Turn of the Century--The collapse of the Ottoman Empire

Turkey is formed while other Arab nations gain power. Britain severes ties with the newly formed nation of Turkey, becoming a protector of the emirate of Kuwait.

Egypt becomes a protectorate of Britain as well, angering Turkey to side with Germany against Britain in the war.

Arthur Balfour, a British zionist, mandates that Palestine has become a safe haven for Jews, starting a century of turmoil between the Jewish and the Arabic.

After Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates, an armistice was signed. Britain and France, overzealous with the resources available to them in the Middle East, divide it into many countries and take them under their own control.

Without the resources to back it up, Britain abandons the Balfour Declaration. In a joint attack by Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria, and Lebanon created, Israel stands it ground.

In the aftermath of the war, Israel extended into Galilee and the Negvev. About four-fifths of Palestine was under Israeli control.

The Arab nations absolutely refused to acknowledge Israel's existence, and frequent border riots ensued. Israel captures the eastern Egyptian coastal area known as the Gaza Strip, crippling Egypt's sea-based efforts.

After the short Arab-Israeli skirmish, Israel takes more land, including the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, and the West bank.

Arab forces, including Syria, Egypt, and Jordan attack Israel on the holy day of Yom Kippur. Israel defends its borders well and routs the Syrians back within 20 miles of Damascus, the Syrian capital city. Soviet forces are involved and bring weapons and supplies to the Arab nations. Now, the United States' interests are piqued, and they air-lift supplies to Israel.

In a desperate and heroic effort, the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat makes the unpopular descision to give in to Israel to make peace. Just a few days after the peace agreement (nicknamed the Camp David Accords), he is assassainated and the vice president Hosni Mubarak takes his place. While President Mubarak sides with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war of the mid-eighties, he denounces Iraq's attack on Kuwait.

Iraq, in their foolishness predicted a two-week war when they invaded Iran. Their goal was a significant waterway, but they were repelled. Over the course of the next seven years, after much give-and-take by both sides, an estimated 250,000 Iranians casualties are inflicted, while around 200,000 Iraqi lives are lost. However, other Gulf nations lose faith in Iraq and begin to back Iran.

Iraq invades Kuwait in a blitzkrieg-style attack.

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All material �1999 Luke Murray.