Define the Issue

Conflict in Middle Eastern Countries has been a global issue for many years. Located in Asia, Middle Eastern countries include Israel, Libya, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and many more. The main issue for many years has been oil. Oil is the primary source of fuel in our world today. The region currently contains 65 percent of world’s oil. Given the vast energy resources that form the backbone of western economies, influence and involvement in the Middle East has been of paramount importance for the former and current imperial and super powers, including France, Britain, USA and the former Soviet Union (Anup Shah). Before the discovery of oil the region was known for their religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians.  The Middle East is the most militarized region in the world. The Arab people see the United States influence as a major root cause of the current problems in the Middle East. They have caused the rise of Islamic militancy, acts of terrorism and anti-west sentiment, anti-US in particular. When looking at some of the actions of the US, it can often be seen why this is unfortunately so (Anup Shah). Conflicts will continue to occur in the Middle East because of their rich resources, religious backgrounds, and acts of terrorism.