Drawing Borders

The Middle East is the birthplace of many of the world's most important civilizations. It was here that agriculture was first practiced, and the first known cities were built. Middle Eastern civilizations were probably the first to read and write, and also gave rise to three of humanity's biggest religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. More than half the world's population is an adherent of one of these religions.

The Middle East, in other words, has been an essential center for human progress for millennia. Yet in the past century, its history has often been a story of tragic conflict.

These conflicts have arisen as the region finds its place in the modern world – dealing with the aftermath of colonialism, the advent of the era of oil, the rise of America as a superpower, and the establishment of the state of Israel. All of these factors (among others) have created tensions in the region, which have rippled throughout the world to affect global geopolitics.

This pathway is an introduction to the complex, interwoven web of relationships and conflicts that have come to define the modern Middle East.

To fully understand the modern Middle East, it's important to jump back to the 15th century, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire.

At the height of its power, this Islamic empire held sway in the Middle East, particularly its northern regions. With its rich cultural heritage and powerful military, the Ottomans were an extremely dominant force, influencing this region's politics, economy, and society.

The Ottomans ruled for hundreds of years. But by the dawn of the 20th century, their empire was in decline. It was often referred to as the 'sick man of Europe', a term that reflected its weakening political and economic status. The empire was plagued by internal strife, economic difficulties, and a series of military defeats.

World War One proved to be the final blow for the Ottoman Empire. They sided with Germany, and were ultimately defeated by the Allied forces, including France, Britain and America.

The Ottoman Empire officially collapsed in 1922. This left the Middle East in a state of chaos – a power vacuum that would lead to widespread unrest.

But the Allies had actually been preparing for this opportunity.

Since the start of the war, France and Britain, in particular, had recognized a chance to seize land from the crumbling Ottomans. They viewed the Middle East as a valuable asset, rich in resources and strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

So began the century of turbulence which is still going on today.

In 1916, bang in the middle of World War One, France and Great Britain had devised a secret treaty.

The Sykes-Picot Agreement, as this treaty became known, was the result of negotiations between British and French diplomats, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot, in late 1915.

This agreement proposed a division of most of the Middle East between the two powers – assuming the Ottomans were defeated. Britain would control much of the southern region, while France would oversee Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Turkey.

The Agreement was ratified by the British and French governments in May 1916, and set the stage for the Middle East's future political landscape.

Britain and France weren't the only ones thinking about a post-Ottoman future. Some of the people living in the region were thinking about that as well.

In 1916 (the same year as the secret Sykes-Picot Agreement), they launched the Arab Revolt: a military uprising of local forces against the ruling Ottoman Empire.

The aim of the revolt was to create a unified Arab state stretching from Syria to Yemen. And Britain actually lent their support to this quest for self-determination.

However, as soon as World War One was over, the British canceled their support for a unified Arab state. They decided to stick to the Sykes-Picot Agreement instead.

After World War One, the details of the Sykes-Picot Agreement were discussed at the San Remo Conference in 1920.

This conference ended with the San Remo Resolution: a set of agreements which determined how the former Ottoman territories would be divided up among the Allies. These agreements were confirmed by the League of Nations – a precursor to the United Nations.

This division of territory created brand new nations. For instance, modern Iraq was created in 1920 by the British Mandate for Mesopotamia.

This decision of territory was a significant betrayal of the Arab cause – those who had fought for a single, unified nation. As European nations moved into the region, they were met by widespread resentment and disillusionment among the Arabs.

To make things worse, the Allied division of Middle Eastern territory disregarded the ethnic and cultural realities of the region.

For example, land inhabited by the Kurds – a local ethnic group – was divided into Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. This division left the Kurdish people without a state of their own, leading to a long history of struggle and resistance.

There is a saying that the Kurds have 'no friends but the mountains'. A minority group in this divided region, they have suffered suppression and even attempted genocide.

This total disregard for local realities is still remembered today. In 2014, ISIS Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced a desire to hammer the 'last nail in the coffin of the Sykes-Picot conspiracy'.