ReadingEssentials and Study Guide A New Era Begins. Lesson 4 Regions After the Cold War

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1 ReadingEssentials and Study Guide A New Era Begins Lesson 4 Regions After the Cold War ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What motivates political change? How can economic and social changes affect a country? Reading HELPDESK Content Vocabulary jurisdiction the limits or territory within which authority may be exercised corruption impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle Academic Vocabulary evolve develop; work out evident apparent TAKING NOTES: Summarizing Powered by Cognero Page 1

2 1. ACTIVITY As you read, use this chart this list the major events in these regions since the end of the Cold War. IT MATTERS BECAUSE After the end of the Cold War, important developments occurred throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. A desire for a better life and a movement toward democracy led more people to participate in the affairs of their countries. Middle East and North Africa GUIDING QUESTION What changes have occurred in the Middle East and North Africa since the 1990s? The Middle East and North Africa are some of the most unstable, or changing, areas in the world today. Many countries in this region have experienced a number of problems. They include political instability, ethnic tensions, high unemployment, poverty, poor education, and limited civil liberties. Region Overview Powered by Cognero Page 2

3 Disputes over territory between the Israelis and Palestinians continue. Violence also continues. There have been efforts to reach a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, represented by the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization). However, the efforts have failed so far. Terrorist attacks still occur. In addition, conflict over territory remains, especially over the city of Jerusalem. Iran is an oil-rich country. It remains under the control of Muslim clerics. They enforce strict obedience to Islamic law. The regime limits the rights of women. It also limits the right to free assembly and a free press. In 2009 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected president of Iran. In response, hundreds of thousands of Iranians protested the election results. They claimed that the election was organized dishonestly. The Iranian military oppressed the protesters. The violent actions of the military were recorded on cell phones, and the videos were posted on the Internet. The United States, under the direction of President George W. Bush, invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in The invasions followed the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, Afghanistan was under the control of the Taliban and was providing a home for Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was the head of al-qaeda and he claimed responsibility for the attacks in the United States. In 2011 U.S. forces killed bin Laden in Pakistan. The United States next attacked Iraq in After the attack, Iraq experienced a civil war. It was between the two Muslim groups, the Shia and the Sunni. The Shia Muslims controlled southern Iraq, and the Sunni Muslims controlled central Iraq. There were elections in 2010 in Iraq. Nuri Kamal al-maliki became prime minister. Protests occurred across Iraq in 2011 as people sought better government services. Revolutionary Upheaval North Africa and the Middle East have experienced a massive uprising. It has led to regime change in Tunisia and Egypt. Most countries in the region have a high number of young people. For example, more than half of Egypt s 80 million people are under the age of 25. Most of these young people are unemployed. President Zine el-abidine Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia for 23 years with an oppressive government. Mass protests against his government began in December Ben Ali was forced to flee the country. Other protests in the region soon followed. In Egypt President Hosni Mubarak also headed an oppressive regime. He maintained power through a large security force. It used torture and brutality to suppress, or totally stop, any political opposition. By January 28, 2011, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians started to gather in Tahrir (Liberation) Square in downtown Cairo. The crowds included women and people from all walks of life. Through social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, protesters were able to organize the gatherings and inform others of what was happening. The protests continued for 18 days. Mubarak s security forces sometimes retaliated with violence against the protestors. The Egyptian army finally sided with the protestors. Mubarak was forced to leave the country. In Libya, protesters started a rebellion against the authoritarian regime of Colonel Muammar al- Powered by Cognero Page 3

4 Qaddafi. Antigovernment opponents took control of Benghazi, a city in the west. It is an area that contains most of Libya s oil wells. Colonel Qaddafi s troops advanced towards Benghazi. They began to use force against the protesters. In response, the UN Security Council voted to approve military action. In March 2011, American and European forces began a campaign of airstrikes against Colonel Qaddafi and his government. Libyan rebel forces took control of Tripoli, the capital of Libya, in August and removed Qaddafi from power. Qaddafi was killed in October, and the creation of a new Libya began. Protests have spread throughout the entire region. They have occurred in Algeria, Yemen, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Morocco, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. The protests in these other nations have been answered with force. Even so, after decades of conflict, political oppression, and exploitation, the revolutionary upheaval led by young people has brought a new beginning to the Middle East and North Africa. PROGRESS CHECK 2. Comparing and Contrasting How are the uprisings in Egypt and Libya similar? How are they different? Africa South of the Sahara GUIDING QUESTION What challenges have confronted countries in Africa south of the Sahara since the end of the Cold War? African societies have not yet solved many of the problems that they have faced since independence. Most African states are still poor. African concerns have not gained much attention in the international community. There are signs of progress toward political stability in some countries. Other nations, however, are still experiencing by civil war. Some are ruled by brutal dictators. Region Overview Africans have found ways to handle their political problems, to cooperate with one another, and to promote and protect their interests. In 1991 the Organization of African Unity (OAU) agreed to establish the African Economic Community (AEC). They intended the AEC to promote economic and political cooperation among African nations, similar to the EU. In 2001 the African Union (AU) replaced the OAU. The new organization has already mediated, or helped solve, several of the Powered by Cognero Page 4

5 conflicts in the region. The AU also promotes democracy and economic growth in Africa. Africa is evolving. Economic and political change is often a slow and painful process. Africa began to industrialize only a century ago. It was introduced to ideas of Western democracy at the same time. As a result, African societies are still looking for ways to combine Western political institutions and economic practices with indigenous, or native, traditions and values. African countries face many social and economic problems. Rapid population growth has slowed economic growth. In the first decade of the 2000s, Africa s population growth rate was 2.3 percent. This is much higher than the rate in the rest of the world, which was 1.24 percent. As a result, poverty remains widespread. Cities have grown tremendously. By 2007, approximately 39 percent of Africans lived in urban areas. Massive slums and pollution remain a common feature in cities. Moreover, HIV/AIDS remains a serious concern in Africa. More than two-thirds (22.5 million) of all persons with HIV are living in Africa south of the Sahara. In this area, 1.5 million people became infected with HIV during More than 1.3 million died of AIDS in the area that year. Some African nations have started an impressive effort to fight AIDS. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni organized a program to fight AIDS. It involved many leaders in Ugandan society. International health and social service agencies also joined the effort. Uganda has made significant progress in its fight against AIDS. The number of cases of HIV in Uganda has stayed at about the same level since the early 2000s. Africa has witnessed women leaders in several countries. For example, Luisa Diogo became prime minister of Mozambique in There has also been a trend toward multi-party elections. In Senegal, for example, national elections held in the summer of 2000 brought an end to the rule of the Socialist Party. That party had dominated politics in Senegal for forty years. Religion has played a role in dividing parts of Africa. An Islamic resurgence, or return as a major force, was evident in a number of African countries. It occurred in Ethiopia where Muslim tribespeople rebelled against a Marxist regime. They eventually established an independent Eritrea. More recently, in Nigeria and other nations of West Africa, divisions between Muslims and Christians have resulted in violence. In the early 2000s, local Muslim officials in Nigeria decided to apply Islamic law throughout their jurisdictions. As a result, riots between Christians and Muslims broke out in several northern cities. Local officials managed to reach a compromise. They established policies that limit some of the harsher aspects of Islamic law. As a result, the violence has decreased. Even so, the dispute continues to threaten the fragile unity of Nigeria, Africa s most populous country. Côte d'ivoire The religious tensions that broke out in Nigeria have spread into neighboring states. Côte d'ivoire Powered by Cognero Page 5

6 (Ivory Coast) was often seen as a model of religious and ethnic harmony. This was the situation under its first president, Felix Houphouet- Boigny. But after his death in 1993, problems occurred. There had long been feelings of resentment between Christians in the south and Muslim immigrants in the north. Elections held in 2000 resulted in a Christian president. The elections were marked by violence and widespread charges of dishonesty in voting. In 2002 an armed uprising split the nation in two. Muslim rebels dominated the north, and a Christian government controlled the south. The groups eventually agreed to share power. This brought a temporary peace in It was also believed that a presidential election in November 2010 might bring a new unity to Côte d'ivoire. Laurent Gbagbo had been president since 2000, but he lost the election. Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner by the United Nations. Gbagbo, however, refused to leave his office. He used the army in an attempt to stay in power. UN peacekeeping forces guarded Ouattara. Gbagdo s forces used terror to remain in power. A peaceful march of unarmed women, for example, was stopped by machine gun fire from Gbagbo s armed followers. As in other African countries, civil war has greatly harmed Côte d'ivoire s economy. The city of Abidjan once had a downtown with shining high-rise buildings. Now the downtown is full of darkened high-rise windows. Jobs have disappeared. Four million men are out of work in a country of 21 million. Banks and businesses have closed. Food shortages are widespread. Civil wars in other African countries have had similar bad results. PROGRESS CHECK 3. Analyzing What role has religion played in recent African conflicts? South and Southeast Asia GUIDING QUESTION What different economic and political issues have affected the countries of South and Southeast Asia since the 1990s? South Asia includes the states of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. There have been a number of important developments in South Asia since the 1990s. These include the growing economic power of India and continuing instability in Pakistan. In addition, the rivalry between India and Pakistan has continued. Powered by Cognero Page 6

7 Region Overview During the early 1990s, the Congress Party remained the leading party in India. Its power, however, began to decline. New parties competed with the Congress Party for control of the central and state governments. For example, one of parties was the strongly Hindu Bharata Janata Party (BJP). There were rising tensions between Hindus and Muslims. There was also less political stability. India had a series of coalition governments, or governments that include several parties. A coalition headed by the BJP leader A.B. Vajpayee ruled India between 1996 and Then the Congress Party returned to power at the head of a coalition government. It promised to maintain economic growth and make reforms in rural areas. These reforms included public works projects and hot lunch programs for all primary school children. Manmohan Singh became prime minister. He had been responsible for making economic reforms in India in 1991 as finance minister. He was reelected in He has become highly regarded by other world leaders. India s economy has emerged as one of the world s largest and fastest growing. Economic reforms in 1991 encouraged foreign investment. They helped move India toward a market-based economy. Agriculture is still the chief occupation of many Indians. At the same time, the service and industrial sectors have grown. These two sectors are responsible for much of India s GDP (gross domestic product). Many economists believe that India will have the world s third largest economy by Conflict between Hindus and Muslims has continued. Religious differences have added to a longterm dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Kashmir is a territory that lies between the two nations. The danger grew in 1998 when both India and Pakistan tested nuclear warheads. Border conflicts in 2002 led to the danger of war. But in 2003 the countries agreed to a cease-fire, or an agreement to stop fighting. They also restored diplomatic relations at that time. Most countries in Southeast Asia have experienced strong economic growth since Especially strong economies are evident in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, however, have not matched the economic development of these other nations. In recent years, some Southeast Asian nations have once again moved toward democracy. However, serious troubles remain. The financial crisis of the 1990s caused political unrest in Indonesia. Myanmar remains isolated, and it is under military rule. The military leadership has shown itself to be brutal and cruel. The Philippines remain democratic. However, terrorism remains a challenge. Muslim rebels on the island of Mindanao, for example, have used terror to promote their demands for independence. Regional cooperation continued through the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). It promotes trade among Asian states. Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was reelected as president of Pakistan in She had previously been removed by the military on charges of corruption. She attempted to crack down on, or stop, opposition forces. However, she was removed as president once again in She was again charged with Powered by Cognero Page 7

8 corruption. Her successor, too, was removed in 1999 by a military coup. The coup was led by General Pervez Musharraf. He promised to restore honest government to Pakistan. In September 2001, Pakistan became the focus of international attention. At that time, a coalition of forces arrived in neighboring Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban regime. There was considerable support for the Taliban in Pakistan. Even so, President Musharraf promised his help in bringing terrorists to justice. By 2003, problems began to grow inside Pakistan. Musharraf faced challenges from radical Muslim groups. At the same time, secular (not religious) opposition figures criticized the authoritarian nature of his regime. Benazir Bhutto was in exile, but she was planning a return. She promised to lead the forces of democracy in elections against dictators and radicals. Bhutto did return to Pakistan early in 2008 to run for president. However, she was assassinated. This led to widespread suspicions that the government was involved in her murder. There was growing political unrest in the country. In September 2008, amid growing political turmoil, Benazir Bhutto s widower, Assif Ali Zardari, was elected president. He remains in power, but he has been accused of corruption and misuse of public funds. PROGRESS CHECK 4. Describing What political changes have India and Pakistan experienced in recent decades? Latin America GUIDING QUESTION How have economic issues affected Latin American countries since the end of the Cold War? For much of Latin America s history, Latin Americans have fought to free themselves from oppressive rule. They have experienced civil war, poverty, and economic dependence on foreign countries. Since 1990, many countries have created democratic governments. They have also reformed their social and economic structures. Region Overview One of Latin America s greatest challenges is income equality. This means the large gap, or differences, between rich and poor. Programs for more public education and greater economic Powered by Cognero Page 8

9 growth have helped to reduce the problem. However, countries in South America have succeeded in this better than those in Central America. In Central America, many countries remain very poor. In addition, some of the countries are involved in deadly drug wars. At the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s, a clear political trend in Latin America has been the election of left-wing governments. This is evident in the election of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela in 1998; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil in 2002 and his successor, Dilma Rousseff, in 2010; Michelle Bachelet in Chile in 2006; and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua in Most, but not all, of these countries have pushed for democratic freedoms, social reforms, and economic growth. Chile and Brazil have seen major economic growth. In Brazil, Lula da Silva pursued a policy of increased trade and educational reform. He expanded the middle class and created new consumers. At the same time, he worked to increase exports. In Chile, Bachelet used revenue from copper resources to fund social programs for women and children. Drug Wars in Mexico High poverty rates, illiteracy, high unemployment, and political corruption have led to a violent drug war in Mexico. More than 35,000 people have been killed. President Felipe Calderón, who was elected in 2006, ordered a military response against the country s drug gangs. Colombia is the world s biggest producer of cocaine. Mexico serves as the route by which the drug reaches the United States. (The United States is the largest market for the drug). Drug cartels are criminal organizations. Their chief purpose is to promote and control drug trafficking operations. Mexican drug cartels first began to transport, or carry, drugs for the Colombians. More recently, however, they have taken over the distribution of drugs in the United States. This has led to considerable violence on the border of Mexico and the United States. Mexican drug cartels recruit their members from groups of former soldiers. Many of the soldiers used to serve in the armies of other countries, including Guatemala and El Salvador. Increasingly, Mexican drug cartels also employ the young people of Central America. The young are facing high rates of poverty and unemployment. These teenagers help transport, watch kidnap victims, and perform other such tasks for the drug cartels. PROGRESS CHECK Powered by Cognero Page 9

10 5. Describing How do Mexican drug cartels traffic in drugs? Powered by Cognero Page 10

11 Answer Key 1. Middle East & North Africa: 2009 protests in Iran, 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, 2003 invasion of Iraq, uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya; Africa South of the Sahara: riots in Nigeria, conflict in the Côte d Ivoire; South and Southeast Asia: election of BJP in India; conflict in Kashmir; coup by Musharraf; Bhutto assassinated; Latin America: elections of left wing governments; drug wars in Mexico. 2. similar: popular uprisings against oppressive governments sought regime change; different: Mubarak quickly stepped down and Qaddafi did not 3. There has been violence between Christians and Muslims in many countries, including Nigeria and Côte d Ivoire. 4. India has been led by new political parties such as the BJP, but the Congress Party recently returned to power. Pakistani leaders were put in power by military coups and democratic elections. 5. Mexican drug cartels transport drugs for the Colombians and then distribute them in the United States. Powered by Cognero Page 11