Introduction
“The Cold War: Global Conflict, Regional Upheavals,” by Fred Halliday, explores the implications of policies that were formulated during the Cold War and the atrocities that followed the Middle East up to the twenty-first century. The seeds of crisis followed in a political and social-economic manner and not a religious context. The war had multi-layered competition comprised of intense competition between political loyalties for economic advantage. According to Halliday (2005), the battle included upheavals within the states, protracted inter-national negotiations, and dramatic military crises. Within the Middle East, the USSR had a great interest in the region due to the challenges that emerged along its southern border. Contrary, the US had a significant concern about Israel and the Arabic World since it relied on OPEC oil provisions. Hence, Dominated by the Cold War, many social movements and local states sought to exploit this conflict to explore individual interests. The chapter includes a detailed explanation of the phases the Cold War took and the events that led to the Middle East shifting its social status and becoming a target region for propelling political agendas by the superpowers.
Paper’s Main Arguments
The paper argues that the superpowers in the Cold War had different interests in the Middle East, which motivated them to conquer the region. Specifically, according to Halliday (2005), the Cold War in the Middle East was surrounded by tactical cross-currents. For instance, the United States had radical and deliberate interests in Israel and significant monetary goals in oil in the Arabian Peninsula to enhance their political and financial competency. Contrarily, the USSR was more concerned about the security threats on the southern border, which made them focus more on non-Arab neighbors.
Reaction
Paper Strengths
The article does an incredible job of using research evidence and facts to prove the interests of the two superpowers in the Middle East. With the constant reference to the existing literature, the author clearly illustrates that the argument is well-researched and thought off, making it more convincing. Thus, one of the strengths of this article is the use of academic sources to understand the events that led to the Cold War in the Middle East and draw informed conclusions. The workflow of the article gives an in-depth analogy of the events occurring and gives the reader a plan.
Moreover, as a large piece of work, the use of headings and sub-headings allows the readers to understand the key concepts that support the paper’s ideas. Indeed, the titles make the job more appealing since they visually convey different levels of importance and allow the reader to differentiate between the Cold War events from one country to the other. Altogether, the subheadings give the readers further insights and support for the concepts of the leading paper.
Paper Weaknesses
However, the paper uses complex language that may make it hard for an audience who lacks knowledge of historical concepts to understand. Specifically, the chapter utilizes complex language that influences the audience’s levels of understanding and comprehension. Although the audience might be people interested in historical concepts, the use of complicated terms and descriptions may only favor people with unique historical backgrounds.
Personal Reflection
I agree with the concepts of this paper that the Cold War had profound impacts on the Middle East region, its people, states, and the significance of the area in the entire international system. The interrelationship of nationalism, religion, and oil contributed to the widening gap between the Arabs and the Soviets. Islam emerged as a unifying force against Israel and the West as Arab nationalism gained favor. The development of OPEC and the modern Arab world was based on all three, which increased Arab mistrust of outside interference. As a result, it is crucial to recognize that the Cold War left its mark on the region’s dominance through many allies that were allied with either the US or the Russian Federation (the former USSR).
Conclusion
Overall, “The Cold War: Global Conflict, Regional Upheavals,” by Fred Halliday, is an informative work that clearly illustrates the impacts and role of the Cold War in the Middle East. With the help of past literature and scientific evidence, the author takes the audience through the basic concepts that made the US and USSR conquer the region. Besides, it effectively highlights the overall impacts of the process. I agree with most ideas of this paper since the Cold War in the Middle East region adversely affected the nation and its people. Indeed, the events during the war made the area remain a hotbed of conflicts. Hence, I recommend this chapter to anyone interested in historical issues and facts behind the war in the Middle East.
Reference
Halliday. F. (2005). The Cold War: Global Conflict, Regional Upheavals. in Halliday.F, The Middle East in International Relations (pp. 97-129). Cambridge University Press