MIDDLE EAST WRITING PROMPT

Name ___________________________Per.___

You have had an opportunity of consider four options for U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Each option has its own
risks and trade-offs, advantages and disadvantages. Now it is time to develop your own perspective and analyze its
effectiveness for the region.
A. Ranking the Options: Which of the options below do you prefer? Rank them from 1 to 4 with 1 being your
first choice.
_____Option 1: Police a Rough Neighborhood
_____Option 2: Focus on Oil
_____Option 3: Support Democracy and Human Rights
_____Option 4: Break Free of Entanglements
B. Beliefs: Rate each of the following statements according to your personal beliefs:
1 = Strong Support
2 = Support
3 = Oppose
4 = Strongly Oppose

5 = Undecided

_____All countries are capable of making progress toward democracy, human rights and tolerance.
_____Meddling in the local affairs of other countries is counter-productive and dangerous.
_____Economic interests should be the driving force behind U.S. foreign policy.
_____In international relations, reliable friends and allies are the United States most valuable asset.
_____The U.S. has a moral obligation to support movements for democracy, human rights and freedom around the
world.
_____Political disputes and cultural differences should not prevent U.S. companies from doing business with other
countries.
_____The greatest threats facing the U.S. are all at home: poverty, mediocre schools, crime and an inadequate health
care system.
_____All political Islamist movements are a threat to U.S. interests.
C. My Recommendation: Your next step is to create an option that reflects your own beliefs and opinions. You may
borrow heavily from one of the options or combine ideas from two or three. Or, you may propose an alternative option
that is substantially different than the ones presented. Be careful of contradictions. For example, the United States
cannot continue to rely on oil imports from the Middle East if it withdraws from its role in the region.
Write all of the following answers in complete sentences. Your responses should be thoroughly thought through,
and well-constructed, using specific details to enhance your explanations.
1. What interests should guide U.S. policy in the Middle East?
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2. What specific policies should the U.S. pursue in the Middle East? (use the options, combinations or your own
alternative)
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3. What are the two strongest arguments opposing your position?
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4. What are the two strongest arguments supporting your position?
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Read the selection on Crisis in Syria to answer the next three questions
5. Explain, using information from the article, how your policies (#2 above) would impact U.S.-Syriarelations?
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6. How would your policies affect/impact the citizens of Syria?
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7. How would your policies affect/impact the citizens of the United States?
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