Middle Eastern History

ONLY NEEDS TO BE 2-3PGS total

1. Before 1980 what were some of the signs of the increasing US strategic commitment in the Greater  Middle East? Specifically what were the Nixon and Carter doctrines?

2. What were the implications of the US shouldering primary responsibility for securing the planet’s principal oils storehouse? Why couldn’t the containment formula that had been at least somewhat successful during the Cold War  be effective in the Middle East.

3. Afghanistan stands out as the ostensibly big win that gave way to an even bigger mess. This is sometimes referred to as blowback – the impact of unintended consequences? What examples of blowback can you identify in America’s War in the Greater Middle East?.

4. What if anything did US efforts to combat terrorism in Lebanon and Libya indicate about the difficulty of achieving the anticipated goals?

5. Why was Desert Storm an inflection point in (America's War for the Greater Middle East)AWGME book? Why didn’t the US destroy Saddam’s regime?

6.  What does it mean to say that operational virtuosity is a poor substitute for strategic wisdom. How was that demonstrated in the Balkans intervention?