none of this’ would have happened had Bill Clinton failed to capture or kill Bin Laden on the several chances he had. Although the article is not about the Taliban, things add up to groups such as the Al-Qaeda bashing everything from the U.S. especially our current president. Although people argue that war in the Middle East is fueled by ‘gung-ho’ Bush and his troops, I argue that it is fueled by extremist groups that have nothing but blind hatred for things they do not know about (The Taliban, and currently the Al-Qaeda). Any responses would be great.
A.M.

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,252358,00.html

Hostility and Weapons in the Middle East

After reading the first chapters of Bagdad Without a Map I have come to realize the hostility and fierceness of every person in all aspects of life living in the Middle East. In the movie Road to 9/11, we saw many examples of the adults’ community acting out with violence and crime. Now through the writing of Tony Horowitz we see that not only is the adult community like this, but also the children are being taught this. Every man in Yemen carries at least a sword, and most even more weaponry. These ways from the eyes of an American can be seen as that the community of Yemen is very warlike and dangerous but, the reason that they carry these weapons is fear of invasion says Horowitz. Driving through on the roads of Yemen, you are able to see the hostility and fear of all the people in the country. Another point that surprised me is the criminals in all of these countries. I got the feeling that the police officer that pulled him over was in fact not a police officer. He negotiated his price for driving without a license and also would not go to the police station. He clearly was not a police officer not having a badge and was just a criminal looking to rip off an American. All of these events that occurred in these first few chapters shocked and opened my eyes to other countries of the Middle East beside the ones that we know so much about, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It opened my eyes to that it is not only Iraq and Afghanistan that are like this but most countries in the Middle East have the same views of the world and of the western world.

TH