Explain why the issue you have studied continues to be important today.
The issues we have studied and that I am going to explore; are the impact that American Foreign Policy has had on Islamic fundamentalism and why fundamentalists have resorted to terrorism. American Foreign Policy on terrorism enabled America to interact with foreign Nations and set regulations. Recent acts of terrorism, 9/11, the slaughtering of Fusiliers Lee Rigby’s, and the shopping mall massacre in Kenya, prime examples of terrorism around the world, the people that committed these attacks are Muslim Islamic Fundamentalists; who abide by the laws of the Qur’an based on Sharia Law. Saudi Arabia discovered oil in 1932 which brought wealth and foreigners into Saudi, America established a close relationship with Saudi as its largest importer of oil. Saudi secured a deal with America, America’s military would protect Saudi in exchange for oil, which America needed for its economy to function. America purchased shares in oil companies creating ARAMCO which resulted in Americans living in Saudi and introducing western cultures, such as entertainment, fashion and gambling. Some Muslims enjoyed these cultures, however many Muslims were angered and wanted to revert back to the basics of Shari Law. These Muslims used religious police to enforced Shiria Law, but the Americans migrants refused to obey these regulations causing conflicts. Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Islamic fundamentalist group Al-Qaeda was interviewed in 1997 by CNN, the interview showed how infuriated Bin Laden was with America, when in 1990 Saudi allowed America to use its territory to stage attacks on Iraq and Kuwait, he quoted “that that the presence of American military in Saudi is an occupation of the land of the holy places” indicating how angry he was that a non-Muslim country would be defending Muslim land. Bin Laden then issued “‘A Fatwah’, a religious ruling urging Muslims to kill American troops in Saudi and Somalia”. This Americas Foreign Policy still effect us today as Islamic fundamentalist are still seeking revenge.
In 1948 after World War II and the aftermath of the Holocaust in Europe, many throughout the world were sympathetic to the people of the now mainly stateless Jewish people. The Americans, under the umbrella of The United Nations (U.N) created a Jewish homeland by giving the Jews 74% of Palestine, now known as Israel, the remainder left to the Palestinians, which followed the Muslim religion. The U.N had to use extreme force to evict the Palestinians as they refused to give up their country. A quote from Bin Laden on the 3rd November 2001 stated “Since then, and for more than 83 years, our brothers, sons, and sisters in Palestine have been badly tortured.” Bin Laden considered the Palestine to be ‘his family’ and for a long period of time the American’s and the U.N had been supporting Israel in this criminal activity. This effect us today as Americas still continue to support the Israel and which continues to enrage Islamic fundamentalist. Fighting still continues between Israel and Palestine and innocent people continue to die daily.
In 1978 the Communists came to power in Afghanistan and launched a modernisation programme that outraged many traditional Muslims resulting in a Civil War. The Soviets Communist supported the Afghan government by providing military troops. The American’s, cold war enemies of Russia; became involved, funding and training the Islamic fundamentalist who were capitalists, hoping the fundamentalist were likely to damage the Soviets. These fighters became known as the Mujahedin. Eventually, due to the Russian fatalities becoming increasing unpopular with the Soviet people, the Soviet withdrew. Unbeknown to the American’s, their self-interest in this war had backfired; America had funded and trained the elite terrorists of the future. Quoted by David Downing on the war on terror “the USA did not send troops. It spent
