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Mesopotamia is the first civilization
Mesopotamia is located in modern-day Iraq.
8000-2000BC ("Mesopotamia, 8000–2000 B.C.". ). -
U.S. becomes dependent on Middle East oil
Ruling families in the Middle East become very rich, and the poor stay very poor. Some become angry at the U.S. for supporting the wealthy families and keeping the poor very poor. -
Western ideas spread with increased oil trade
The Middle Easterners, especially in Afghanistan did not like that their traditions were being compromised. That led to the Islamic people strictly interpreting the Quran as Allah wanted the Westerners to be killed. -
The UN divides Palestine into 2 territories
They diveded British-controlled Palestine to provide a home for the Jews. One part is Israel and the other part is Palestinian Arabs. The US gives aid to Israel. -
Palestinians stage terrorist attacks on Israel.
Since the US gave aid to Israel, it was subject to Muslim hostility. -
Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, Taliban is created
Osama bin Laden, as well as many other Muslims, head to Afghanistan to help fight the Soviets. The Taliban is created to get Soviet forces out of Afghanistan, then aims to take over all of Afghanistan with its Islamic views ("History of the Taliban"). -
The US gives aid to Afghanistan rebels
because it does not support The Soviet Union's communst policies. -
Al-Qaeda is founded
Al-Qaeda is formed by Osama bin Laden to resist the Soviets in Afghanistan. -
Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait
Hussein (the dictator of Iraq) invades Kuwait because they are small, so he thinks he can easily take them over, and they have a lot of oil production.The UN decides to not let Hussein take power of Kuwait because they do not want Hussein to try to take Saudi Arabia too, which he might try to do if he gets Kuwait. -
Osama bin Laden realizes Westerners can be beaten
and dedicates himself to getting Westerners out of the Middle East. -
Dick Cheney and Colin Powell make a plan
Dick Cheney (Secretary of Defense under George Bush, Sr.) and Colin Powell's (Joint Chief of Staff) plan was to offer Hussein an ultimatum: to get out of Kuwait or we will take action. This plan is called Operation Desert Storm. -
The U.S. sends troops to Saudi Arabia
50,000 troops so they can move into Kuwait if they need to -
Operation Desert Storm takes place
Hussein does not get out of Kuwait, so the U.S. bombs Iraqi bases in Kuwait by airplanes. This lasted 100 hours before Hussein agree to get out of Kuwait. -
Hussein remains in power of Iraq
He then attacks the Kurds or Northern Iraq. The US sends troops to help. -
Al-Qaeda and the Taliban work together
They work together to force Islamic belief on people all around the world and kill whoever does not follow it. -
Bin Laden calls on Muslims to kill Americans
Al Qaeda terrorists set off bombs in American Embassies, are arrested for trying to smuggle exploives into the US, and crash an explosive loaded boat into a US warship in Yemen. -
Al Qaeda terrorists hijack passenger planes to crash into important American buildings as acts of terrorism
In response, Cangress authorizes the president to take whatever measures necessary to address it on September 14th. So, the US attacks al Qaeda camps and Taliban military in Afghanistan. We attack mostly the Taliban because we believe they are hiding Osama bin Laden and we want to take him down. -
George W. Bush takes control of terrorism
He demands that the Taliban hand over Bin Laden and shut down all terrorist camps. He also cuts off funding to groups suspected of terrorist activities. Nine days later, he states that war with Afghanistan will continue until victory is achieved. -
Taliban continues to fight US
The insurgents attack and spy on the US army training. They also use suicide bombers and guerrilla tactics. -
US decides to get WMDs out of every country
Bush sends in inspectors to see if Iraq has any by the urging of Colin Powell, but of course, Hussein does not let them in. The US believes Iraqis could use the WMDs against them. Because Hussein does not let the US in, the US believes that Iraq has these WMDs, so we prepare to go to war to get them out of Iraq. -
US invades Iraq (Second Gulf War)
US citizens are split 50/50 on whether to go to war or not. The ones that do not want to go to war wonder if Iraq even has WMDs since the US has never actually seen them. -
Hussein is captured from hiding
Three years later (2006), he is executed by his own people because he was unpopular, to say the least. in 2005, Talabani wins the first ever democratic election in Iraq to become President. -
Obama sends more troops to Iraq
Obama initially sends more troope to Iraq to fight. -
Bin Laden is killed
Bin Laden is killed by the US Navy. He was hiding in Pakistan, and after he was killed was buried at sea. This does not end the war, but gives a small feeling of relief. -
Obama takes all fighting troops out of Iraq
Some troops stay to train Iraqis to fight Al Qaeda by themselves. The US still peacekeeps and assists in Iraq. The US plans to keep doing that. By the end of conflict in Iraq, 4,488 Americans have died. Over half of Americans agree to end it because approval ratings of the high money cost and the lives lost dropped. -
Obama handles the war in Afghanistan
Obama is expected to withdraw fighting troops by 2014. He also asks for a 10% reduction of war funding. The death toll is 2,000 and climbing. Most Americans support the President in his decision to get fighting troops out of Afghanistan because of the lives and money lost due to war. Obama defends foreign aid he plans to continue giving to Afghanistan because it is “fundamental to our national security" and will help us create stronger relationships with other countries (Lee, para. 6).
