سلطنة عُمان – The Sultanate of Oman

The Sultanate of Oman sits at the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula, and includes the Musandam Peninsula opposite the Strait of Hormuz. Officially, Oman is ruled by Sultan Qaboos ibn-Said as-Said, who ousted his own father the take the throne. But as far as Sultanates go, the nation is surprisingly liberal, even Westernized, given its long trading relationship with the British. In October of 2003, for example, all Omani men and women ages 21 and older were granted voting privileges to elect representatives to the Majlis al-Shura, a kind of “people’s advisory council” to the Sultan.

You can find more about Oman on the web! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oman)

Morocco

Morocco 

Morocco is a small country lying in the northwest of Africa. It is surrounded byAlgeria on the east, the Strait of Gibraltar on the north, and the Atlantic ocean. It is slightly bigger in size than California. Its full Arabic name is Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiya (المملكة المغربية‎) meaning “the WesternKingdom.”

Political History        

The area of Morocco has been inhabited since at least 8000 BC and has undergone a variety of cultural and political transformations throughout its history. Much of the area was originally inhabited by a group of people referred to as the Berbers. In the late Classical period, Phoenician trading colonies arrived and brought the area under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire eventually fell during the fifth century and this part of Northern Africa was taken over by the Vandals, the Visigoths (both eastern Germanic tribes) and the Byzantine Greeks. However, much of the mountainous areas of Morocco were still controlled by the Berbers.

 The Arabs invaded Northern Africa in 670 AD and eventually took over the area occupied by the Berbers after a century of fighting. Power in Morocco switched hands between a succession of Arab dynasties after that, and eventually the Berber people adopted Islamic culture and religion and formed their own dynasty that took over and once again ruled the country. This group was then overthrown by another Arab dynasty (the Saadi dynasty) who took over in the 1500s. During the mid-1600s, power was again shifted and a Muslim dynasty took over Morocco. Over the course of the 18 and 1900s, Spain,Germany and France have all had interest in the area. However, in 1912, Morocco signed a treaty with France putting it under French protection. This was unsatisfactory to many in
Morocco and they eventually won their independence from France in 1956. Today Morocco is under rule by a constitutional monarchy. It is currently a non-NATO ally and has free trade agreements with the US and the European Union. Interestingly, the Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship, signed by theUS and Morocco in 1786 is still in effect today.

People and Culture

With a population of over 33 million people, Morocco is the fourth most populated Arab country. The official language in Morocco is classical Arabic but the regional dialect is Moroccan Arabic, or Darija. While Arabic is the official language, a few others also exist in the country: Berber (a type of Afro-Asiatic language) is spoken in three dialects by about 40% of the population; French is the unofficial second language of Morocco and is often used in education and business. A portion of the population in the north also speaks Spanish and the younger generations are currently being taught English in school.  Education is free and required, but this is not always enforced and the country’s illiteracy rate has stayed around 50%.

The largest ethnic groups include people of Berber descent (about three quarters of the population) and people of Arabic descent. There is small Jewish population that has dwindled over the years and some French and Spanish people have also moved there. Morocco is a Muslim country, but other religions practiced by the population include Christianity and Judaism. 

 Food in Morocco is very diverse due to the different cultural influences. Couscous (a type of grain) is a common dish along with chicken. Other dishes that are popular include pastille, a dish made with pigeon or chicken stuffed in a type of phyllo pastry. Another is a type of stew called tajine with vegetables or meat that is named after the type of pot it is cooked in. The tajine pot is made of heavy clay with a flat, circular bottom and a cone shaped dome that sits inside of the bottom while it is cooking. The cover is dome-shaped so the condensation returns to the bottom during cooking. Below is a photo of a potter making tajines.

While many Arabic countries drink coffee, a popular drink in Morocco is green tea with mint and drinking it with friends and family is an important part of the day.

Other points of interest

 Some of the main industries in Morocco are mining phosphates and tourism. However, the second largest source of income comes from Moroccans living and working abroad who transfer money back to their relatives. It is also one of the world’s largest producers of cannabis.

Sources: wikipedia, www.cia.gov

Iraq

Iraq العراؤ

What is Iraq? The nation of Iraq as it exists today, like most countries of the world, is artificial. Its borders were drawn in the last century by the British after World War I. No, the key to understanding Iraq is in its history. An advanced civilization flourished in Iraq long before that of Egypt, Greece & Rome. It is a deep-rooted civilization that has fostered humanity from its affluent fountain for thousands of years. The history of
Iraq is the focus this blog.

The Sumerians Iraq is a nation with a rich history, perhaps the oldest of any nation on earth. Iraq has been called the “cradle of civilization”. Most biblical scholars recognize Iraq as the location of the Garden of Eden. Ancient Iraq is known as Mesopotamia. The floods of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers deposited fertile silt that led to the first land cultivated by man. These first farmers, known as Sumerians, then developed a highly advanced agricultural system with refined irrigation & water-control systems. These methods spread to near & far neighboring countries by the invented Sumerian writing. The Sumerians were spread across Mesopotamia in city states. Each city was controlled by a Lugal, or “Big Man”, usually the most powerful landowner/warrior. The cult of the big man, once firmly fixed, remain in the minds of Iraqis. The Sumerians were the originators of many other “modern” innovations, including bronze, the wheel, and banking. The Sumerians were the first to use a mathematic system, which was based on the numeral 60. That formed the basis for today’s measurement of time, hours and minutes. The Sumerians were also the first to use a calendar.

The Babylonians Babylon comes from Bab-ili which means the “Gate of God”. Babylonian rule encompassed a huge area covering most of the Tigris-Euphrates river valley from Sumer and the Persian Gulf in the south to Assyria in the north. Hammurabi united the land again after the fall of the great state of the Sumerians. Under Hammurabi’s dynasty, (the First Dynasty of Babylon – 200 years), Babylonia entered into a period of extreme prosperity & relative peace. Throughout his long reign he personally supervised navigation, irrigation, agriculture, tax collection, & the erection of many temples & buildings. Although he was a successful military leader and administrator, Hammurabi is primarily remembered for his codification of the laws governing Babylonian life, and introduced his Code of Law in the second year of his reign. It is considered the earliest legal comprehensive code known in history.

Persians and Greeks Nebuchadnezzar II was among the last great kings of Babylon. It was during this era Nebuchadnezzar created the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Many other great projects were built during this era. In 539 Cyrus attacked northern Babylonia with a large army, and entered the city of Babylon without a battle. The other cities did not offer any resistance either. Babylonia‘s peaceful submission to Cyrus saved it from the fate of Assyria. It became a territory under the Persian crown but kept its cultural autonomy. Following the unification of the multiple city-states of ancient Greece,Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Mesopotamia. Babylon then began a period of decline after Alexander died there in 323 BC. Mesopotamia became part of the Greek Seleucid dynasty and later the Sassanids had their capital in Ctesiphon. Babylon was for many years caught in the middle of wars between the Persians & the Byzantines

.Arabs and IslamIn 637 a large Muslim force defeated the Persian army at the battle of Al-Qadisiyya and moved on to sack Ctesiphon. By the end of the following year, the Muslims had conquered almost all of Iraq, and Iraq became a province of the Muslim Caliphate. At first the capital of the Caliphate was at Medina, but, after the murder of the third caliph, ‘Uthman, in 656, his successor, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law ‘Ali, madeIraq his base. In 661, however, ‘Ali was murdered in Al-Kufah, and the caliphate passed to the rival Umayyad family in Syria. Iraq became a subordinate province, even though it was the richest and the one with the largest population. This situation gave rise to continual discontent with Umayyad rule. In 680 ‘Ali’s son al-Husayn arrived in Iraq from Medina, hoping that the people of Al-Kufah would support him. They failed to act, and his small group of followers was massacred at Karbala’. Karbala’ and ‘Ali’s tomb at nearby An-Najaf became important centers of Shi’a pilgrimage and are still greatly revered today. The date of his death, the 10^th day of the lunar month Muharram, has become the most important date for the Partisans of Ali, called Shi’a. For them it is a date of unremitting shame, the day they failed to support the man in whom resided the spirit of god.

The Mongols and Ottoman Turks In 1251 the grandson of Genghis Khan, Hulagu Khan swept out of Central Asia westward into the Islamic countries. In January of 1258, he surrounded Baghdad, by then a city with a population of almost 1 million. The Caliph Mustasim walked out in an attempt to surrender. Hulagu replied by rolling him in a carpet and stomping him to death. The hordes swept into the city and slaughtered 800,000 souls. For years after the massacre, starvation and disease took immense tolls. For a turbulent century various rulers fought over the wreckage that was Baghdad and Iraq. In 1401 it was Tamerlane’s turn, and he killed another 90,000. Like many of the great cities of Central Asia, Baghdad had become a cemetery. With the rise of the Safavid Dynasty in Persia, the Safavids who were Shi’a were attracted to Iraq with its objects of Shi’a pilgrimage.  When one of the most violent Ottoman Sultans, Salim the Grim came to power, he wanted to humiliate the Safavids and attacked Iraq. This began a period of violence which was to last for several hundred years. The centuries long warfare between the Ottomans and the Persians prevented the recovery of Iraq from the Mongol’s depredations.

British Iraq After World War I Iraq became a colony of Britain. Actions undertaken by the British military authorities during the war and the upsurge of nationalism after the war helped determine the shape of the new Iraqi state. Throughout 1920 resentment against the British occupation simmered until June, when the country blew up in a vast insurrection against the British. During the next six months the British lost over 1600 men and spent vast sums of many trying to put down what was by then widespread revolt. The British government was under great pressure because the British public felt misled as to the intentions of their government and discouragement over the cost in blood and treasure, and eventually Britain was able to suppress the revolt and install a monarch under a British mandate. Iraqi nationalists, though appreciating the free expression of opinion permitted under a parliamentary system, were far from satisfied with the mandate. They demanded independence as a matter of right. In 1929 Britain decided to end this stalemate and reconcile its interests with Iraq’s national aspirations. It notified
Iraq that the mandate would be terminated in 1932 and a new treaty of independence negotiated. On Oct. 3, 1932, Iraq was admitted to the League of Nations as an independent state.

 Modern Iraq
Iraq began its independence with a long period of political instability, with different factions fighting for control of the direction their fledgling country would take. During World War II the government disputed which side they would take, and the British intervened. During the post-war years moderate and liberal politicians began to make themselves heard. In 1958 revolutionary forces overthrew the Monarchy and proclaimed a republic. The government was overthrown again in 1963 and 1968, when the Ba’ath Party came to power. The movement gradually came under the control of Saddam Hussein, who gradually killed off many of his opponents. Saddam led Iraq in a bloody war against Iran, and in 1990 invaded Kuwait, which led to the Gulf War. He was removed from power by the U.S. led invasion of 2003. 

Today Iraq faces many challenges. When one searches for answers to the problems in todays Mesopotamia, it would be wise to remember the lessons the Iraqi people themselves have learned throughout history. 

Sources: Understanding Iraq-William R. Polk; Iraq History Page; Hammorabi Blogspot; Wikipedia

The Sudan

The Republic of the Sudan is the largest country in Africa by land mass and the tenth largest in the world. Located in northern Africa, the Sudan is bordered by Egypt to the north and Chad in the west. The Red Sea lies to the east. Northern Sudan consists mostly of desert while the southern regions have a tropical climate.

Ancient Sudan, once known as Nubia, was ruled by three kings of the Kushite Kingdom. Because of the proximity to Egypt, the two regions were heavily influenced by one another. During the third and fourth centuries Christianity was also influential in converting many of the people. Islam made its debut in 640 A.D. The Kingdom of Sennar was established in the 1500s and was conquered by Egypt in 1820. The Egyptians and British maintained fluctuated control of the country until 1956 during which time the north and south regions were ruled separately.

The people in northern Sudan are primarily Muslims of Arabic descent, whereas the south still clings to Christianity as well as Animism. With the anticipation of independence from British rule, the South had already prepared to defend itself against domination by the North. Thus began the First Sudanese Civil War which lasted from 1955 – 1972. A second civil war began in 1983 when the North attempted to gain control of several Southern regions. Sunni fundamentalists began to invade the tribal south and destroy the Christian population. A peace agreement was signed in 2005.

One of The Sudan’s current struggles has been as long lasting as the civil war. In Darfur, a region to the west, a rebellion began in the 1970s during Africa’s worst famine because the people claimed the government had neglected them. The government has been accused of sanctioning the genocide efforts of the Janjaweed, an Arab militia group, while the rebels, primarily the Sudanese Liberation Movement, have also been accused of war atrocities. The Chad – Sudan Conflict has been another issue the country is facing. Chad has declared a state of war against The Sudan because of claims that Sudanese militants have attacked Chadian villages and farms.

The Sudan currently has an authoritarian form of government where the president holds all of the actual political power. The country has an unstable standing with many of its neighboring countries and on an international level, greatly due to its aggressive Islamic stance.

In 2006 the United Nations estimated that Sudan’s population was approximately 37 million. The country has two distinct cultures, the Arabs with Nubian (Kushite) descent, and non-Arab black Africans with various tribal and ethnic divisions. Arabic and English are the declared official languages of the Sudan.

ركو – The Arabic Coffee Pot

Hey all! It’s Joe again.

 Since I skipped last week’s post on “something from the video,” I figured I better make up for it. I mentioned before that I’ve been on the hunt for a bona fide Arabic ركو (coffee pot), and I think I may have found it.

One review I read about selecting a good ركو warned that an opening that’s too big will not allow the froth inside the pot to form properly. We’ve read a few different posts about styles of Arabic coffee, so wanted to be sure I’d make the coffee correctly. (No guarantees, of course; doesn’t it always come down to operator error? )  The one I’m getting is supposed to come with a bunch of different recipes, so we’ll see which of those taste the “best” — if not the most authentic. How would I know, right?

The reviewer also warned about getting a ركو with too much “volume”; I didn’t fully understand his rationale, but he seemed to be saying that large-volumed pots cause the water to boil unevenly, preventing the coffee from cooking adequately, and thus impacting the quality. (The website is here: http://www.math.tamu.edu/~comech/tools/cezve/) If anyone happens to read what he’s saying differently, I’d love to hear it.

A matter of national security

As some of my classmates might guess, I take a great interest in matters of national security and defense. Over the last couple of days I have read a couple of news articles that really bothered me. I have included a couple of quotes below. The first one is from an article on MSNBC concerning the report from the Iraq Study Group.

  “The report is replete with damning details about the administration’s inept handling of
Iraq. It notes, for instance, that only six people in the 1,000-person embassy in
Baghdad can speak Arabic fluently.”

Wow. The second was from an article, also on MSNBC about the troubles an Arab-American FBI agent is having with his organization.

“Five years after 9/11, critics say the FBI has been slow to hire agents with Arabic skills or knowledge. In fact, only 33 of the FBI’s 12,000 agents have even a limited proficiency in Arabic, the agency says.”

As we become more involved with middle eastern affairs, how are we going to make decisions if we can’t even understand the people we are becoming involved with? I feel that our country often makes mistakes regarding defense, security, politics, and other areas concerning the arab world. Could we do a better job if we could simply communicate?

I am enjoying learning Arabic. I have always wanted to learn a new language. I am starting to think that it may be something of much greater importance than I first thought. I hope maybe I can continue to advance in my learning. Like I said before, in my upcoming deployment clear communication might be a matter of life and death. Maybe it is also a matter of national security.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16045171/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16042604/

 

 

 

The Ka’ba

Hey all! It’s Joe.

 Mentioned last week that I would try to post a clip from a film I have on the Ka’ba, the holiest Muslim site. Recall that Muslims pray 5 times a day facing the Ka’ba, which is a cube-shaped building in Mecca along the Hijaz (the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the red sea). The following link should get you to the file:

http://anjpj.uaa.alaska.edu/KAABA.mp4

Depending on your internet connection, it could take a while to download. The guy I usually work with to post video clips is on vacation, so I had to find another way to get the file posted. It was supposed to be a streaming video, but it looks like my computer wants to download the whole thing, so I apologize for that. Also, the quality of video is pretty bad — well, at least when I tried to look at it. May you have greater luck and me!