US War in Iraq, 20 Years Later

March 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Amid all the retrospectives, none view US involvement as a great success, although some reports are nuanced. Iraq seems freer than it was in 2003 -- it theoretically at least has a free press, a multiparty if fragile democracy of sorts for now, …

From US-Russia Proxy Wars (1946-1989), to Soviet Collapse (1991), Regional Conflicts (1991-2021), Are We Now in a New Cold War?

As the prospect of a new cold war between Russia and the West intensifies in Ukraine, conceivably "the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II" (NYT), it is important to recall what the world looked like in the first Cold War. The world was over-simplified, divided into US-allied capitalist countries; Soviet communist-allied countries; …

Saladan: Conquerer of The Crusaders of the Levant (Present-Day Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine)

"Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, better known simply as Salah ad-Din or Saladin, was a Sunni Muslim Kurd who became the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria, founding the Ayyubid dynasty. Saladin led the Muslim military campaign against the Crusader states in the Levant." Wikipedia. Born: 1138, Tikrit, Iraq. Died: March 4, 1193, Damascus, Syria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M84RU8NO_9c The People …

Why Iraq’s Great Rivers Are Dying

When I lived in Turkey, I was privileged to travel to the southern part of the country where the famed Tigris and Euphrates Rivers -- the "cradle of civilization" -- come together. I was shocked at how narrow and shallow they were, in rocky desert-like terrain. I didn't realize the shallow waters reflected a geopolitical …

Rise and Fall of History’s First Empire

Ted-Ed: "Discover history’s first empire: Sumer, located in Mesopotamia, which built the world’s first cities and created the first writing system. "History’s first empire rose out of a hot, dry landscape, without rainfall to nourish crops, without trees or stones for building. In spite of all this, its inhabitants built the world’s first cities, with …

Why Does Kuwait Exist?

History Matters: "Kuwait is a tiny country located between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, both of whom have wanted to (at times) wished to annex the country into their own. But why hasn't this happened? Why does Kuwait exist? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQBaSPqLOnc

George H.W. Bush: Pivotal Player in 1980s, 1990s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwbr_PShhpY PBS American Experience: George H.W. Bush was a "pivotal player during a critical moment in American and world history and in a powerful political dynasty...The life and career of our 41st president, from his service in World War II and his early career in Texas to his days in the Oval Office, first as …

How Laws of Supply and Demand Change History: Crash Course Economics

As you probably know, laws of supply and demand are a basic principle of economics. Prices fluctuate based on the supply and demand of a product or service. This concept can determine your choice of career, your salary as well as your monthly budget. Sudden changes in the supply and demand can wreck your life …

Economics, Specialization, Trade, Opportunity Costs of War Shape History

Economics "is not the study of money or getting rich, although, understanding economics can help with that, and economics is not primarily about men in bow-ties forecasting what will happen in a given market or the overall economy.  Economics is the study of people and choices," declared Jacob Clifford, the host of Crash Course Economics. …

Iraq: The Cradle of Civilization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kv73VJqyEQ&list=PL_IlIlrxhtPOZK1NV1UTTshwrnvNuKNjf LanXang Siengkhene: "After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5,000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates in Southern Iraq. Civilization began. City life transformed the human race with the glorious cultures of Mesopotamia such as Ur, and Babylon." Drill Deeper:  Mesopotamia. Ur. Babylon.