Impacts of the 9/11 on the Middle Eastern
Political impacts
Led to two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and increased political and technical support to Arab security services – exactly the two phenomena that led to the birth and growth of Al-Qaeda in the first place.
Not only this war has touched politically the two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, but Derek Gregory shows how Israel's Sharon government has "taken advantage of the so-called 'war on terror' to ratchet up the colonial dispossession of the Palestinian people," proclaiming that acts of terror against Israeli citizens are indistinct from bin Laden's terror
As a result after the reaction faced to 9/11, there is now an intensification of violence and instability in the region with no clear signs of a path that would allow the region to pull itself together and move in a different direction. Southwest Asia much less secure.
Iraq has adopted what political scientists call a “minimal, procedural” form of democracy that is characterized by multiple elections and civil liberties unavailable under Saddam Hussein. However, the Iraqi government has become increasingly authoritarian and is characterized by serious human rights violations and repression of journalists. Poverty, insecurity, a deteriorated social welfare system, and corruption effectively block citizens from meaningful democratic participation.
On the Democracy Index, Afghanistan is categorized as an authoritarian regime and ranks at 180 of 182. Afghanistan ranks 1.5 on the Transparency International corruption scale – the worst in South Asia. Of the 182 countries assessed, the only countries lower ranked than Afghanistan are Somalia and Korea.
A little more east:
· America's war has been manipulated by certain leaders in order to suppress genuine grievances among those who have long sought greater autonomy in their countries. By claiming that these groups are Muslim terrorists, governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia have been able to move more aggressively against them, often with US blessings and financial and military assistance.
Led to two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and increased political and technical support to Arab security services – exactly the two phenomena that led to the birth and growth of Al-Qaeda in the first place.
Not only this war has touched politically the two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, but Derek Gregory shows how Israel's Sharon government has "taken advantage of the so-called 'war on terror' to ratchet up the colonial dispossession of the Palestinian people," proclaiming that acts of terror against Israeli citizens are indistinct from bin Laden's terror
As a result after the reaction faced to 9/11, there is now an intensification of violence and instability in the region with no clear signs of a path that would allow the region to pull itself together and move in a different direction. Southwest Asia much less secure.
Iraq has adopted what political scientists call a “minimal, procedural” form of democracy that is characterized by multiple elections and civil liberties unavailable under Saddam Hussein. However, the Iraqi government has become increasingly authoritarian and is characterized by serious human rights violations and repression of journalists. Poverty, insecurity, a deteriorated social welfare system, and corruption effectively block citizens from meaningful democratic participation.
On the Democracy Index, Afghanistan is categorized as an authoritarian regime and ranks at 180 of 182. Afghanistan ranks 1.5 on the Transparency International corruption scale – the worst in South Asia. Of the 182 countries assessed, the only countries lower ranked than Afghanistan are Somalia and Korea.
A little more east:
· America's war has been manipulated by certain leaders in order to suppress genuine grievances among those who have long sought greater autonomy in their countries. By claiming that these groups are Muslim terrorists, governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia have been able to move more aggressively against them, often with US blessings and financial and military assistance.
- In the name of the war against terrorism, the Malaysian government has now been able to detain some of the leaders of the opposition PAS (Islamic Party of Malaysia) as being linked to terrorists.
Economy
· With the slow-down of the world economy, which was exacerbated by the events of 9/11, the region's economy has slowed considerably
· Many Western and Japanese companies have been reluctant to make new investments in the region for fear of instability following the decision of the US to open up a "Second Front" in Southeast Asia in the war against terrorism
· China has begun to invest more aggressively in Southeast Asia since opportunities have opened up after 9/11. Even Indonesia, which has a history of tense relations with China, has begun to court the Chinese to help replace the capital which fled the country after 9/11.
· Iraqi Unemployment Rate - 27 to 60%, where curfew not in effect
· Consumer Price Inflation in 2006 - 50%
What many experts call a “silent crisis” has impacted not only the lives of the 2.8 million Iraqis currently uprooted from their homes, but also the communities and social fabric that those fleeing have left behind. Engineers, artists, lawyers, academics, doctors, and other professionals were among the first to escape the war. This migration drained Iraq of its middle class. It dismantled many of Iraq’s cultural and educational institutions sustained by teachers and artists. And it stripped a society of the many services that such professionals provide. Half of Iraq’s 34,000 doctors have fled Iraq since 2003. Targeted by armed militias and gangs, thousands of doctors have been held for ransom, killed or wounded.
· With the slow-down of the world economy, which was exacerbated by the events of 9/11, the region's economy has slowed considerably
· Many Western and Japanese companies have been reluctant to make new investments in the region for fear of instability following the decision of the US to open up a "Second Front" in Southeast Asia in the war against terrorism
· China has begun to invest more aggressively in Southeast Asia since opportunities have opened up after 9/11. Even Indonesia, which has a history of tense relations with China, has begun to court the Chinese to help replace the capital which fled the country after 9/11.
· Iraqi Unemployment Rate - 27 to 60%, where curfew not in effect
· Consumer Price Inflation in 2006 - 50%
What many experts call a “silent crisis” has impacted not only the lives of the 2.8 million Iraqis currently uprooted from their homes, but also the communities and social fabric that those fleeing have left behind. Engineers, artists, lawyers, academics, doctors, and other professionals were among the first to escape the war. This migration drained Iraq of its middle class. It dismantled many of Iraq’s cultural and educational institutions sustained by teachers and artists. And it stripped a society of the many services that such professionals provide. Half of Iraq’s 34,000 doctors have fled Iraq since 2003. Targeted by armed militias and gangs, thousands of doctors have been held for ransom, killed or wounded.
Environment impacts
The long years of war have resulted in a radical destruction of forest cover and an increase in carbon emissions. In addition, the water supply has been contaminated by oil from military vehicles and depleted uranium from ammunition. Along with the degradation of the natural resources in these countries, the animal and bird populations have also been adversely affected. In recent years, Iraqi medical doctors and health researchers have called for more research on war-related environmental pollution as a potential contributor to the country’s poor health conditions and high rates of infections and diseases.
By one estimate, the U.S. military used 1.2 million barrels of oil in Iraq in just one month of 2008.
One military estimate in 2003 was that two-thirds of the Army’s fuel consumption occurred in vehicles that were delivering fuel to the battlefield
These result in a lot of Co2 that has been released in the air.
The long years of war have resulted in a radical destruction of forest cover and an increase in carbon emissions. In addition, the water supply has been contaminated by oil from military vehicles and depleted uranium from ammunition. Along with the degradation of the natural resources in these countries, the animal and bird populations have also been adversely affected. In recent years, Iraqi medical doctors and health researchers have called for more research on war-related environmental pollution as a potential contributor to the country’s poor health conditions and high rates of infections and diseases.
By one estimate, the U.S. military used 1.2 million barrels of oil in Iraq in just one month of 2008.
One military estimate in 2003 was that two-thirds of the Army’s fuel consumption occurred in vehicles that were delivering fuel to the battlefield
These result in a lot of Co2 that has been released in the air.
Health impacts
Since 2001, there has been a 251 percent rise in the rate of neurological disorders, a 47 percent increase in the rate of respiratory problems, and a 34 percent rise in rates of cardio-vascular disease in military service members that is likely related to this problem
Since 2001, there has been a 251 percent rise in the rate of neurological disorders, a 47 percent increase in the rate of respiratory problems, and a 34 percent rise in rates of cardio-vascular disease in military service members that is likely related to this problem
Sources:
http://cpost.uchicago.edu/blog/2011/09/03/rami-khouri-the-middle-east-ten-years-after-911/
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/comparative_studies_of_south_asia_africa_and_the_middle_east/v024/24.1cainkar01.html
https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/comparative_studies_of_south_asia_africa_and_the_middle_east/v024/24.1cainkar02.html
http://www.hawaii.edu/global/publications_media/Publications_Staff_Fac/9_11.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War
http://costsofwar.org
http://cpost.uchicago.edu/blog/2011/09/03/rami-khouri-the-middle-east-ten-years-after-911/
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/comparative_studies_of_south_asia_africa_and_the_middle_east/v024/24.1cainkar01.html
https://muse.jhu.edu/journals/comparative_studies_of_south_asia_africa_and_the_middle_east/v024/24.1cainkar02.html
http://www.hawaii.edu/global/publications_media/Publications_Staff_Fac/9_11.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War
http://costsofwar.org