Why did the Middle East regress into Islamist backwardness? I know Western imperialism is the short (though of course largely correct) answer, but I'd like to know more about the details of that process. When exactly did the downfall of progressive values in the Middle East start? Was it deliberate policy on the part of Western powers or a collateral of American anticommunist meddlings? How exactly did Islamists rise to prominence so quickly?
Also, general thread for any questions relating to MENA issues I guess.
yes, the CIA worked with Saudi Arabia and other countries to spread tons of Wahabbist pamphlets. Same with textbooks, etc.
Daniel Young
At what point did Western powers ally with Saudi Arabia? It's kind of a weird alliance when you think about it.
Nicholas Sanders
Britain literally created Saudi Arabia, the USA became part of the alliance soon after. Saudi agreed to sell all its oil in USD in the 70s too. As for the CIA plan to spread Salafism, that was a slow process that ramped way up in response to the socialist revolution in Afghanistan. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were natural partners for that venture.
Connor Allen
… There was a socialist revolution in Afghanistan? I didn't know about that.
Austin Sanders
Yes, and Jimmy Carter (under the advice of Zbigniew Brzezinski) began funding the Mujihadeen terrorists to fight it. Then under Reagan the CIA started giving them a lot more money and Stinger missiles. The DRA repeatedly requested assistance from the USSR, who eventually sent troops to help. It took a decade, but they eventually brought the Mujihadeen fighters to their knees– and then Pizza Hut Man became the leader of the USSR and gave it up. This marked the start of the consolidation of the Muj fighters into the Taliban.
He might be a burger. I wasn't taught this shit in school. I mean, I knew it when I was a teenager, but not from school.
Aaron Wright
it's not something you'll be taught but have to learn yourself what people are taught, if they even pay attention that closely and read history books in school by themself, is that the soviets for no reason just started invading afghanistan and that's it
Jonathan Ward
This is true, Lawrence of Arabia and Mr. Hempher contributed to this incestuous backwards-looking muslim ideology, but all the shit you think they regressed from is a lie. Dunecoons never accomplished shit in the sense that it contributed to the body of knowledge the rest of the world had at the time.
The Algerian Civil War (not the middle east but still in the Muslim world) is really fascinating but tough to learn about, at least in English. I only have Wikipedia tier knowledge of it but it seems like a model of how a "democratic" socialist revolution would go in a first world country with a strong central government, i.e. the winning socialist party would be banned, there'd be a lengthy period of unrest where socialist leaders "disappear" and the movement would be infiltrated and descend into chaos.
Isaiah Phillips
i feel you user, we'd all be lost without peanut butter.
Nicholas Bell
It pains me to admit it but religion, islam included, tended to be a progressive force in the pre-industrial era.
Jeremiah Morgan
Middle East was aligning itself with the Soviets, but USA and Saudi Arabia supported Islamist against pro-Soviet secular semi-leftists.
Iran which had independent Islamic revolution is also doing its own thing, but it's lesser of evils.
David Turner
Yes, it lead to the Soviet invasion, which lead to the arming of the Mujahideen by America via gulf proxies, which lead to the current shit hole situation. God save the poor Afghan people. That country has been engulfed in constant war since early antiquity
Luke Evans
I'd also like to amend my comment by mentioning that Afghans are indeed some of the most honorable and kind people I've met in my life. Very clean, very polite. It's no secret however that large parts of their society have some terrifying, savage views and traditions. It's the truth.
The middle eastern left failure to take power and its void, anti imperialist conservatives such as in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Gaza, Iran ect
Ryan Gray
Algeria is north african Generally speaking if someone says middle east, they actually mean MENA (middle east, north africa)
Christian Powell
Competition about who invented the most stuff is Zig Forums-tier obfuscation. I don't care whether MENA countries actually contributed something new to science, philosophy or art in recent history; all that matters is that they were secular, progressive countries and that there was no reason for them to go down in flames like they did.