Critical Thinking Essay Question # 3 (Due date for essay July 11; due date for responses July 13 before midnight)
 
In addition to writing your own essay, you need to comment on at least two other students’ essays. I am hoping that this way we will generate intelligent discussions by which you will have an opportunity to share your concerns and views with your fellow students. Please post your essay before the assigned deadline. After posting your own essay you have a couple of days to respond to other students’ postings. In addition to your textbook you need to utilize at least two other outside sources to conduct the necessary research for this assignment. Make sure to cite your sources at the bottom of your essay.

Your Critical Thinking Essay (CTE) should be analytical and relevant to the topic, a minimum of 500 words (15 points for your essays, and 10 points for your comments on at least two other essays by your fellow students.) Your comments on other essays should be substantial in content and around 100 words long. (See your syllabus for more detail.) Any sign of plagiarism will result in zero grades.

Note: in addition to your textbook you need to utilize at least two outside sources as well. You are not allowed to use the Wikipedia as your main two sources. At the bottom of your essay cite at least two outside sources that you have used to complete your assignment. Give the author (s)’ names, publication date, name of article, and the source where you found the article (i.e. printed books, journals or Internet web site) respectively. Follow the APA writing style for your essay and references.  Read Your Syllabus for further instructions.

Select one of the following questions and after watching assigned documentaries and conducting necessary research answer to the best of your acquired knowledge. Before writing your essay, please read the assigned readings from your textbooks, watch assigned documentaries, and do some preliminary research utilizing relevant academic outside sources (i.e. books, articles, Internet sites.) You need to make references to your textbooks, assigned documentaries, and outside sources within the body of your essay.


Question 1. What role does the United States play on the Arab/Israeli conflict? Is the US government an honest mediator that can deliver peace or is part of the problem? Elaborate on your answer and give specific examples.

Assigned Documentaries:

1. Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land: the documentary carefully analyzes and explains how–through the use of language, framing and context–the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied territories appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAN5GjJKAac)

2. Is Peace Out of Reach: Has peace in the Middle East become nothing more than a pipe dream? As Bob Simon reports, a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians feel that a two-state solution is no longer possible. (http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4752349n)

3. How the U.S. Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East: An Interview with Professor Rashid Khalidi of Columbia Universityhttp://www.democracynow.org/2013/3/19/brokers_of_deceit_as_obama_visits


Question 2. There has been a great amount of speculation about the current United State’s involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. What do you think about the issue? Should we be still there? Why? Why Not? Elaborate on your answer and give specific examples.

Assigned Documentaries

1. Iraq Secret War Files: With references to released Wikileaks files this documentary explains what really happened during the Iraq war, things our conventional media did not want us to know. (http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/iraq-secret-war-files-wikileaks-special/)

2. No End in Sight: American military leaders expected the Iraqi conflict to last no more than a few months, and President George W. Bush declared that major military operations were over less than two months later. However, Iraq soon became a dangerous quagmire for American forces and still remains a problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpf5nDIs9M. 
 

Question 3. What are the cultural and historical significance of Saudi Arabia to world’s Muslims? Should the United States push for more democratic processes in Saudi Arabia? Why? Why Not? If yes, how? Elaborate on your answers and give specific examples.

Assigned Documentaries:

1. Inside he Saudi Kingdoom: Lionel Mill’s film has unique access to Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen, one of the rulers of the rich, powerful and secretive Saudi royal family. This is a fascinating insight into the conflicts between tradition and modernity in one of the world’s most conservative and autocratic countries. (http://tune.pk/video/24276/inside-the-saudi-kingdom-bbc-documentary)

2. Saudi Solutions: Women in Saudi Arabia: is a unique and revealing documentary about modernity and tradition in Saudi Arabia.http://videosift.com/video/Saudi-Solutions-documentary-about-women-in-Saudi-Arabia or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWD4KzSpj_g

Further Recommended Documentaries:

Dispatches: Iraq: The Reckoning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyrfMUVRQa8 

Meeting the Taliban: Having witnessed the battle for the town of Garmser in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, Sean Langan goes to meet The Taliban. In this remarkable film he recounts his initial encounter. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZoZ0XM2phQ)

The Zionist History: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/zionist-story/

Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/elusive-peace-israel-and-the-arabs/

Taxi to the Dark Side: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2987535946644608661#

Obama’s War: http://video.pbs.org/video/1295117818/

House of Saud: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7ol-ImP8gg

Inside Mecca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFQHgdmJqjo