You know us; we’re quite fond of conspiracy theories—particularly when they involve plots by external powers—and consider ourselves connoisseurs of the genre. But the limits of that capacity were exposed at Camp David in 2000. All are Islamic States. (We can also recommend excellent tailors to make him his own exquisite military uniforms.) Europe is kept away from the region, forced to accept that the United States is defending the global vital interests of the triad, that is to say its oil supply. Does religion play a role in how you are voting?. We have been watching the drama of your presidential elections with much interest and curiosity for some time now. Nonetheless, it was moving to see these public displays of affinity for state security, the enlightened guardians of the nation. Throughout the 20th and 21st century, the Middle East’s relations with other countries, strategic interests, … The United States has become the most influential world power, both in Europe and the Middle East. Surprise, Ariana Grande is Engaged to Dalton Gomez ! However, Islam is the most dominant religion in the region. Middle East/North Africa (MENA) The United States' trade and investment relations with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have considerable potential value in terms of both U.S. commercial and foreign policy interests. The most obvious similarity between the United States, England, and France is that they all rely on a democratic system of government. Marrying young and large families: Massive families in the South were brought to national attention with the wildly popular TV show 18 Kids and Counting, documenting the daily life of the Duggar family in Arkansas. Some strict religious sects in both the southern United States and Middle East forbid dancing and listening to music. The two regions have different politics, religions, terrains, barbecue preferences - the list seems endless! Let’s face it America, you look like an Arab country now. Both, I am told, will be available for sale by the publisher after my talk. Deep social and geographic divisions whose origins go back in time. Make sure to highlight that your movement is leaderless and organic. During the campaign we were surprised to learn of the influence that the head of the American mukhabarat (state security, i.e. I’m from the British Broadcasting Corporation, are you familiar with the BBC? In what ways East Asian states would be likely to collaborate in opposition to US policies and interests. This took an interesting turn on Saturday when the president accused the media of manufacturing his feud with the mukhabarat and his Minister of Information Mr. Sean Spicer castigated the media for reporting the size of Trump’s inauguration crowd. In the Middle East, many groceries and shops are closed all day Friday - or at least in the morning - so people can attend the mosque. U.S. has Presidents, and is a democracy. Despite the prevalence of places of worship and the pressure to attend religious services, both cultures see an undercurrent of religious rebellion. Let’s start at the beginning. The United States has what’s called a Sequential perception of time. We sympathize. We were always told that having a strongman in charge is the best solution for Arab countries, otherwise there would be chaos. Colleges such as Pensacola Christian, Liberty University, and Bob Jones all require women to wear skirts or dresses that cover their knees, and no tank-tops or “revealing” dress. Someone burned an effigy of Mr. Trump and an American flag. The military flying over New York City and Washington D.C. during parades. In these ways, the United States and Japan were competing for the same resources and Asian markets. Correspondents were sent to far-flung corners of the United States to talk to farmers and factory workers to try to understand how they feel and to ask condescending questions. A word of warning though, before embarking on this path. By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or updates from POLITICO and you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service. We have been watching the drama of your presidential elections with much interest and curiosity for some time now. And by the way, speaking of the Army, while we were a little bit disappointed at first that the president doesn’t have a military background, he quickly moved to remedy that by appointing a number of generals to high-level positions within the administration. America, You Look Like an Arab Country Right Now, California's road to recovery runs through D.C. Republicans, Why New Jersey’s ventilator guidelines may favor younger, whiter patients, Rhode Island ends specific restrictions on New Yorkers — by making them national, Weekly Education: Coronavirus Special Edition. My, the delightful similarities. Many of these holidays are considered paid, and in most countries, employers must abide. We are waiting to see how exactly President Trump plans to deal with the intrusions of the meddling and irksome press. If you want these protests to be successful spectacles, though, here are a few crucial tips: Use social media and talk about the importance of Twitter and Facebook in spreading the protest movement. On top of that, we started to hear reports of foreign meddling in your elections, which some say may have influenced the result. Journalists and analysts like to hear this stuff, as we discovered during our own protests. From fiery inauguration protests and bitter disputes about crowd size, to the intelligence service’s forays into politics and the rise of right-wing extremists, it appears that you are traveling very much in our direction—and at the same time, like us, becoming a curiosity for foreign correspondents trying to explain what’s happening in your region to the world. As you may know, this has been a constant feature of our politics since independence. Rely heavily on the skilled and unskilled expat population. In both cultures, it’s not uncommon to invite a new friend over for a huge dinner and hours of conversation. Trump is clearly into big military displays. Iranian American culture has embraced their new home thanks to many of these similarities to their native homeland. To answer “Who is Middle Eastern?” we must ask ourselves “What is the Middle East?” The Middle East itself is not a fixed term. Seersucker: The quintessential southern fabric, celebrated by the US Senate on “Seerksucker Thursday” and worn in the south all summer long… originated in the middle east! One causes COVID-19, and the other two cause SARS and MERS. Answer (1 of 1): Some cultural similarities are how they dress in western style clothing like us in the U.S., but of course it differs when women wear those head scarfs and men wear the head covers on their hair. Dylann Storm Roof, a Confederate flag-toting gunman, murdered nine congregants at the storied Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17. Will the judiciary try to block his political program? The South isn’t much better: Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia all have obesity rates over 35% ! The most obvious parallel to draw between the Middle East and the protests happening around the United States is between the deaths of Floyd and Said. Students compare maps of the Middle East using National Geographic's Hot Spot: Iraq, and a map of their own region, looking for similar features. Ethnicity: Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian, Palestinian, Jordanian, Moroccan, Iraqi and other Arab ancestry First language/s: Arabic, English Religion/s: Christianity, Islam. Like we say in the South, "a stranger's just a friend you haven't met yet." The dependency studied by Marini adopts new forms and intensities. Driving down the back roads: cars are very popular in both cultures. What’s the origin of the schism between the neo-conservatives and paleoconservatives? Tea, please: Southerners prefer their tea iced, while Middle Easterners serve it boiling, but both iterations are packed with sugar and served at every possible social gathering. Even areas that sell alcohol may be subject to “blue laws,” prohibiting or limiting the Sunday sale of alcohol. The culture in the Middle East, known as Islamic culture, is not an exception. Whether divergence or convergence between East Asian states and the United States was more likely on security, economic, or political/values questions. Gun culture: Southerners love their guns - hunting, skeet shooting, and attending gun shows are all popular hobbies. Even though there is quite a physical distance between the United States and the Middle East, the United States’ influence spread within this region. Come on! Organisations in general are aiming at reaching as much markets as possible, which means interacting with different cultures and environments. Will the deep state try to unseat the new president? This sign-up form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Was the election of Trump a Russian conspiracy? Separation of the Koreas in ~1948 North Korea withdrew connections from the rest of the world Globalization growing within the past few decades Causes Globalization is the worldwide integration and development through the act of extending to other or all I’m here to speak to you about the United States, the Middle East, and China. Over 400 municipalities in the US south are “dry,” meaning no alcohol is sold - including the county where Jack Daniels is distilled! What’s the difference between alt-right and the Tea Party? Egypt’s economic progress can help the United States meet its regional strategic goals. You can unsubscribe at any time and you can contact us here. Of course, we are quite familiar with that situation, too, not least because of the efforts of your own administrations over the decades. Be prepared for a flood of think-pieces about whether intervention in America is right or wrong, whether regime change can come quickly or whether it will become a protracted conflict, whether a proxy war is in the cards. The name “seersucker” actually comes from Farsi: šir o šakar, meaning milk and sugar, as a reference to the smooth-and-raised pattern of the fabrics. Nominally religious: In the South, churches are everywhere - the same is true with mosques in the Middle East. So far, he reminds us of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who perhaps more than any other leader has been leading the movement to put the press back in its place. Obesity: According to a report from the Telegraph, five Middle Eastern countries fall in the “fattest in the world”: Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. This hatred is another point of contention between the two countries to be worked through as many Iranians see the way that the United States has interacted with the Middle East as tyrannical. Middle East is where other people live, I do not live there. One is the demise of the Middle East peace process. Our surprise turned to astonishment when we started to witness the blossoming feud between the then-president-elect and the American mukhabarat, another important feature of Arab politics. Could it be that these two cultures are more compatible than clashing? Both cultures place a huge emphasis on treating guests with the upmost care - and not letting them leave until they've eaten a week's worth of food! With the Russians already involved, this is promising to shape up into an international confrontation. In fact, an Arab leader complaining about CNN coverage is pretty much a staple of our political life. Interacting with individuals with different backgrounds could result in miscommunication. This means that people generally prefer things to happen in order as expected and typically people will get a little tickled if they’re running a little late. We hear that both Canada and Mexico might try to interfere in your internal politics. Perhaps this will be an opportunity to put our differences aside and recognize how similar we are. Ebba Ourfali . We are hoping that they will attend Cabinet meetings in their uniforms; there’s something quite reassuring about the leader of the nation being surrounded by military outfits—just consider Saddam Hussein. Do you feel angry? There is no clash of civilisations but there are similarities and dissimilarities among them. The United States also has a longer history of using religion as a positive part of the integration process; religious organizations in the United States often help provide refuge, respectability, and resources to newcomers. | Image courtesy of the author. It’s hard not to notice the many similarities between our own countries and yours. (OK that was in Canada, but still). The not-so-veiled threats by the president and Mr. Spicer to the media are very much in the spirit of Arab governance. Such as: 1. Perhaps the American people are not ready for democracy after all. Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content, Sign up to get Al Bawaba's exclusive celeb scoops and entertainment news, Yalla y'all: Surprising Similarities between the American South and the Middle East, a stranger's just a friend you haven't met yet. They’re all so deliciously complex and open-ended, much like our own. The United States had traditionally enjoyed a unique capacity to work with both the Arabs and the Israelis. Thanks to the new president, we can now use the term “American regime”; your country has fully earned the honor. Learn how they differ here. President Andrew Jackson established formal ties with the Sultan of Muscat and Oman in 1833. Three coronaviruses can cause severe respiratory illness in people. This Alike and Different: The Middle East and the United States Lesson Plan is suitable for 3rd - 5th Grade. Also, we’re attaching an application form to the Arab League, consider joining. He blogs at Karl reMarks and tweets as @karlremarks. The Middle East had not yet become a leading producer of oil. Similarly, Middle Easterners have a tradition of shooting off guns in celebration for major life events - weddings, graduations, etc. Modest is hottest: While the Middle East is more known for female modesty with hijabs and abayas, conservative, Southern Christians stick to strict dress codes too. Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content. Was talk of the Russian conspiracy a liberal conspiracy to undermine Trump? The tragic crime shook the town and reverberated throughout the country, reigniting a painful debate over a controversial The operation of a common currency - between economies with huge differences in productivity - reinforces the supremacy of Germany in Europe. You might be distraught about where you are headed, but we aren’t! There is a diverse cultural difference between Middle East and United States which are mostly based on religion, geographic location and beliefs. And then there’s the unrest. Middle East is where other people live, I do not live there. Lately, we have even started to hear rumblings about the American “deep state.” Now that’s also something we’re familiar with, and it raises so many interesting prospects. Please write your own plots and stop borrowing ours. Introduction . Was media coverage of Trump’s mukhabarat conspiracy theories part of a liberal conspiracy theory to bring him down? We look forward to more of those moments being captured on camera and turned into photo essays in the foreign press. This is bordering on plagiarism now. What is Globalization? The South has a tradition of “tailgating” - eating and drinking in the back of cars before sporting events. How will Hollywood, the entertainment arm of the deep state, use its power to oppose the president? The paid holiday list includes Ramadan, which typically lasts one month. You will recall that we have had similar experiences in recent years in Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, and we were disappointed when the world didn’t understand our position. Albawaba takes a look at 13 surprising similarities between the two! We have taken the liberty of re-designing your flag; do you like it? The military marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. The United States tries to recapture its hegemony beginning with the regions that were traditionally under its control (Latin America). America, China, and Middle State Strategies in East Asia G. JOHN IKENBERRY FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, THE UNITED STATES has played a leading role in shaping order in East Asia. China widens the gaps with its Asian neighbors. Karl Sharro is an architect, satirist and Middle East commentator. We saw pictures of broken windows at Bank of America, and a limo engulfed in flames. On the bright side, this was also the moment that the conspiracy theories started to spread. U.S. naval officer Stephen Decatur boarding a Tripolitan gunboat during the First Barbary War, 1804 The United States' relationship with the Middle East prior to World War I was limited, although commercial ties existed even in the early 19th century. Both groups voice concerns that dancing can "let the devil in" or promote promiscuous behavior! Many Arab youths spend entire weekend nights cruising around with friends, or park at scenic overhangs with shisha and loud music. Southern hospitality and Arab hospitality are world-renowned. The United States operates in the Middle East in close cooperation with their two unconditional faithful allies—Turkey and Israel. Yet it came as a surprise to hear talk of “foreign hands” and “secret agendas” in a country like America. No single term encompasses all Americans of Middle Eastern/West Asian/North African descent, but the official category used by the US Census and other agencies is ‘Arab Americans'. Culture in the Middle East is different from the European because of the features lying in the dimensions of each one of them. Emphasize the fact that you don’t belong to any traditional political parties or have established ideologies. U.S. has Presidents, and is a democracy. The United States is where I live, and maybe you live. Likewise, popular fast food restaurant Chik-Fil-A and many smaller, local shops will be closed on Sundays for people to attend church. Arabic is the national language and people are friendly and nice. Footloose? There was talk, too, of rural strongholds and urban bastions. Both have 2-for-1 strings that result in a full, reverberating sound. A potential new flag for the United States. Come up with catchy slogans. We’re getting dizzy with excitement. How they are not similar doesn't need much explanation but from a certain viewpoint the two countries do have strikingly similarities that can be interesting to explore. Everything You Can Do On New Year’s Eve in Dubai, Gobert Agrees to $205M Deal for Utah Jazz Stay, 5 Tips to Help You Shop Smartly This Christmas. Did the mukhabarat leak information to hurt Trump? Who are the liberals and the conservatives and how did their disagreement begin? This time of … Estimated population in (2004): 1.2 million. Similarly, Middle Easterners have a tradition of shooting off guns in celebration for major life events - weddings, graduations, etc. Here’s someone who really understands how great leaders think. Despite being over 6,000 miles apart, the southern United States and the Middle East actually have quite a lot in common. All about that twang: The mandolin, popular in American folk and bluegrass music, has an eastern counterpart: the oud! Will he continue to follow Mr. Erdogan’s example of gradually diluting the freedom of the press or will he choose the Arab approach and replace the entire media with one or two state media organs? 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