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Full-Text Articles in International Relations

The Unraveling Of The Nation-State In The Middle East: Examples Of Iraq And Syria, Zachary Kielp Dec 2017

The Unraveling Of The Nation-State In The Middle East: Examples Of Iraq And Syria, Zachary Kielp

MSU Graduate Theses

After the carnage of World War One and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire a new form of political organization was brought to the Middle East, the Nation-State. Based on European ideas of Sovereignty and equality between countries; the nation-state was thrust upon these areas that had no history or interest in adopting a foreign form of governance and served the primary purpose of safeguarding the imperial interests of Europe. Compounding their error, the regions of these new nation-states contained populations that had long resented and mistrusted each other. While these countries could be held together by repressive dictatorships for …


Rivalry In The Middle East: The History Of Saudi-Iranian Relations And Its Implications On American Foreign Policy, Derika Weddington Aug 2017

Rivalry In The Middle East: The History Of Saudi-Iranian Relations And Its Implications On American Foreign Policy, Derika Weddington

MSU Graduate Theses

The history of Saudi-Iranian relations has been fraught. This relationship has impacted the United States’ role in the Persian Gulf. Prior to the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran could be characterized in terms of mutual understanding which allowed them to become integral parts of the American foreign policy in the1970s. This policy was intended to safeguard Western interests in the Persian Gulf after the British left. Saudi-Iranian cooperation during this time was in stark contrast to the hostile relationship that developed between them following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. …