Advise the President: What Should Be The United States' Role in....(Middle Eastern Country)?
Research and Presentation Assignment
Assignment Description:
The United States has been involved and intervened in all of the following countries in the Middle East in some way. Your assignment is to choose one and explain the history/background of involvement and the reasons for involvement. Finally, you will explore the options that the United States and the president have regarding the situation in your chosen country and create a proposal for the president to consider as his top foreign policy adviser.
Introduction Article:
Greg Myre, "America's Middle East Scorecard: Many Interventions, Few Successes," National Public Radio, http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/08/25/341892606/america-s-middle-east-scorecard-many-interventions-few-successes.
Questions to consider (ALL are required):
Countries:
The United States has been involved and intervened in all of the following countries in the Middle East in some way. Your assignment is to choose one and explain the history/background of involvement and the reasons for involvement. Finally, you will explore the options that the United States and the president have regarding the situation in your chosen country and create a proposal for the president to consider as his top foreign policy adviser.
Introduction Article:
Greg Myre, "America's Middle East Scorecard: Many Interventions, Few Successes," National Public Radio, http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/08/25/341892606/america-s-middle-east-scorecard-many-interventions-few-successes.
Questions to consider (ALL are required):
- What is the background of the conflict that has taken place in the country?
- What groups inside the country are involved in the conflict? What are their differences?
- What groups outside the country are involved in the conflict? What are their differences? What are their interests?
- What stance has the United States taken on the conflict? What is the justification for that stance?
- In what way(s) has the United States intervened in the country?
- Did United States intervention meet its own goals? What did it achieve in the country? What did it not achieve?
- What options are available for the United States to intervene in the country?
- If you were a top government foreign relations official, what would be your advice for President Obama regarding the conflict in that country?
Countries:
- Iraq
- Syria
- Afghanistan
- Pakistan
- Israel and the Palestinians
- Egypt
- Libya
- Iran