Why is the Middle East in Such a Mess?
A history lesson on neo-colonialism and the carving of borders.
In recent times, the Middle East has come to be known as a volatile and unstable place. Invasions and civil wars have plagued the region for decades, and it seems that international intervention has done little to resolve the tensions.
But how did it become like this, and what can be done to stop the never-ending conflicts?
Before we get into that, let’s try to understand this region. The Middle East is a relatively new term used to describe the previously held Ottoman territories in the Levant, Arabia and Mesopotamia. It also includes Egypt and Iran as well as other smaller states, and together, they make up what’s known as the Middle East.
To the surprise of some, it’s an area that’s much bigger than Europe, and like Europe, is incredibly diverse in both its ethnic, religious and cultural makeup. So although the media can sometimes paint it as a conglomeration of Arabs, the Middle East is far more complex than that.
In a way, it’s just like any global region, but it has one major issue. Instability.
This is because there are serious divisions between each of the different ethnic and religious groups. The uneven distribution of natural resources…
