Violence and the Middle East

1. What is Baladia?

 

2. What does MOUT stand for

 

3.  Why is conventional warfare is not suited to urban space

 

4. What is the goal of the New Manhattan Project called for by the U.S. Pentagon?

 

5. True or False: The Dugway Proving grounds in Utah was a site for the construction of a village of extremely accurate Berlin and Japanese houses built for the U.S. military.

Quiz

The War of terror announced a new moment in International conceptualizations of War

Israel -Palestinian Conflict 1948- present

Israeli occupation of Lebanon 1982-2005

 

 

 

 

Precursors:

"America and our coalition partners have made our choice. We're taking the words of the enemy seriously. We're on the offensive. We will not rest. We will not retreat. And we will not withdraw from the fight until this threat to civilization has been removed."- George W. Bush

India's War on Terror (Pakistan)

Pakistan's war on Terror (Taliban)

Russia's war on Terrorism (Chechnya)

 

Small Wars

Some Rules from Nazan Ustundag

1. Attempts to depoliticize enemy combatants

 

2. "Unassimilable to the liberal and capitalist world" and therefore, never ending.

 

3. decreasing use of actual soldiers from the West. Increasing use of technology.

 

4. The new wars are urban wars

 

5. Relies on a variety of media to enforce moral narratives

Eisenhower's Warning

The Military Industrial complex

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications....we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite. 

The Drone

China has eclipsed the U.S. as the biggest drone dealer

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

-via BBC.co.uk

The category of victims we call “OTHER” is classified differently depending on the source. The Obama administration classifies any able-bodied male a military combatant unless evidence is brought forward to prove otherwise. This is a very grey area for us. These could be neighbors of a target killed. They may all be militants and a threat. What we do know for sure is that they are targeted without being given any representation or voice to defend themselves.

-The Washington Post

Is this war?

 

In the U.S. congress is the body of government with the right of declaring war.

 

But under the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) the president has broad powers to seek out terrorist

 

It is unclear what information congress receives on Drones strikes, a program run under the CIA but carried out by the military 

 

Controversial use of 'Signature Strikes'

 

 

Mohammed Tuaiman, drone victim