Oil in the Middle EastThe topic of oil in the Middle East can be (pardon the pun) sticky. Many discuss Middle Eastern oil as if it is an inherently corrupt and destructive force that gives autocrats a money-fueled mandate to oppress their people, but this is not a fair assessment. It is important to be aware of [...]

A printable version of this timeline is available for download at the bottom of this page. 822 BCE The Phoenicians establish the historic city of Carthage (in present-day Tunisia) and set up trading posts along the North African coast 586 BCE Babylon, under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar II, conquers Judah and destroys the Jewish Temple. 553 [...]

A printable version of this timeline is available for download at the bottom of this page. 661 Ali is murdered, presumably by a Kharijite extremist. His son Hassan loses a battle for succession to Mu'awiyah and retires to Medina. Mu'awiyah establishes the Umayyad dynasty and transfers the imperial capital to Damascus. 680 Caliph Muawiyah dies. His [...]

A printable version of this timeline is available for download at the bottom of this page. 1469 Death of Aztec leader Montezuma I in modern-day Mexico. 1492 Muslims and Jews are expelled from Spain at the behest of the Catholic Inquisition. The Muslims return to North Africa. The Spanish Jews, known as the Sephardim, scatter throughout [...]

A printable version of this timeline is available for download at the bottom of this page. 1901 Oil is discovered in Iran. 1905 Death of the great Muslim reformer, Muhammad Abdu. 1906 The Algeciras Conference, organized with the help of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, prevents war between France and Germany over colonial rights in Morocco. Control of [...]

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  Taliban Bans Opium July 30, 2000 Taliban leaders forbid farmers from growing opium poppy plants, citing religious edicts. Afghan farmers are growing 75% of the world’s opium exports. Hamid Karzai Elected June 30, 2002 With U.S. toppling of the Taliban, the Grand Council elects Hamid Karzai as interim head of state. NATO Deploys in [...]

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