Political science The Greater Middle East/Gulf region
The Greater Middle East/Gulf region is traditionally considered one of the most important geo-strategic areas of the world. Please briefly summarize the region’s global importance by answering only one of the following two points:
1. Explain how the Greater Middle East/Gulf is shaped by its various regional geographies (Middle East vs. Gulf vs. North Africa, Fertile Crescent vs. deserts), and its geo-economic importance (oil vs. international trade routes or nomadism and agriculture vs. urbanism and industrialization).
2. Explain the key historical-political factors that shape the Greater Middle East/Gulf (Muhammad’s Islamic religion; Arab unity under 3 empires from 700 to 1918 A.D.; Arab divisiveness and political rivalry under national governments since the 1930s; the Super-Powers’ influence in the region during the Cold War; and the reasons for the 50 years-long Arab-Israeli conflict).