Is America really to be blamed for all the issues in Middle East and rising Islamophobia?

[Rajdeep]

I am no fan of America but was thinking about it.

So Soviets invades Afghanistan and America was having cold war with Soviet Union. So they decided to help and arm Afghan Mujahedeen's for their freedom. Once the Soviets left, America also left Afghanistan alone and went onto minding their own business.

Then Saddam Hussain decided to invade Kuwait for oil. America intervened again to protect the Saudi land, Kuwaiti people and ensured Iraq don't exploit all the oil resources.

In all of the above, it felt like American's are working in the best interest of the people in middle east. However, Bin Laden felt American's are tying to invade their holy land and decided to launch Jihad on USA which led to Twin tower bombings in 93, Nairobi attacks and then ultimately 9/11.

Of course after 9/11 everything changed with rising Islamophobia, America invading Afg & Iraq, toppling Saddam, birth of ISIS and to all the present day problems we see today.

However, America had no issues with middle east run up to 9/11 and the belief of Bin Laden somehow perceiving them as the enemy is the root cause of all problems. It is almost as if Bin Laden wanted to take a fight with Americans without any provocation.

Would you agree?

Apologies in advance if my history is wrong but ready to debate.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Apology accepted, your historical knowledge is not correct mate.

Apologies in advance if my history is wrong but ready to debate.

S

 

[Rajdeep]

Apology accepted, your historical knowledge is not correct mate.

S

Please correct me then, what I am missing

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

I am no fan of America but was thinking about it.

So Soviets invades Afghanistan and America was having cold war with Soviet Union. So they decided to help and arm Afghan Mujahedeen's for their freedom. Once the Soviets left, America also left Afghanistan alone and went onto minding their own business.

Then Saddam Hussain decided to invade Kuwait for oil. America intervened again to protect the Saudi land, Kuwaiti people and ensured Iraq don't exploit all the oil resources.

In all of the above, it felt like American's are working in the best interest of the people in middle east. However, Bin Laden felt American's are tying to invade their holy land and decided to launch Jihad on USA which led to Twin tower bombings in 93, Nairobi attacks and then ultimately 9/11.

Of course after 9/11 everything changed with rising Islamophobia, America invading Afg & Iraq, toppling Saddam, birth of ISIS and to all the present day problems we see today.

However, America had no issues with middle east run up to 9/11 and the belief of Bin Laden somehow perceiving them as the enemy is the root cause of all problems. It is almost as if Bin Laden wanted to take a fight with Americans without any provocation.

Would you agree?

Apologies in advance if my history is wrong but ready to debate.

Islam's conflict with modernity is the cause here, doesnt mean America is blameless. Americans had been supporting monarchs and dictators throughout the world for oil and countering Soviet Union during cold war. Most of the budding democracies of 3rd World were like India or simply fully aligned with the Soviet sphere.

The real turning points were the Mecca Siege and the Iranian revolution. Other things just fell in place. Islamic world leaders rejected western form of Modernization and hence the result we see over the last 40-50 years. If we trace back, Islamic countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and even Saudi were much more liberal and modern with regards to women rights in the 60s and 70s than what we see now.

 

[Bhaijaan]

It’s a classic spy movie plot. America created the monster to fight a smaller battle and now their monster is out of hand and has become a global threat. It’s the Skyfall.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Please correct me then, what I am missing

You are absolutely right about US government being responsible for the dawn of Islamophobia but the way you described they had nothing to do with Middle East before is incorrect. As the oil embargo of 1970s and preceding Arab Israel wars were a result of US support of Israel.

If US would support an Arab enemy state all along by providing them with lethal weapons how will the people there would trust their declared ambitions.

Indeed US interest in Middle East was just because of their rich resources and very always aimed at strengthing their political clout there with aid of allies like Israel.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

You are absolutely right about US government being responsible for the dawn of Islamophobia but the way you described they had nothing to do with Middle East before is incorrect. As the oil embargo of 1970s and preceding Arab Israel wars were a result of US support of Israel.

If US would support an Arab enemy state all along by providing them with lethal weapons how will the people there would trust their declared ambitions.

Indeed US interest in Middle East was just because of their rich resources and very always aimed at strengthing their political clout there with aid of allies like Israel.

It was a self goal by the Arab states. The oil embargo proved counter productive the Arab states and it need no proof that despite several Israeli-Palestine wars and continuous US support to Israel, Arab nations don't even consider that step ever again.

All it did was highlight the impotence of the political rulers in the Arab world and religious leaders gradually took over and within a few years we had the before mentioned events in Mecca and Tehran!

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US lifts restrictions on Saudi weapons, with eye on resolving Gaza

The United States confirmed Monday it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as concerns over human rights in the kingdom's Yemen war give way to US hopes for it to play a role in resolving the conflict in Gaza.

More than three years after imposing limits on human rights grounds over Saudi strikes in Yemen, the State Department said it would return to weapons sales "in regular order, with appropriate congressional notification and consultation."

"Saudi Arabia has remained a close strategic partner of the United States, and we look forward to enhancing that partnership," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

US President Joe Biden took office in 2021 pledging a new approach to Saudi Arabia that emphasized human rights, and immediately announced that the administration would only send "defensive" weaponry to the longtime US arms customer.

The step came after thousands of civilians -- including children -- were estimated to be killed in Saudi-led airstrikes against Iranian-backed Huthi rebels, who have taken over much of Yemen.

Geopolitical considerations have, however, changed markedly since then. The United Nations, with US support, brokered a truce in Yemen in early 2022 that has largely held.

Since the truce, "there has not been a single Saudi airstrike into Yemen and cross-border fire from Yemen into Saudi Arabia has largely stopped," Patel said.

"The Saudis since that time have met their end of the deal, and we are prepared to meet ours," Patel said.

US lifts restrictions on Saudi weapons, with eye on resolving Gaza

The United States confirmed Monday it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as concerns over human rights in the kingdom's Yemen war give way to US hopes for it to play a role in resolving…

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