Blog post #5: Environmental issues and human rights in Iraq

Post By: Kyle Conway

Iraq itself is using many different tactics to dealing with environmental issues but when it comes down to it, as previously noted in last weeks blog, the most effective way would be to stop acts of war in the region. War contributes to the majority of the environmental issues happening in Iraq, due to the various methods of warfare strategy and many other variables. Military operations in three wars since 1980 have created environmental crises for the country that have even spanned to the leaving behind of unexploded bombs and land mines. With war also comes damage, and with damage comes infrastructure issues in many parts of the population. These infrastructure issues lead to significant amounts of people living without adequate water supply or sanitation systems, leading to disease epidemics and other negative outcomes. Iraq also has the highest amount of prisoners stuck in prison with no charges, and have the most executions in the world.

On the issue of war, and its effects on the environment, Iraq and its government is more worried about finding solutions to bigger an more immediate problems like ending war itself and creating a democratic state to where the people can live no longer under such oppression. The Middle East being such a war torn area for such a long period of time has unfortunately caused many environmental issues that may not see an end any time soon with the emergence of ISIS and other radical groups in the region.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Iraq

On the issue of water, pollution and lack of management by the government has also led to the degradation of many of Iraq’s major waterways. As noted in the last blog, under Saddam Hussein’s rule, the government constructed a system in which drained the marshes in the lower regions, changing circulation of water to people and wildlife patterns.

Some ways in which the government is dealing with these environmental issues include the appointing of a ministry of environment, who since 2004 has been attempting to restore the circulation of water in the major waterways. Although these small steps have been and are being made, long-term environmental crises such as the depletion of marshlands have very low priority in Iraqi society.

Sources:

http://www.indexmundi.com/iraq/environment_current_issues.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Iraq

The human rights situation in Iraq remains a main concern for many activists and groups around the world as Iraqi civilians face threats from multiple groups. These groups include the government forces, the Islamic State in Iraq, and other armed groups that all battle for territory in Iraq causing an upsurge in violence in all areas of the country. Many Iraqi’s and people from the outside believe that the Iraqi central government is and has been a main contributing factor to the violations of human rights by using a systemic pattern of abuse. This consistent pattern of human rights violations by the government and outside groups has been a huge factor in the widespread disconnect in Iraq that has left thousands of citizens stuck in prison without charge. It is very astonishing to see that even after the US led invasion that ended Saddam Husseins dictatorship over ten years ago, Iraq remains defined as a place of human rights abuses.

Amnesty International is a group focused on working to stop human rights violations all over the world, including Iraq. They bring awareness to human rights issues in the region and attempt to address them by creating a global movement of people fighting injustice and promoting the idea that every human being has rights. In Iraq specifically, they use the same tactics as they do anywhere else in the world, by bringing awareness to the issues and attempting to create a movement, worldwide, to end the violations of human righs.

Sources:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/iraq

http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/iraq-a-decade-of-abuses

Climate change is inevitable and is a definite factor in today’s world, as weather patterns, natural disasters, raising sea-levels, heat waves, droughts, water shortages, and the spread of diseases impact all things climate related. All of these issues directly and indirectly threaten the range of human rights by people throughout the world, including the right to life, water, sanitation, food, health, housing, culture, etc.

Sources:

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/HRAndClimateChange/Pages/HRClimateChangeIndex.aspx

Blog post #4

     Being the youngest of 4 children, getting things brand new was very special to me. While most parents probably took their kids shopping to the outlet mall to get new clothes, my mother took me and my siblings shopping in the attic for "new" clothes. Each of us would have various amounts of quarters my mother had given us and we got to "buy" our clothes out of the dozens of tubs filled with Hand-me-down clothes mom had collected from various family friends and relatives. In turn, when my siblings and I outgrew the clothes we had, my mother would collect them and give them to another family who had younger children who also could get use out of the clothes we had worn in our childhood. This process drilled into my mind at a young age that just because something has been used, it can still be handed down or given to another for them to reap the benefits of the items we had been putting to use.

     This is all I could think about while reading "The Inuit right to Culture Base on Ice and Snow" by Sheila Watt-Cloutier. In this piece the author focuses on the deteriorating environment that their people had lived off of for generations. Teaching their kids to hunt and navigate the land from season to season depended mostly on the environment staying relatively similar from year to year. In a sense, the elders were passing along the land sort of as a hand-me-down to their younger generations so they can reap the same benefits off the land the elders had during their lifetime. Unfortunately, with all the pollution modern man is pumping into the atmosphere, the land is ever changing. Permafrost melting, the heating of the oceans and the extinction/decrease of native animals are all negative blows to the land of Inuit people making their survival more difficult with every passing year. 

     Sheila Watt-Cloutier points out that"several communities...are so damaged by global warming and climate change that relocation at the cost of millions of dollars is now the only option." I strongly believe this to be a true statement. The environment is currently in such a bad way that it is going to take not only millions of dollars, but also millions of people coming together to make a difference. The people of earth do have a moral obligation to take action in order to secure the environment  for further generations. Unfortunately, we as a species have completely dropped the ball on this assignment. Industrialization worldwide has cripple the the atmosphere and destroyed ecosystems for countless other species that call this planet home. Humans have sucked resources out of the earth with no remorse or thought of what could go wrong leaving my generation and those to follow to attempt to pick up the pieces. With the planet being in the state that it is, while getting worse everyday, there will be nothing good to pass along as hand-me-downs to our kin

    Take Algeria for example. Algeria's landscape problems are opposite those of the Inuit's described by Cloutier in the sense that Algeria has too little water and the Inuits are facing too much water but both sides are faced with a changing ecosystem that will not be in good shape to hand down to future generations. The Encyclopedia of Earth throws out an estimation the approximately 80% of Algeria is desert (EOE). This makes water and farmland very scarce and a top priority because we can't survive without food or water. With water accessibility being very low, water privatization came in to effect in Algeria in 2005 when the cities of Algiers, Annaba, Constantine and Oran contracted companies and these companies were given rights to manage water sources. It became a new idea to think of water not as a resource but as a commercial good (Wiki). On one hand, I find it a little shady to put the "rights" to water in the hands of corporations, but this does look like a positive move. At least the Algerian government realizes that the water crisis is real and is looking for ways to combat the shortage in order to make the small amount of water they have available to everyone. 

     As far as I can tell, Algeria currently has no affiliation with the climate research group 305 or any other big name environmental groups but they most definitely should considering their environmental state. But Algeria isn't taking a backseat in its own fight against climate change. Since 1982 Algeria has been instating regulations and laws such as the Hunting and Environmental Protection laws in order to establish a defense against the disappearing ecosystems. Algeria has also been headstrong in protecting the Sahara desert working with the Convention of Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the CITES Convention and the Ramsar Convention. These governing bodies are working towards erasing the threat of desertification hand in hand with Algeria's Minister of the Enviorment, M. Cherif Rahmani, who was a big part of setting up the World Deserts Foundation in 2002 (SC).

     It's promising to see lower economy countries such as Algeria take a stand against climate change but it does not come close enough to solving the problem. As it was stated earlier, only millions of dollars and millions of people are going to be our only hope in combating the pollution raised by previous generations. It won't be an easy task but the fight needs to be taken to a global scale NOW. If we wait any longer, we won't have anything to box up as hand-me-downs for our children and our children's children.

Written by Tom Sanders

Bibliography

Reading - Moral Ground by Sheila Watt- Cloutier (p 25-29).

http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/149985/ - (EOE)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_privatization_in_Algeria - (Wiki)

http://www.saharaconservation.org/spip.php?article55 (SC)

http://www.facenfacts.com/daily_img/20716_S_save-water-save-life.jpg - Picture

Blog Post #4- Climate Change, a Human Rights Issue

Blog #4 by Cole Stoecklein:

The future of this planet is in peril, but our culture is too shortsighted to even notice. Climate change has had an increasing presence at the forefront of discussions pertaining to global issues. However, the idea of climate change has been viewed as an environmental issue with economical consequences, but it is about time that people view it as a human issue. If it isn’t viewed in this light, the destructive reality of human induced climate change will continue to be ignored by a world dominated by governments more interested in current economic gain rather than the future sustainability of our earth.

This, in essence, is exactly what Sheila Watt-Cloutier brings to the table in her enlightening piece “The Inuit Right To Culture Based On Ice and Snow”. Watt-Cloutier, a member of the Inuit tribe, has experienced the consequences of climate change first hand. The Inuit people reside in the northern regions of the US, in Canada, Greenland, and Russia. Their lives are directly dependent on ice and snow, for ice and snow are the highways for their sled dogs, and glaciers are the source of the streams which contribute to the ecosystem in which the Inuit people are able to hunt and cultivate to support their families. Climate change, over the past few decades, has been tumultuous for the Inuit people as a society; in fact, the Inuit people have the leading suicide rate in Northern America (Watt-Cloutier 25).

Watt-Cloutier identifies the devastating of her tribe’s current state in order to emphasize her main point: Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a human rights issue. She points to the shortsighted views of governments as the main issue, for it is easy to ignore the fact that tribes like the Inuit are literally being killed off by the pollution coming from big cities around the world. Watt-Cloutier implores people to stop viewing climate change as an environmental issue, and to think of the humans who are being deprived of their livelihood because of a world choosing to ignore the consequences of their lifestyle. 

"So you see, climate change isn't just an environmental issue with unwelcome economic consequences. It really is a matter of livelihood, food, individual, and cultural survival."  -Shiela-Cloutier 

With Watt-Cloutier’s arguments in mind it is impossible to ignore the fact that we have a moral obligation to protect the future of this planet by implementing a more sustainable lifestyle. There are societies of actual people whose lives depend on it. In Egypt, for instance, there are people experiencing these same human issues. Cairo, Egypt is one of the most heavily polluted cities in Northern Africa. Due to this pollution, the Nile River has been becoming less and less clean, which has a ripple effect of negative consequences throughout that region. There are millions of people throughout not only Egypt, but the African region that are dependent on the Nile for transportation, fertile soil, fishing, and most importantly drinking water. 

There are organizations like 350.org that are set up in Egypt to attack this problem. 350 Egypt, for instance, is currently making a big push to identify better transportation alternatives within Egypt. The streets of Cairo are always bustling with large numbers of vehicles, none being eco-friendly. The pollution is visually evident on the majority of days in Egypt, and 350 Egypt is setting out to end this. Savethewater.org is another organization dedicated to preserving the Nile River. The Egyptian Organization of Human Rights called water pollution “a ticking time bomb threatening the life of the Egyptians” (Savethewater.org). There are several organizations in place vigilantly fighting this environmental issue, and they have the essential viewpoint that the pollution of the Nile doesn’t just have economic consequences, but could be the cause of human lives being lost.

There are other various groups like Greenpeace, for instance, that are in Egypt trying to shed light on the urgency that is needed to prevent the negative effects of climate change. Greenpeace has had a strong hold in Egypt, and has been fighting to implement effective, eco friendly energy sources within Egypt. Finally, the environmental group “GreenArm” has been very present within Egypt. They have made a big push in the city of Cairo to encourage people to use bicycles for transportation to cut down on vehicle emissions. They are heading what some people are calling the “Cycling-revival movement” in Cairo, which could play a crucial part in ridding Egypt of a lot of unnecessary car pollution (Greearm.com).

In the end, Climate change is much more than an environmental issue, for there is more than just economic loss at hand; there are lives at stake. Urgency is needed among global leaders to prevent cultures like the Inuit tribe being killed off, and it’s encouraging to see organizations like Greenpeace, Greenarm, save the water, and 350 Egypt making significant strives around the world to stunt the growth of the climate control issue. Now what can I do to contribute?

Sources:
Greenarm.com
savethewater.org
350.org
Sheila Watt-Coultier, "The Inuit Right to Culture Based on Ice and Snow"
https://www.facebook.com/350Egypt

BLOG entry #4: Earths Future and Iraq’s Environment

BLOG entry #4:

Earths Future and Iraq’s Environment

By: Kyle Conway

After reading the chapter by Sheila Watt-Cloutier, it is clear that global warming and that the way we treat our planet is affecting people worldwide. This chapter was really interesting to read because I had never heard a story about environmental issues from an intuit, who basically lives and thrives in the snow, ice, and cold. I learned from this reading that the intuit people in the arctic have been using the environment for generations in their favor. They have observed the environment, and accurately predicted the weather around them, enabling safe travel, hunting, and life for people. All of these things are drastically changing though, as human induced climate change, and other poisonings of the world are changing the environment for people who have never seen such change in their lifetime. These modifications in lifestyle and cultural ways are a huge change for the Inuit people, who have struggled with it in many ways. As the climate rises and the winter patterns become harder to observe and track, the harder these peoples way of life becomes. With climate change comes unpredictable ice patterns, where now, for the first time in years drowning is a main issue while hunting.  Along with the change in life, a lot of Inuit people are being forced out of there homes because of the dangers environmental impacts have had.

Sources: (https://bblearn.missouri.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2642510-dt-content-rid-27430525_1/courses/SP2016.GN_HON.2246H.01/Moral%20Ground%20-%2021-31%281%29.pdf)

I think that as a society we do have a moral obligation to take action to protect the future of our planet. The overwhelming evidence of our changing environment, along with stories like the one of the Intuit people in the arctic, should be the motivation behind why we take action. If we don’t take action soon I am afraid that the future of our world looks scary. The issue is that people don’t necessarily care at this point because they don’t think environmental issues will affect them, when in reality they are being selfish to the future of this world and the next generations.

Iraq does not per say contribute to the many environmental issues effecting our planet, but Iraq’s environment is definitely effected and in turn effecting the people of Iraq. Iraq has been an epicenter of war for the last decade and more, causing many devastating human and environmental consequences. Other issues include government water control projects that have drained most of the marsh areas and dried up or diverted most rivers and streams that provide water to many people. The blockage of these water-feeding lines prevents the people in the area to do everyday things such as participating in agricultural movements, and even just having drinking water.

Sources: (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/march/greenpeace-statement-on-iraq)

Water.org is an environmental group formed to bring safe water and sanitation to parts of the world that cannot access such luxuries. Water.org does not work in in the Middle East, as most of the issues they are handling come from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Another reason for the absence of water.org may be because of the dangers of going to the Middle East and the fact that war has been a factor in this region for such a long time. One organization that is helping with environmental issues in Iraq is the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Greenpeace, who actively opposes war and promotes non-violent solutions to conflict. Greenpeace, which was founded in Canada and now headquartered in Amsterdam, has five major reasons for why they oppose the war on Iraq. The five reasons begin with the fact that war would have devastating human and environmental consequences, going into detail stating that, “The last Gulf war killed two hundred thousand people and left many of the survivors malnourished, diseased, and dying. Damage to ecosystems in the area remained years after the war ended.” They go on to explain the rest of their reasons saying war is an ineffective way to deal with weapons of mass destruction, that bush is trying to gain control of Iraq’s oil, and that Iraq should not be singled out when other countries have weapons of mass destruction at there disposal. Although this list may be outdated, most still stand true to the beliefs of Greenpeace, who still advocate for the end of military presence in Iraq. An example of how Greenpeace tried to stop military attack on Iraq was in 2010 when they blocked the a UK military supply vessel from leaving the port by anchoring one of their ships in the way and sending crews in inflatable boats with signs that read “No War.” (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/greenpeace-cuts-military-suppl/) Greenpeace and the UNEP will be the biggest advocates of ending war in Iraq as they see war having devastating human and environmental consequences.

Sources: (http://water.org/projects/), (http://water.org/about/), (http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/no-war/war-on-iraq/), (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/march/greenpeace-statement-on-iraq)

Post #2 Language in Algeria

     When thinking about what makes humans so unique in evolution, my mind instantly goes to our collective ability to communicate information through writing and speaking. Different kinds of animals have their own way of communicating, dogs bark, cats meow and birds sing their own beautiful tunes but all of that falls far from the languages we as humans have developed.
     According to infoplease.com there 6500 languages spoken throughout the world. In the Algeria, the number of languages spoken drops to a handful. Officially, the national language of Algeria is Arabic and is spoken by almost the entire population. The news comes printed in Arabic, restaurants print their menus in Arabic and school is taught in Arabic so for families that aren't natural Arabic speakers, the language is picked up simply by living in the area and also by pursuing an education (Languages). Besides Arabic, Algerians also speak a language referred to as Berber. As of 2002, Berber was also put into the category of Algeria's national language along with Arabic. More recently, on February 6th, 2016 a vote was put up regarding Berber. The bill, which has now received a passing vote, will make Berber an official language of Algeria. This mean that it will appear, along with Arabic, on administrative documents (BBC). This was a power move by the Algerian Government. The language barrier can be the most difficult obstacle to overcome when moving to a new area. It is hard enough trying to find the way from one place to another in an unfamiliar territory but not being able to read road signs, or really any signs for that matter, makes the task one hundred time more difficult. Those that come in speaking only Berber will now feel more comfortable and at home seeing their native language around them.
   


     Algeria did not only win gain its independence back in 1962, that year also marks the occasion of another big event in the countries history. On the 8th of November, 1962 Algeria was admmited into the United Nations. The United Nations, as you hopefully already know, is a group consisting of 193 countries around the world all committed to co-existing peacefully and achieving prosperity for all (UN). Being a new, young country, joining the United Nations so quickly after gaining independence was a smart choice. When trying to build up infrastructre, public health, defense, and an economy the United Nations would be the best place to seek help and guidance considering almost all of the world powers are members of the group.
     Besides from joining the United Nations, Algeria has been on the ball for becoming part of the connected world. Although not a full member of the International Monetary Fund, Algeria has accepted their terms and completed the tasks required for membership. Once accepted, Algeria will belong to a group of 188 countries dedicated to create a global economy that promotes world trade while growing each member's economic wealth and works to prevent recessions (IMF). Again, Algeria made a very intelligent move getting involved in the IMF early in its short history. Establishing a solid economy that a young nation can grow on is vitally important to growth and its success in the future. Currently, the World Trade Organization is in the final stage of admiting Algeria. Once the Draft Working Party Report is approved by the General Council, Algeria will be full members. Belonging to the largest trading organiziation on the planet can be nothing but good for a rising nation (WTO). It seems that Algeria has been taking all the correct steps towards healthy growth. Only time will tell how it handles the bumps along the road.


Written by Tom Sanders


Bibliography

http://www.infoplease.com/askeds/many-spoken-languages.html

http://www.algeria.com/languages/  (Languages)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35515769 (BBC)

http://www.un.org/en/index.html (UN)

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/memdir/members.aspx#3 (IMF)

https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/a1_algerie_e.htm  (WTO)

http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/1x9961822/road-sign-pointing-to-algerian-frontier-on-desert-road-near-chebika-tunisia.jpg   (Picture)

Post 3- Syria

    Nationalism is a view that one has of his own nation state and their views and interests and that they have more importance and meaning than those of others. Post World War I Middle East was split in an agreement with Great Britain and France. Greater Syria was split between these two powers. This created volatility between the conflicting interests of the Lebanese, Palestinians, Jordanians, Syrians, and Israelis. There has been unrest and conflict in the nation ever since. Syrian nationalist feel that the Greater Syrian lands should be unified and restored. This would be one Arab nation transcending the borders drawn during the Ottoman Empire. There has been conflict against the Assad regime in Syria coming from rebels fighting for Islam. Assad belongs to a small minority population of Shiite Islam called Alewite. Most of the higher ranking military in this region is of this population and a lot of the Alewives stood behind the Assad regime. A majority of Syrians are Sunni Arabs and they have become divided during the regime. Most of the rebels in the Free Syrian Army, another rebel group fighting Assad, are Sunnis.  The fighting and political unrest is only getting worse in the area. Zakaria sees a rise in nationalism as a danger in rising countries due to the people pushing their ideals more than ever and it becoming more difficult to work towards a common goal. It will be harder to work together to solve global issues, such as the human rights violations in Syria, which is why Zakaria sees this as such a problem. This can also been seen in the views of some of the rebel groups in Syria. Syria, which is considered a rogue state by the United States is furthering themselves for solving the issue at hand due to this. Zakaria considers a rogue state as a nation who is percieved as a threat. They feel their views are correct and disagree with the leadership in place, therefore, causing the unrest and violence we see today.

    There is inequality seen in Syria both economically and gender wise. Economically, Syrians are seeing a widening gap between those extremely well off and those in poverty. There has been consecutive droughts which have led to the agriculture business to decline and agriculture provides jobs for almost 20 percent of the sector. People are now moving to more urban areas causing rises in populations in these cities and less areas for shelter and livable conditions. So due to this, regions that are more rural, specifically the southern and eastern portions of Syria, experience much more poverty and much harsher living conditions.  A lot of these problems have led to the civil unrest in Syria.  Gender inequality is a huge concern seen in Syria, especially due to all of the violence within the county. Violence against women has been used as a weapon of war. Women are being sexually assaulted and even murdered because of their gender. The takeover of rebel groups in certain areas have furthered the inequality these women face. Many of the Syrian laws that helped promote gender equity are now being overruled. Some of these regions have even enforced women to wear the hijab, and the full length robe, the abaya, even though not everyone identifies with the same religion. Women have also been denied access to public amenities such as transportation and education. These acts are pushing back what progress has been made in these regions already for gender equality.

Blog Post #3- Egyptian Nationalism and Inequality

Post #3- By Cole Stoecklein

    By definition, nationalism is considered "devotion and loyalty to one's own country", but in the world today it has taken on more layers than that.

    In Egypt, there has been a resurgence of Egyptian nationalism that came in the form of the newest leader Abdel Fatta el-Sisi. The first movement of Egyptian Nationalism is believed to have dated back to when Muhammad Ali took the throne in the early 1800s. Ali ironically was not of Egyptian descent; however, he enacted reforms that were essential in giving Egypt true independence from the Ottoman Empire (al-monitor). Over the years, Egypt has been pushing for national pride, and for people to rally together in loyalty to their country.

    Throughout Sisi's leadership, the country has been trying to establish its distinct identity as an Egyptian culture. The people of Egypt take a lot of pride in their Egyptian culture, and do not desire to align themselves as similar to the Arabic and African nations around them. However, this sense of distinct identity isn't hostile in nature, but rather they still have interest in interacting with the cultures around them (al-monitor). The most evident element of Egyptian nationalism can be seen in Sisi's emphasis on military power. Egypt is commonly known as the strongest military force in the Arab world, and many consider the military to be the back bone of Egypt. This further drives the point that Egypt is fighting for their country to be strong, independent, and distinct from their surrounding countries.

Abdel Fatta el-Sisi

    Nationalism, according to Fareed Zakaria, can be rather dangerous. As loyalty and passions rise within countries, Zakaria points out, it only increases the national rejection of "Western culture", and as Nationalism rises "it makes purposeful national action more difficult" (Zakaria 40). Countries are discovering there aren't just two ways to operate: Assimilate to Western ways or reject them. Instead, countries are finding their own identity, and many are thriving which leads to more independence and national pride.

   On a more abstract level, Zakaria points out that there is even sub-national independence that is now taking place. Tribal groups within countries are becoming more independent and powerful; consequently, changing the ability for purposeful action within a nation-state (Zakaria 41). This form of sub-nationalism can be very dangerous; in fact, civil wars among tribal/ethnic groups are being fought worldwide because of this phenomenon.

    Most recently in Egypt, this type of tribal conflict can be seen in the Aswan conflict of 2014. The conflict started with an outbreak of shootings and stabbings between students of the Bani Hilal and Nubian tribes after a Nubian student painted anti-Bani murals on a school wall. The outbreak of violence threatened to turn into a wide-scale conflict among ethnic groups; in fact, over the three day violence outburst 163 people were faced with trial for their participation in the conflict. The streets of Aswan were truly chaotic, for people swarmed the streets openly conflicting with the use of knives, guns, and explosives while the police showed little interest whatsoever. A Egyptian woman by the name of "Noura" was interviewed and she passionately claimed to have called the police ten times the night of the initial violence, but instead they dedicated their time to a political protest (csmonitor.com). After three days, wide spread conflict was avoided as the army eventually stepped in; however, the existence of ethnic conflict was made very evident to the nation as a whole.

Murals on Aswan school wall

  Egypt, once a moderately equal nation, has been stricken severely with poverty in the last few years. In fact, more than 22 million Egyptians are currently living in poverty (Egyptianstreets.com). As Tony Judt points out in his book "Ill Fares the Land", poverty has severe ramifications for a nation. For instance, lack of significant income causes social issues, health issues, and an inability for mobility within a people group, Judt argues. As inequality has risen in Egypt, perhaps the social issues Judt alluded to have been most evident. Since the large influenza outbreak in 2005, which many believe to have started the spike in poverty, Egypt has been in constant revolution and protest for new government, ethnic groups have been clashing, and the people seem to be becoming more disheartened as the days go by.

   Little is being done in Egypt to try to stunt the growth of poverty, rather Egypt continues to push for military dominance, and a Nationalistic identity. However, the people within the country of Egypt are in dire need for assistance, but the Egyptian government seems more concerned with how they are perceived by those outside of their borders. Inequality will continue to cause issues within Egypt, and it is yet to be seen what precautions will be taken to prevent this epidemic from prolonging.

Sources:

"The Post-American World", Fareed Zakaria

"Ill Fares the Land", Tony Judt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Aswan_tribal_clashes

http://www.madamasr.com/news/163-people-face-trial-aswan-tribal-violence

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0415/In-Upper-Egypt-police-avert-eyes-from-ethnic-bloodshed-video

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/09/egyptian-nationalism-islamism-challenge.html#

http://egyptianstreets.com/2014/07/13/more-than-22-million-egyptians-live-in-poverty-report/
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nationalism?s=t

Post #3 - Nationalism and Inequality in Saudi Arabia

Posted by Nathan Gerdes

Nationalism

As an American born at the end of the 20th century, nationalism is an idea that has always been ingrained me. The 20th century has been coined “The American Century” due to the economic and diplomatic success the U.S. has seen throughout the century. Accompanying this success is the pride that the U.S. citizens have towards their country. In his book, “The Post American World”, Fareed Zakaria points out America’s patriotism. He also discusses the decline of America’s importance on the global stage, and the rise of nationalism throughout the world. He states, “The focus has shifted. Countries are increasingly interested in themselves – the story of their rise – and pay less attention to the West and the United States.”

This has much been the case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As Reuters points out, “National identity in Saudi Arabia is closely bound up with the strict Wahhabi Sunni school, which views Shi'ism as heretical, and whose leading clerics sometimes publicly cast doubt on whether Shi'ites are truly Muslim.” This can be seen in the multiple conflicts throughout the Middle East. The clearest example is Suadi Arabia’s involvement in the Yemen civil war.

 

According to an opinion by Dr. Theodore Karasik in The National, an Abu Dhabi English news publication, ever since Saudi Arabia entered the fight against the Shi’ite Houthis in March of 2015:

“The kingdom’s Grand Mufti, Abdel Aziz Al Sheikh, has called for national support and conscription. This is significant as it is the Al Sheikh family, the official interpreter of Wahabism, that provides the religious foundation for Saudi nationalism.”

Saudi Arabia’s success in this war is very important for the pride of the country. Especially considering the differences with Iran. It is important that Saudi Arabia revive itself after the struggles it has faced in deposing Iran backed Assad in Syria. Also, recent U.S.-Iranian relations have even strengthened this feeling of urgency. The Al-Monitor points this out by stating:

“The war on Yemen may well be what Saudis — both commoners and royalty — have wanted for a long time. A victory over the Houthis is important for domestic reasons, not least to mend internal Saudi divides, but also to save the Saudi leadership from embarrassment over its complete failure to score victory over Iran in Syria and Iraq, and over Washington’s new policy to mend its ties with Iran and possibly lift sanctions.”

Income Inequality

Income inequality is a burden that every nation must deal with; however, as it grows worse, its horrible effects often grow much faster. As Tony Judt states in “Ill Fares the Land”, “Inequality is corrosive. It rots societies from within.”

In the last half century, Saudi Arabia has been able to accumulate a vast amount of wealth mostly due to the discovery of oil. However, with this wealth, also came issues of inequality. The New York Times attributes some of this inequality to the rising oil prices between 2005 and 2008. In 2008, inflation grew to 10.6%, its highest level in over 30 years. This led prices of consumer goods to increase while wages were stagnant. The Gini coefficient of Saudi Arabia was at 45.9 in 2013. This is down from 51.3 in 2007, according to Arab News. This is fairly high when compared to many of the largest economies. As of late, the income inequality outlook is very poor.

As I discussed in my posts the past two weeks, Saudi Arabia’s economy is facing dire times as oil prices are at historically low prices. To make up for the future deficits, the government is cutting spending and even discussing the possibility of taxes. According to the Financial Times, “The cuts will cost the average household an extra $140 a month.” This is likely to further hurt the middle and lower classes. In the very short term, we may not see many effects, but it will not take long before these cuts start to have very bad consequences.

Additional Sources:

Judt, Tony. Ill Fares the Land. New York: Penguin, 2010. Print.
Zakaria, Fareed. The Post-American World. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. Print.

Post #3: Nationalism and Turkey

According to Merriam-Webster, nationalism is "a feeling that people have of being loyal to and proud of their country often with the belief that it is better and more important than other countries."

In the book, The Post American World, by Fareed Zakaria, he discusses the problems of nationalism. He says as the economy rises, so does nationalism -- it is inevitable. Rather than calling it nationalism in the United States, though, we call it patriotism. Pride. We are very proud, which may make us seem more threatening to other countries. Turkey is similar in this way. Not in a way that they are patriotic, but they see themselves superior to other countries. Zakaria says on page 48, "That sense of being governed by one's 'own,' without interference, is a powerful feeling in emerging countries, especially those that were once colonies or quasi-colonies of the West."

An article by Senem Aslan, called "Different Faces of Turkish Islamic Nation," describes nationalism in Turkey. In 2013, Turkey underwent a corruption investigation into the activities of three different organizations after a phone conversation was leaked of Erdogan (their president of Turkey) and his son talking about large amounts of cash they had hidden. This exposed a conflict between the Justice and Development party (AKP) and the Gulen movement, which changed the Turkish political spectrum drastically. The Gulen movement, according to their website, is "a transnational movement inspired by teachings of scholar and theologian Fethullah Gulen. His emphasis on education, dialogue and peaceful coexistence has attracted a large number of volunteers."

From recent articles I've read, it is evident that the conflict also stems from the nature of the Turkish and Islam nationalism. Both AKP and the Gullen movement share broad principles of Muslim nationalism. Nationalism tends to stem from their Muslim religion based throughout the country. Aslan says, "It is nationalist because it imagines a Turkey-centered Muslim world but the Muslim identity is more dominant in its conception of the Turkish nation than a unique Turkish ethnic identity." The president has began to direct his speeches towards addressing the Muslim religion as a citizenship rather than a brotherhood. The aspects of their sacred religion is beginning to become more and more focused on the nationalism of their country.


According to Merriam-Webster, inequality is "an unfair situation in which some people have more rights or better opportunities than other people." Turkey tends to a great deal of inequality. Not only poverty and income levels, but towards a governmental level, as well. While difficult to obtain information about recent inequality levels in Turkey, I was able to find an article stemming back from 2014. They were reported as one of the countries with the highest level of inequality. Between 2000 and 2014, income disparity increased by 21 percent. This made Turkey the 3rd fastest deteriorating in the region at that time.

The crucial problem of inequality lies in the country's tax system. The article above describes the system as "lopsided." 10 percent of the country holds 78 percent of the entire country's wealth. Today's Zaman, a Turkish website, explains the tax system, it "draws two-thirds of its revenue from indirect taxes while collecting only a small portion of income tax from wealthier people, is blamed for Turkey's social inequality. Limited trade and labor union rights and high employment remain major issues for Turkey."

Another article addresses Turkey's gender inequality problem. Their president, Erdogan, thinks that is not of human nature for men and women to be considered equal. They rank 125th out of 140 in the gender gap index.

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any articles that conclude, or attempt to, how Turkey is working towards breaking the inequality gap. They are not. And the more I read, the more it seems it is quickly getting worse. The president does not care to better the problems, for he may be doing confidential money trading still. One article says the country is "doomed." I hope this is not true, though. Consistent research will follow and close, careful watch will educate us on what the future of Turkey holds.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/02/20/different-faces-of-turkish-islamic-nationalism/

http://pomeps.org/2015/03/05/kurds-state-elites-and-patterns-of-nationhood-in-iraq-and-turkey/

http://www.todayszaman.com/business_turkeys-deep-income-inequality-persists-report_361603.html

Blog Post #3

According to Wikipedia, nationalism is a shared group feeling, taking place in a certain demographical region in which those people are fighting for independence for its culture and ethnicity that holds the group together. In this case, Iraqi Nationalism would essentially be nationalism that asserts that Iraqis as a whole are a nation and promotes the cultural unity of Iraqis. The people of Iraq promote their culture and heritage in many different ways, stemming from the recognition of ancient Mesopotamia, to the movement to independence from ottoman to British occupation. In Iraq, there are two main variants. One variant views an Iraqi nation as involving Arab and Kurdish people as having common Mesopotamian heritage. The second variant is a dual nationalism combining Iraqi nationalism alongside Arab nationalism, where nationalism for matters including Iraq and Arab issues would be involved together.

Two important historical and iconic figures of Iraq were a Babylonian ruler and a Kurdish Muslim ruler, both of which can be attributed to being nationalism faces because of the crusades. Iraq has had issues with nationalism in the past decade or so because of dictatorship and conflict. When the country was ran by Saddam Hussein for instance, he believed in dual nationalism and that the recognition of the ancient Mesopotamian origins and heritage of Iraqi Arabs was complementary to supporting Arab nationalism. 

Inequality is definitely a factor in Iraq when it comes to women and men’s rights. Women in Iraq have suffered equality issues for years. Making up a vast majority of the Iraqi population today, they are an important part of the culture. Although they are a huge part of society, they have been persecuted against, usually because of outbreak of war within the country.

This inequality problem plays a role in every day life as women have lost many rights, especially after the most recent invasion of Iraq in the early 2000’s. The UN states that in the 1980’s Iraqi women enjoyed more basic rights than other women in the region. After years of dictatorship, sanctions, and conflict, especially war, has created a steady decline in women’s status. Educational and employment opportunities are two huge issues that show the inequality of gender in Iraq. Another statement from the UN says that women in Iraq represent one of the most vulnerable segments of the populations and are generally more exposed to poverty and food insecurity as a result of lower income levels.

Women in the education system have been a long-term fight for equality, as the ratio of boys to girls according to UNICEF and the government are almost .20 away from even. The inequality of the schooling system in Iraq is getting better but is still a current issue that needs to be faced with. The main inequality issue that many people blame the collapse of Iraq is income.

Income inequality in Iraq plays a vital role in the many people living without basic needs. This widening of income though, comes with the fact that conflict has been in abundance in Iraq for the last decade. According to an article written by Rebecca Burns, Women’s status in society is much worse. It is stated that when Saddam was in power, people had many objections, but the laws did grant some basic women’s rights; but after the “liberation”, laws have changed. Now, the Iraqi constitution has a new article that says Iraqis are free to choose what kind of law under which they lead their civil lives. In a simple sense, life for women has always been a struggle for basic equality and will continue to as long as there is conflict within the region. Continuous occupation of Iraq will also see effects in equality because of how securitized every sector is, leaving citizens faced with everyday struggles like the income and gender inequality.

Bibliogrpaphy

http://www.irinnews.org/report/97976/women-yet-to-regain-their-place

http://iraq.unfpa.org/programmes/gender-equality-and-women-empowerment

http://inthesetimes.com/article/12583/fighting_for_gender_equality_in_iraq

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_nationalism