History of the Modern Middle East: Midterm Progress Report

Allison Brown Modern Middle East Dr. Ward March 27, 2021 Final Project: Progress Report Research Questions: - Why has democracy seemingly, repeatedly failed in the Middle East? - Did the Arab Spring result in lasting change in the region? - What is the state of democracy in Iran today? - What is the state of democracy in Iraq today? - What role has the US played in promoting democracy in Iran and Iraq, both historically, in recent administrations, and today? Thesis Statement: Democracy has seemingly come to a halt in many Middle Eastern states, instead, governments are shifting towards more autocratic leadership even after various revolts against corruption and sole leadership. In this essay, I will examine the differences in the development, or lack thereof, of democratic principles in Iran and Iraq and how United States actions, intervention and involuntary, have shaped democracy’s decline in the region. Literature Survey: The Arab Winter, Noah Feldman For my first paragraph, I plan to build off of the ideas in Feldman’s book regarding the Arab Spring and how this was the hope/lightness before the Arab Winter. Neither Iraq nor Iran underwent a massive transformation during this time or even really was influenced by the unrest, and why this was. The Struggle for Middle East Democracy, Brookings Institute Examines the overall themes of my project, why and how democracy failed in the Middle East even after the Arab Spring, and discusses notions alluded to by some authors in the field that democracy in the sense of the “global west” is not a fit for Middle Eastern governments. The Crisis of Governance in the Middle East:: Implications for Democracy, Development & Security, Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) Building on the notion of why the US is invested, since 9/11 and even the creation of the AUMF, the US has been more readily willing to use military force in Iraq specifically. How can this be a justification for the US to not actively be a democratic power in the region and instead opted for their own unliteral actions. This article from the ICT builds on why governmental situations in the Middle East only further complicate the push for democracy. Struggle for Middle Eastern Democracy (Cairo Review) How influence from Western powers has set a precedent in the region for foreign intervention and the decline of democratic principles. Discusses the Arab Spring’s lack of results in the Middle East. Islam and Democracy in the Middle East: The Impact of Religious Orientations on Attitudes toward Democracy in Four Arab Countries This peer-reviewed source examines how religion, specifically Islam, impacts attitudes towards democracy. To me, this is an interesting way to examine the issue through a religious lens and not through what international intervention in the Middle East has done to democratic attitudes. The article uses public opinion polling in Palestine (West Bank/Gaza Strip), Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria. Outline: - Introductory paragraph - Lead-in - Thesis statement - Body Paragraph 1: the start of US involvement - History of US involvement in the region, arguably problematic - Bush following 9/11, only lead to an increase in intervention - Body Paragraph 2: Arab Spring - Body Paragraph 3: Iran - CIA overthrow of a democratically elected leader with Mossadeq - Propping up of a US puppet in Iran - 1979 Iranian revolution, implications on the US’s efforts - Iran since with distrust and discontent with the US - Iran today, CIA’s Stuxnet, JCPOA - Body Paragraph 4: Iraq - Body Paragraph 5: The future of US involvement and democratic principles - President Biden and Secretary Blinken - US attacks in Iraq/Syria so far into Biden’s administration - Concluding Paragraph Significance of Project: Understanding how history (including US intervention, and involuntary action) has shaped Iran and Iraq’s governments specifically. Arab Spring did not reach or change these countries, they each worked on their own timelines with political reform and public activism, is essential to understanding today’s Middle East and how US intervention in the region is viewed and address the question as to if the US is promoting democratic principles with its past actions, and if it will do so in the future.