Current & Recent Conflicts

• Afghanistan• Somalia• Iraq• Pakistan• Mexican Drug War• Sudan• Palestine• Myanmar• Basque• Colombia• Peru• India

• Jammu & Kashmir• Papua• Kurdistan• Yemen• Chechnya• Cabinda• Tibet• Sri Lanka• Cyprus• Algeria• Uganda• Koreas• Western Sahara

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/landincrisis/020312/political_central.html

Afghanistan:In 1978 there was a civil war and the ___communists____ overthrew the government. The government could not control the rebels and asked the Soviet Union to come in and help restore order. The Soviets saw weakness and invaded. Western nations (including the US) armed the rebels (Mujahadeen). Soviets were never able to bring stability, and withdrew in 1989. In 1996, the ____Taliban_________ (Fundamentalist Shiite Muslims) took control. The Taliban has close ties to al-Qaeda under the control of Osama bin Laden. In October of 2001, the US and its allies began aerial bombardment, missile attacks and Special Forces commando missions against al-Qaeda in response to the 9/11 terror attacks. The Taliban government was overthrown and a new regime has been installed. The US, Afghan, and NATO forces are trying to bring peace to the country.

Pirate Attacks

Somalia:Mohammad Ali Mahdi assumed power which led to clan fighting. The fighting divided the country. General Mohammad Farah ___Aidid______________ held the capital. The common people were starving, 300,000 died and 1.5 million fled to neighboring countries as different groups fought for control. The UN sent peacekeeping forces. US troops tried to capture Aidid. In the process some US soldiers were killed. The “Black Hawk Down” movie is based on true events from this conflict. The UN & US withdrew in ____1995_____________ when it became clear they would not meet their goal. There is no sustained government, and the country is basically in anarchy. The international community is not focused on this area where armed men run the streets, and ____pirates___________ run the waters around the country’s coast.

Iraq:Iraq invaded _____Kuwait____________in 1990. The US led coalition liberated Kuwait. Saddam Hussein stayed in power and the international community imposed sanctions to make Hussein agree to UN weapons inspections. After the 9/11 attacks, the US began the ____War on Terror__________and focused on Iraq and removing Hussein from power. The US coalition quickly deposed Hussein and began nation building efforts in an attempt to establish a democratic government. The coalition has found it difficult to restore order and security, but is worried that pulling out forces will lead to a full-scale ___civil war_____ The US is scheduled to begin withdrawing forces at the end of this year.

Pakistan:Pakistan formed in 1947 when British India split into Hindu India and ___Muslim______________Pakistan. Pakistan has been under military rule for most of its history. December 2007, the opposition leader, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was ____assassinated__________ The 2008 elections brought an end to military rule, but the military is struggling to regain power. The new government has tried to fight against Islamist militants who want ____Sharia___________ (Islamic law). The new prime minister is Bhutto’s husband Asif Ali Zardari. The move toward democracy has been difficult, but Pakistan has allowed US drone planes to fly into Afghanistan and is helping fight against al-Qaeda.

Mexican Drug War:After the demise of Colombia’s Cali and Medelin cartels in the 1990s, Mexican drug cartels grew in power. Cartels are fighting for control of the distribution lines for ________drugs____________ and weapons into the US. Over 28,000 have died since 2006. President Felipe Calderon has sent over 5,000 troops to border areas to help stop the violence, but violence is actually on the increase and the US __State Department_______has warned Americans not to travel to the border areas of Mexico.

Sudan:This conflict is based on racial, religious, and regional differences and struggles over natural resources. Most Sudanese are desperately ____poor_____________ Fighting between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south have killed at least 2 million and displaced 4 million. In 2003, the struggle for land and power in the western region of _____Darfur_______________ intensified when government supported Arab Janjaweed militia tried to ethically cleanse the African tribes. 200,000 were killed and 2 million displaced. President Omar ___al-Bashir___________is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ironically, the battle over vast oil reserves is useless as no side has the ability to develop the resources.

Palestine – IsraelOn May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence in areas granted in UN _Resolution 181______. May 15th, Five Arab nations attacked Israel. Israel won and gained land and angry Arabs. In 1968, Israel felt threatened and attacked Egypt and Syria. Israel won the Occupied Territories (Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and the West Bank). The Palestinians fled to UN run refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank. In 1978, Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement and Israel returned the ___Sinai_________ Peninsula. Palestinians were given some self rule in Gaza. Gaza elected Hamas as their government. Israel has continued to settle areas in the Occupied Territories. The Palestinians desire a homeland. Many Palestinians base their hopes on UN ____Resolution 242____that would return land to the partition plan of 1948 in return for secure and recognized borders. Unfortunately, not everyone on either side will be happy with this situation and will keep fighting.

Myanmar (Burma):Myanmar has been under ____military________ rule since independence in 1962. The National League for Democracy candidate, Aung San Suu Kyi won the 1990 election. The military refused to relinquish power and Aung was placed under house arrest. Sanctions placed on Myanmar in 1989 and 2003 have failed to force a change. China continues to trade with Myanmar. In April 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed 138,000 people and displaced 800,000. The government refused to allow international aid and donor agencies in to help the survivors. Meanwhile, the government claimed the election held the next month had a ____98%_____ turn out and won 92% of the votes. 90% of all people in the country live on less than _____65¢_______________ a day. Democratic demonstrations are brutally squashed.

Basque:Basque land is an area in northern _____Spain ______near the border of France. The people of this area are culturally and ethnically different from other groups in Europe. The Basque culture pre-dates modern European nations. The people are rural and in conflict with the modern Spanish cultural association with industrialization. The ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) is an armed nationalist and separatist movement that is fighting against the Spanish government for ____self-rule____________. Both Spain and France have outlawed the group that is listed as a terrorist group by human rights watch. Until 1975, Basque culture was forbidden by the government. Attempts at peace talks have been unsuccessful and violence in ____Madrid_______, Spain’s capital has intensified.