This is a very long post. I hope it will serve as a primer for information on the Middle East, whose long and complex history I cannot hope to compass here.
What I have hoped to produce is a briefing which will help you understand the competing interests in the region.
There is a two minute brief at the start and a much longer one at the end. Apologies for omissions or mistakes, I am still a bit poorly and the material is extensive.
I have not covered everything - but I hope there is enough here to inform your world view and help you ask better questions about the situation.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Frank Wright to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.