Gertrude Bell has been described as “one of the few representatives of His Majesty’s Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection” (Meyer and Brysac, 2008, p.162). Bell gained this reputation in the Arab world through her early travel, archaeological fieldwork, political positions and administrative archaeological position in Iraq. She established intimate and solid connections with Arab leaders and citizens all throughout the Middle East, and this helped her greatly in all facets of her life. Despite her strong ties to colonial Britain through her father, education, and political work, Bell gained authority amongst the people in Iraq due to her unwavering allegiance and determination in furthering the autonomy of their country in any way possible (Meyer and Brysac, 2008, p. 162). The most obvious example of this can be seen in her position as Director of Antiquities in Iraq, but her earlier life and brief political career illustrate this as well.
Life and Times of Gertrude Bell
Gertrude Bell was born in 1868 in Durham County, England to a very wealthy and privileged family; her grandfather was an ironmaster, industrialist and politician (Asher-Greve, 2004, p.145). Her mother died two years after her birth, but her father remarried Florence Bell, an accomplished author of children’s books and a playwright (Asher-Greve, 2004, p. 146). She attended Queens College at age 16, and when she found this unchallenging she convinced her parents to allow her to attend one of the women’s colleges at Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall (Asher-Greve, 2004, p. 146). She graduated a year early with high honors in modern history, the first to do so (Asher-Greve, 2004, p.147). She expressed an interest in politics, art and archite...
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...er, Karl E. and Shareen B. Brysac (2008). Kingmakers: The Invention of the Modern Middle East. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
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Barry offers this biography of perhaps the most unconventional woman of her century. By drawing upon letters, diaries, and other documents, she integrates Anthony's personal story into the political, economic, and cultural milieu of 19th century.
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Gardner provided an in depth account of the American involvement and foreign policy as it relates to post World War II Middle Eastern relations. I thoroughly enjoyed the comparisons to previous occupations of Middle Eastern countries by Russia and England that had previously gone poorly, and the perspective provided by Gardner that tied in directly to our class, involving the Arab Israeli war. Everything discussed on the war by Gardner was backed up by our discussions in class, therefore I believe he is certainly qualified to write about Middle Eastern politics and foreign relations. The American influence in the Middle East was not all negative witch is refreshing based on current relations with countries in the Middle East and the public perception on our involvement. Even with the positives discussed in this book I hope we can take the advice of Gardner and take care of our own relations before we try to “help others” I do not believe we are currently in a position to do so therefore we no longer have the luxury to stay. In closing remarks Gardner discusses the game of chess between super powers or as they are discussed in the text “the Three Kings” for domination of the world. I view this as an irresponsible habit that needs to end immediately, this can only result in a negative way, as history has shown unnecessary involvement in foreign affairs results in a
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Iraq’s history is one of both prosperity and violence, and dates back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia. While dominated by a variety of civilizations, the region enjoyed a relatively stable society. Since the birth of Islam, the religion has been the dominant cultural belief of the region, and has made its way into the laws and ruling of the region. (InDepth Info, 2010)
This paper will discuss the works of Mary Robinson and Rebecca Harding Davis. Mrs. Robinson grew up in London and married Thomas Robinson in 1774 (Gilbert & Gubar, 2007). During his incarceration, Mary discovered herself through writing and became well-known for acting with the help of David Garrick, a renowned actor, and several publications during the late 1700s (Gilbert & Gubar, 2007). Toward the finale of her career, she was a political critic alongside many other outspoken females, including Mary Wollstonecraft (Gilbert & Gubar, 2007). Writer, Rebecca Harding Davis, was born approximately 75 years after Mary Robinson. Rebecca Harding Davis believed that class, race, and the sexes contribute to a person’s misery (Gilbert & Gubar, 2007). She too, like Robinson firmly announced their hatred for the industrialization of the world (Gilbert & Gubar, 2007). Her family was middle-class, and her
“The roots of all these problems go back to the settlement imposed on the Middle East in 1918-1922”(Field 26). Since before the start of World War I, there was a great Western presence in the area we know today as the Arab world. Britsh and French forces occupied Northern Africa since 1882; British occupied Egypt, at the request of Sultan in Constantinople, and the region we today call the Mahgreb: Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. In addition, to its presence in Egypt, Britain also kept the Gulf states under her protection and held Aden as a colony.
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Iraqi culture has one of the world’s most ancient history of culture to date. The country of Iraq has dealt with numerous changes throughout the years ranging from war, economy downfall, and environment changes. A lot of the issues that arose had to do with the power and decision making of the former President, Saddam Hussein. The country of Iraq is located north of the Persian Gulf and its population is equivalent to that of California’s. This paper will discuss the economy in Iraq, as well as the Iraqi culture and their military.