1. Middle East Timeline

2. 1948
U.S. heavily supports the creation of Israel

4. 1967
Six Day War (a.k.a. the 3rd Arab-Israeli war) Egypt sets up a blockade of Israel, Israel revolts.
At the war's end, Israel had gained control of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.

5. 1973
The Arab-Israeli war (a.k.a. Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War, October War, or the 4th Arab-Israeli war) Egypt, et. al. were still ticked off about the Six Day War. Israel wins this war, obtaining even more land.

7. 1973
In response to U.S. support of Israel, the Arab members of OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, decided to reduce oil production by 5% per month.
On October 19, President Nixon authorized a major allocation of arms supplies and $2.2 billion in appropriations for Israel.

8. 1973
In response, Saudi Arabia declared an embargo against the United States, later joined by other oil exporters, causing the 1973 energy crisis

11. By the way,
$.81 in 1973, adjusted for inflation
(using CPI)
is $4.28 in 2015 dollars

14. 1979
Iranian students took hostage 66 employees of the United States embassy in Iran. On January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan became President, the hostages were released

19. Alternate Intelligence

20. First think of the person who lives in disguise,
Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.
Next, tell me what’s always the last thing to mend,
The middle of middle and end of the end?
And finally give me the sound often heard
During the search for a hard-to-find word.
Now string them together, and answer me this,
Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?

21. First think of the person who lives in disguise,
Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.
Next, tell me what’s always the last thing to mend,
The middle of middle and end of the end?
And finally give me the sound often heard
During the search for a hard-to-find word.
Now string them together, and answer me this,
Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?
A Spider

22. There is a house. One enters it blind and comes out seeing. What is it?

23. There is a house. One enters it blind and comes out seeing. What is it?
School

24. As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives,
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits:
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were there going to St. Ives?

25. As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives,
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits:
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were there going to St. Ives?
One.

26. 1987
The Iran-Contra Affair was a political scandal occurring as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration in which members of the executive branch sold weapons to Iran, an avowed enemy, and illegally used the profits to continue funding anti-Sandinista rebels, the Contras, in Nicaragua

29. 1980s
U.S. sells weapons to Osama Bin Laden so they can fight the Soviets in Afghanistan
U.S. sells weapons to Saddam Hussein so Iraq (Sunni) can fight Iran (Shii’te)
U.S. puts troops in Saudi Arabia to ensure that Saddam does not attack them.

31. 1980s
Osama Bin Laden does not like the fact that the U.S. is supporting Saudi Arabia (he feels that the U.S. needs to stay out of Middle Eastern affairs)

32. 1990
Iraq invades Kuwait (over oil production and debt) and annexes the country

36. 1991
U.S. enters Kuwait and pushes Iraq out of the country. (but does not invade Iraq because if the U.S. were to take out Saddam, the government would most likely collapse and it could be a long war that would not produce worthwhile results.)

37. September 11, 2001 Osama Bin Laden and al Qaeda attack the U.S.
U.S. responds by invading Afghanistan, looking for Osama Bin Laden

38. 2003
U.S. invades Iraq, which in turn makes Iran (Iraq’s biggest rival) relatively stronger
U.S. gives weapons to Saudi Arabia to ensure that Iran does not attack Saudi Arabia

40. Current
Saudi Arabia supports Hamas, which is an Islamic militant group who does not like Israel
U.S. gives money to Israel to ensure their safety from Hamas and Saudi Arabia.
U.S still has troops fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.