Middle Eastern Studies Assessment

1. How would you describe America’s role in Middle East after World War II( be specific)?
After World War II U.S was one of the most powerful country in the world, and during the Cold
War U.S tried to stop the Soviet Union spreading communism, United States roles in the Middle east
was like protector of countries who wouldn’t join communism like Israel but at the same time the U.S
was taking advantage of them like trying to control Israel’s goverment so they could benefit from their
oil. I think that the U.S had a bad impact in the Middle East because instead of helping them like it was
at the beginning they tried to benefit from them, using them like puppets.

2. What is similar and different about Gamal Abdul Nasser’s “Arab nationalism” and Yasser Arafat’s
leadership of the PLO?
Yasir Arafat has a good reputation of being the most followed and respected by all nations in the
Middle East, because of everything he did during his time of being the leader of the PLO. Abdul was
know for the overthrow of the monarchy and introducing fareaching land reforms. Both tried to make a
big change with the Middle East, trying to free the Arab world from Westernizing actually protecting it
from the the U.S. The difference between them is that Nasser tried to expand the Arab nationalsim to
the whole world and Arafat only fought to have free country next to Israel.

3. Why can it be argued that the Six Day War (1967) fundamentally altered the Middle East?
The Six Day War was basically a misunderstanding that ended up leaving a huge conflict
between the Arab countries and Israel, after the unexpected victory of Israel the Arab countries were
angrier with Israel, but everything for Israel went really well they increased their territory and became a
very strong country in the Middle East, after the Six Day War more conflicts happened troughout the
time making the Middle East the most conflicted area of the world. Israel’s relationship with the US was
stronger than ever because now US saw Israel as the most powerful country on that regime.