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The Spread of American Democracy
Key Things to Remember
• Democracy is Hard Work!o We still struggle with making democracy work!
• Just because something works in one place, it doesn’t mean that it will work elsewhereo You need to understand history and conditions in
other placeso People don’t decide to do random and “crazy”
things for no reason
Background
• US first country founded as democracy since Athens
• US borrowed ideas from others:o Athenso Romanso Britisho Judeo-Christian Traditiono Enlightenment
Early Problems
• Strength of a Federal Governmento State Rights vs. Federal Rights
• Inconsistency in trade, currency• US was flat broke
Resolution
• 1787 - Articles of Confederation replaced by Constitutiono Clear limits on power of Federal
Governmento States given specific rightso National currency and defense
Exporting American Democracy - Middle East
Understand the Following:• Social: Patriarchal Society
o Many ethnic groups!• Political: Many empires over time
o Nationalism!• Religion: Mostly Islam, but also Jews
and Christianso Sects: Sunni and Shia
Exporting American Democracy - Middle East
• Intellectual: Islam has VERY strong sense of Justice, rule of law
• Technological: We most associate oil with the region, but SUPER-IMPORTANT location on trade routes
• Economic: Oil has brought great wealth to some nations, but others extremely poor
Problems in Middle East are several centuries in the making = no quick fix!!!
Exporting American Democracy - Iraq
Iraq:• Until 1918: In Province of
Mesopotamia, Ottoman Empire• 1918: WWI ends
o British promised independence after waro British and France betray region, make
them mandates (fancy word for colony)
Iraq, Cont’d
• Oil!• WWII: Germans promise independence
if Middle East countries help them - Germany loses war
• 1960s: “Democratic” Baath Partyo Secular Gov’to Relatively stable
Iraq, Cont’d
• Saddam, 1970so War with Iran, 1980so Kurdish Rebellion, early 1980s
Use of poison gas in mass slaughter of Kurdso In huge debt, invaded Kuwait 1991
Operation Desert Storm puts Iraq back in placeo 9/11: US take proactive approach in ME
Sees Saddam as a threat 2003, Invades and “liberates” Iraq from Saddam Goal to build democracy in Iraq
Democracy-Building in Iraq
Potentials:• Oil = $ to rebuild• People want peace
and stability• Most hated Saddam• US has made
commitment to Iraq
Challenges:• Sectarian violence
(Sunni and Shia)• Kurds want own state,
or better representation• Country is broke• No infrastructure• Some neighbors not
keen on US-style democracy (and culture)
• Terrorists are NOW a problem here
Democracy-Building in Afghanistan
• Afghanistan:o Used to be on Silk Roado Little- to no natural resourceso Strategic location in Central/Southern Asia
Afghanistan - Recent History
WAR!• 1800s: British Meddling in region• 1970s: Soviet Invasion
o Cold War: US training and arming of Mujahideen (Islamic “freedom fighters”) Osama bin Laden
• Late 1980s: Soviets withdrawo No effective governmento Mujahideen turn on each other (and US)
Afghanistan
• 1990s: Rise of Talibano Taliban are extreme fundamentalistso Extremely strict control on societyo Provide haven to Islamic terrorist orgs.o Economy financed by production of opium (use to
make heroin, etc.) Is a narcostate
• 9/11: US invades, overthrows Taliban
Democracy-Building in Afghanistan
Potentials:• People want peace
Challenges:• Beyond broke• No oil• Middle of nowhere• Taliban making
comeback• No infrastructure at all• Geography is rugged• Very delicate balance
between tradition and progress