• You must know something about questions we are going to pursue :

1.Who and what has most influenced United States foreign relations with the peoples and states of the Middle East during the twentieth century?

2.How did the U.S. respond to anti-colonial and nationalist movements?

3.What role does oil politics play in shaping our policy in the region?

4.Why the close relationship with Israel? Has this relationship served US interests (However you define them)?

5. How has the U.S. related to Islamic parties and movements? Did U.S. policy have anything to do with the rise of radical Islam?

6.Why does the U.S. keep intervening in the Middle East, and with what results?

7.Why has the U.S. backed authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, and with what results?

8. Is the U.S. an imperial power in the Middle East? If so, what kind? If not, how do we describe the nature of U.S. power?

9. Why did September 11 th happen? What did it mean?

Look through those questions, rate them on a scale 1-9, talking about these with your neighbor. Think about your level of interest in those questions.