Peace in the Middle East

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Growing up, I remember the questions asked during the Miss America pageants. Standing tall and lean, a well groomed beauty flashed a bright smile, while delicately articulating a plan to end world hunger. I was mesmerized by the thought that someone could figure out the answers to the world’s problems in less than four minutes. If only solving the Middle Eastern conflict was truly that easy. The seemingly elusive idea of peace in the Middle East is comprised of many dimensions, each entailing more than just a simplistic answer.

The montage of ethnic groups in the Middle East is one of the more complicated dimensions. Being Arab tends to be a way that individuals in the United States relate to their nationality and religion. Outside of the United States being Arab is much more specific. American’s like to lump everyone in the Middle East ethnically as Arab but this is a major misconception, there are other minority groups such as the Persians, Kurds, Jews and many others. While here in the United States ethnic groups can involve certain aspects of politics, it is more preoccupied with social classes. The underline cause of many conflicts within the Middle East stems from ethnopolitics. Stefan Wolff stated, “the essence of ethnopolitics in most situations seems to be related to the issue of minority rights, or more precisely, their codification in national legal systems…and their implementation in the day-today political process” (Wolff 191). This is an important factor to consider when speaking about peace in the Middle East.

Religion is another aspect that causes strife in the Middle East. To be non-Arab and/or non-Muslim means to be marginalized and seen as a dissident. Even within the non-Arab states such as Iran, ...

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...or others such as the United Nations to take action first. After the WMD came up empty in Iraq, President Bush and the United States were labeled as “war loving” and wanting to “conquer the Middle East”. Even though the expectations of the world seem to look to the United States for answers during turmoil, the other edge of the blade is we are too involved in others affairs. President Obama’s stance is not only smart it draws attention away from extremist’s claims that the Unites States agenda to westernize the Middle East. Letting other countries such as France, deal with Libya who was once under Frances rule, shows we have no hidden agenda in the country.

Only a common bond of truly wanting peace, the best interest of the people in the region, and mutual respect regardless of differences will allow for conflict to end.

Works Cited

History of the Middle East

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