amazing! so is your major in politics and minor in history?
I'm actually exactly the opposite, I'm majoring in history with a minor in politics but that could change.
Basically what I'm interested in is the connection between the united states and the middle east as a whole following the second world war.
I think America has played a heavy hand in destabilizing the region,
but when I look around at my country we also wash our hands of any responsibility??
I hope that my generation of politicians and educators can make a significant contribution to repairing that relationship
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The current era in the middle east seems to be defined by the power struggle between US and Russia (and China seems to want to join in the mess with its one belt one road initiative), and between regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. That's one of the important dimensions of the Syrian conflict. It's not looking good for repairing US-middle-east relations. The young Arabs and other Middle-Easterners I've met, 99% of them hate the US government to the core (of course it does not follow that they hate Americans).
It's scary right?
like fuck, I am judged by what Bush did just by association.
and Obama for that matter
But also, I cant help but think that greater diplomacy could help
Dun wry. Lots of Arabs can separate Americans with American gov't. Hell, if someone associated me with the HK gov't or Chinese gov't --- that IS a v scary thought. I agree though, diplomacy could help, probably greater cultural exchange too. R u thinking of a career in diplomacy?
Both are majors, it's possible to do a double major. technically history is my "first major" according to the university bureaucracy, but that only matters on paper
I did a couple of courses on the middle east too. If you ask me, Britain and France, the former colonial owners, couldn't wash their hands of responsibility either. The way they drew the borders with no regard for ethnic and geographic realities on the ground is a root cause of many territorial conflicts in the middle east today, the whole vision of ISIS is also built on wiping away the colonial legacy. So it's not only the US that is guilty.
oh definitely, especially France in Syria right? dividing people by religious affiliation.
Yeah I don't blame America for everything, but this is where I live, so this is where I gotta start right?
Britain did something like that in Lebanon as well, which led to the Lebanese Civil War. Not sure about historical background in Syria. True, that's where u gotta start, add oil! :D