Question 1

Which of the following was NOT a pillar of US cold war policy toward the Middle East in the twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

Throughout the cold war era, the United States focused on containing Soviet ambitions in the Middle East, securing access to oil resources in oil-producing states, and ensuring the security and prosperity of Israel. However, promoting Arab democratic governments was not a significant pillar of US policy during the twentieth century. In fact, the US often prioritized stability over democracy, supporting authoritarian regimes that were friendly to American interests.

Question 2

The US policy to isolate both Iraq and Iran through tough economic sanctions against the former and more modest restrictions against the latter was called _________________.

Accepted Answer

Dual containment refers to the US policy of isolating both Iraq and Iran through economic sanctions. This policy was pursued during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is NOT true of al-Qa'ida?

Accepted Answer

At the time of the 9/11 attacks, al-Qa'ida was headed by Osama bin Laden, not Ayman al Zawahiri. Ayman al Zawahiri became the leader after Osama bin Laden's death in 2011.

Question 4

Which of the following was a grievance bin Laden held against the United States?

Accepted Answer

Bin Laden held all of these grievances against the United States, including the US position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, US economic sanctions in Iraq, and the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia.

Question 5

Which of the following was NOT one of the Bush administration's stated justifications for a preemptive military strike against Iraq?

Accepted Answer

The Bush administration did not cite Iraq's taking of American hostages as a justification for a preemptive military strike. The other three justifications were all cited by the administration.

Question 6

Which two of Washington's traditional NATO allies refused to accept the notion that Saddam Husayn represented an immediate threat to world peace and should be overthrown by force?

Accepted Answer

Germany and France were the two NATO allies who opposed the notion that Saddam Husayn represented an immediate threat to world peace and should be overthrown by force.

Question 7

Which body wrote the new constitution for Iraq in 2005?

Accepted Answer

The new constitution for Iraq in 2005 was written by the Iraqi transitional assembly, which was a body established by the Coalition Provisional Authority to guide the country towards an elected government. The United Nations and the United States were involved in the process, but the actual drafting of the constitution was done by the Iraqi transitional assembly.

Question 8

The US "created" its own enemies in Iraq. From which section of the Iraqi population did these insurgents emerge?

Accepted Answer

The insurgency in Iraq emerged from a combination of factors, including anger at foreign troops on Iraqi soil, resentment towards the occupying forces for not providing jobs and security, and the displacement of former Ba'thists and disbanded Iraqi soldiers. Therefore, all of the answer choices are correct.

Question 9

The push to improve security efforts in Baghdad so as to provide the space necessary to break parliamentary deadlocks and forge a common national project was the aim of what military action in 2007?

Accepted Answer

The "surge" in the number of US troops deployed to Iraq in 2007 aimed to improve security efforts in Baghdad and provide space for breaking parliamentary deadlocks and forging a common national project. It involved an increase in the number of American troops in the country by more than 20,000, with a focus on securing the capital and working with Iraqi forces to combat insurgency and sectarian violence.

Question 10

What almost derailed President Obama's policy of engagement with Iran?

Accepted Answer

The revelation in 2009 that Iran was secretly building a second uranium-enrichment plant almost derailed President Obama's policy of engagement with Iran. This new development raised concerns about Iran's true intentions and caused increased tension in the international community.

Question 11

The George W. Bush Administration's attempt at democratization in Iraq was described by Condoleeza Rice as a necessary turn away from the past sixty years of American policy in the region that had "_____________ at the expense of democracy"

Accepted Answer

The phrase "pursued stability" suggests that the past American policy in the region was focused on maintaining stable relationships with authoritarian regimes, even if it came at the cost of promoting democratic values. This is in line with the Bush Administration's criticism of the previous administrations' policy of "realpolitik" that led to supporting dictators for strategic interests.

Question 12

The Taliban was ______________.

Accepted Answer

The Taliban was the de facto government of Afghanistan from 1996 to the early 2000s, during which it provided shelter to al-Qa‛ida.

Question 13

Which of the following accurately defines the Sahwa (Awakening) in 2007?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following accurately defines the...

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT true regarding Iraqi Kurdistan post-2003 invasion?

Accepted Answer

This statement is not true. The Kurds were generally supportive of the US invasion and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime. In fact, the US provided assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in their fight against ISIS in the region.

Question 15

Which of the following is true of US efforts to combat ISIS?

Accepted Answer

All of these statements are true. President Obama declared the goal of degrading and ultimately destroying ISIS in September 2014. The overall effectiveness of US airstrikes is inconclusive, though they have disrupted some of ISIS's oil sales that were fueling their operations. There is debate among experts about whether the bombardment might be exacerbating instability in the region and compounding the sense of victimhood that allowed ISIS to gain support in the first place.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT true of US policies regarding sectarian divisions in Iraq?

Accepted Answer

The US did not seek to abolish sectarian identities, but rather to promote a new Iraqi identity that embraced all sects and ethnic groups in the country. The US also sought to work within the existing sectarian dynamics of government in Baghdad, and did not aim to overturn them completely. Additionally, while the disempowering of Ba'ath party members did have sectarian ramifications, it did not necessarily lead to the marginalization of Sunnis specifically. AQI did exploit Sunni grievances, but this was not solely due to US policies regarding sectarian divisions.

Question 17

Which of the following was NOT opposed to the US-Iran nuclear deal?

Accepted Answer

Iran's Green Movement did not take an official stance on the US-Iran nuclear deal. However, some members of the movement expressed support for the deal as a means of easing tensions between Iran and the United States. Saudi Arabia, Israel, and many conservatives in the US Congress and Iran were all opposed to the deal.

Question 18

Which of the following was included in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)?

Accepted Answer

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) included the elimination of Iran's two pathways for creating a nuclear weapon, specifically the reduction of uranium-enrichment capacity and the conversion of the Fordow nuclear facility into a research center. The other choices mentioned, such as the removal of travel restrictions or the creation of weak nuclear missiles, were not part of the JCPOA.

Question 19

In the context of Iran, the term "break-out" capability refers to

Accepted Answer

In the context of Iran, "break-out" capability refers to the ability of the country to set in place the means to rapidly construct a nuclear weapon, giving them the option to create one quickly if they choose to do so. This is a major concern for international security and has been a topic of negotiation between Iran and other countries.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT true of Obama's foreign policy in the Middle East?

Accepted Answer

All the statements provided are true regarding Obama's foreign policy in the Middle East. Obama's approach was indeed different from George W. Bush's, he did bomb Iraq, making him the fourth successive president to do so, and his administration did negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran while also employing policies of containment.

Quiz 25: Americas Troubled Moment in the Middle East