Middle East and Cold War Global Dependency on oil makes Middle East a focus for two superpowers during the cold war.     - Need oil for industrialization     - Investment     - Financial Stability

Superpower Rivalry - United States and Soviet Union recognized strategic importance of Middle East     1.  Oil     2.  Waterways - Suez Canal, Persian Gulf -Competed for Power     - Middle East countries remained non aligned - recieved aid from both sides                 - Economic                 - Arms                 - Increased tensions between other Middle East                              countries and peoples

Turkey 1. Soviet Union gave aid to communist rebels 2.  United States helpt resist Soviet Influence         - Places strategic missiles in Turkey (1948) 3.  Turkey joins NATO         - NATO air bases still present in Turkey

After Cold War Many countries concerend with Weapons of Mass Destruction in Middle East Iraq, Iran, Israel have worked to develop NUKES   Several countries have created biological weapons          Creates a threat to other countries in the region

Extremism Concern of spread of NUKES tied to rise of EXTREMISM     -- Differed from country to country and within each country Concern of westernization of Islamic Societies        -- opposed granting new rights to women        -- infiltration of western clothing and media   What about internet access?  

OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries 1960- Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela form OPEC     Later expenaded to 11 countries   goal to end power of western oil companies over oil prices decide what price to sell oil and how much to produce

OPEC Actions Rise in Demand during 1970's = rise in OPEC power Arab-Israeli war (1973) OPEC stopped ME shipments to countries that supported Israel -- including USA Set off global oil crisis   RESULT:   Prices go up.... surplus goes down

Global Effects Developing nations ahd to cut social programs to buy OPEC oil  Industrialized nations -- high oil = high inflation ME nations had to import oil-- suffered hardships while OPEC neighbors grew rich   RESULT: many  countries reduced their dependency on OPEC oil

Recent Trends oil prices have fallen (until 3 years ago) Raise prices by cutting supply OPEC doesn't want this   3.  OPEC is still important but less powerful     - Some oil producing countries have not joined OPEC                             -EX Mexico, Russia