Model United Nations Simulation
“This is the Middle East”
Rooms:
Room One: Political Security
Room Two: Economics, Aid and Trade
Room Three: Environmental Matters
Room Four: Human Rights
Introduction
“This is the Middle East” is a political simulation for up to sixty players involving current issues in Middle Eastern politics. The purpose of the simulation is to acquaint young people with the complex issues at work in this volatile region, and to introduce them to some aspects of international diplomacy. The simulation is not intended to promote any particular bias or viewpoint, other than that diplomacy is generally preferable to war and that international cooperation may be the solution to many of the world’s greatest problems today. However, bias will be an important part of this game as each player is expected to represent the point of view of their country or organization, and to defend its particular interests to the best of his or her ability. Politics consist of viewpoints and power, and this game will rest on this fact.
To play this game, do some advance research on the country or organization you have been assigned, and learn everything you can about the issues and history of the region. Read the attached background sheet on your country, and examine what the document says about its international position. Try to figure out your strategic interest – the objectives you will want to accomplish through diplomacy.
On the day of the game, bring your research, and keep an open mind towards your fellow diplomats. Politics makes strange bedfellows, and you will need to work with whomever you can to achieve your diplomatic interests.
The game will take place at Booker T. Washington High School on January 31st, from 10 to 4, and will be played in four separate rooms. Each room will cover a particular type of issue relevant to the players, namely: Political/Security, Economics and Trade, Environment and Human Rights. In each room, representatives will meet with their counterparts and engage in diplomacy by all the means available to them. Like Model United Nations, much of the game will consist of speeches and negotiations. Unlike traditional Model United Nations events, players will also be able to affect the game by using real political tools such as foreign aid budgets, military maneuvers, trade agreements, peacekeeping forces and diplomatic “dirty tricks.” Each room will be moderated by an official who will be responsible for managing the flow of discussion and ensuring that all players treat each other with proper respect at all times.
Research and Preparation
Find out as much as you can about your country or organization. To do this, you should look up information from a variety of sources, electronic and paper. Never rely on one source of news in the Middle East – it is a tangled and complex region, where nothing is quite as it seems.
Electronic Sources. Most countries have embassy websites that will be glad to tell you what you want to know – usually under the name of the country. The State Department has good information at www.state.gov. The CIA site, www.odci.gov, includes the excellent World Factbook – a compendium of statistical information on every country in the world.
News Sources. One good tip about getting news is never to rely on one source, especially now that so many American news sources are owned by the same corporations (a fact you should be concerned about). Real news junkies rely on no fewer than four sources – TV, radio, online and print.
The best American news program on TV is the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, on weekdays at 5pm on PBS (channel 11). NPR, 89.5 FM, provides the best radio news, and even runs the BBC’s World News program at 11pm daily. As for pure online sources, look at www.MSNBC.com, www.slate.com, www.cnn.com, and sources like that for up-to-the minute news. One nice thing about these sources is that you can search narrowly for just the news you want, such as Middle Eastern news.
Lots of excellent newspapers are online. Look up the Washington Post – www.Washingtonpost.com, the New York Times – www.NYTimes.com, the Christian Science Monitor – www.CSMonitor.com, and other newspapers. The Newseum, a museum of the news, has a page containing front pages daily from newspapers around the world – www.newseum.org.
Don’t forget foreign news sources. The Economist – www.Economist.com is the best newsmagazine, arguably, in the world, and The Financial Times is one of the best newspapers. Look for the Jerusalem Post and the Arab satellite station, Al-Jazeera. Remember that news is culturally biased, which is why Americans have such a hard time understanding how other cultures think or feel.
Try and clip out a variety of articles on your country and the region. Some players will come to the simulation with binders full of relevant articles. You do not necessarily have to do so much to prepare, but it would enhance your understanding of the region. As an American, you might consider learning more about the Middle East to be a patriotic duty.
Room One: Political/Security
Issues:
1. The Israel/Palestine peace process. Israel and Palestine each claim the same land. In particular, three areas are disputed: the West Bank of the Jordan River, the Gaza Strip, and the eastern (Muslim) part of the city of Jerusalem. Since the 1990s, Israel and Palestine have been working on variations of a land-for-peace deal, in which Israel agrees to give land to the Palestinians in exchange for a guarantee of security for Israel. But the dispute is very complicated: a few Palestinians want to occupy all of Israel, driving the Israelis into the sea, and a few Israelis want to settle all the holy places of the West Bank. Palestinians have used suicide bomb attacks to terrorize the Israelis, and Israel has used its military to hunt terrorists in Palestinian neighborhoods. In the last few years, hundreds have died. Will Israel give up its settlements on the West Bank? Can Palestine guarantee an end to terror? Can the two sides divide the land and have peace, or will acts of violence only produce more violence?
2. The occupation of Iraq. Since March of 2003, the US has occupied the state of Iraq. The US mission, Operation Enduring Freedom, is designed to replace Saddam’s dictatorship with a democratic state. Many states in the region have denounced the US invasion and occupation. At issue here is whether states in the region will develop a unified position on the occupation. Another question deals with the Iraqi Governing Council, a body of leaders selected by the US to manage some Iraqi affairs until elections can be held. Will states in the region accept this council as a legitimate body? Further, what will be the position of the states of the region on a timetable for elections? Finally, what kind of elections will be held – a direct election based on the popular vote, or a more federal election representing the regional groups?
3. The hunt for Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations still operate in many states in the region, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Syria. Some of these groups have at least some support from local governments. The United States wants the support of every country in the region in its war on terror, but many states believe that too much US pressure is a violation of sovereignty. Will Arab states agree to share intelligence, shut down terror groups and accept US intelligence agents on their soil? Will the US and/or Israel use force to hunt terrorists in Arab countries? Will terrorists strike again?
4. Weapons of mass destruction (WMD). These are defined as biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. At least two Middle Eastern states (Israel, Pakistan) have nuclear weapons. Another (Iran) may have a nuclear weapons program. Libya recently abandoned its chemical weapons programs and agreed to submit to international inspections. That leaves Syria, rumored to be producing chemical weapons. States may decide to put pressure on those with nuclear programs. There is an international treaty, the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), which says that states will refrain from developing nuclear weapons, or aiding others in doing so. Suspected countries are asked to submit to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Will Iran submit to full inspections? Will Syria open up its chemical labs and destroy any stockpiles it has? Will Israel face pressure to give up its nuclear arsenal? Or will states in the region defy the US and international authority?
Room Two: Economics, Aid and Trade
Issues:
1. OPEC and oil policy. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is a multinational cartel that seeks to regulate the price of oil for the interest of its members. They can have a serious effect on the price of oil, which in turn has a major effect on the economies of western oil consumers (like the US and the European Union). The following states in this simulation are members of OPEC (by order of oil production): Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Libya, Oman, Yemen. Iraq is technically a member, but since the invasion it has not yet returned to OPEC meetings. If the OPEC members wish, they can agree to make changes in oil policy, including: admitting the Iraqi-representative into OPEC; lowering oil production (which tends to raise the price of oil); raising oil production (tending to lower the price); or (in extreme situations) declare an oil embargo – refuse to sell oil to offending customers. Most changes in policy must be approved by three members of OPEC including Saudi Arabia (if the largest producer refuses to go along, nothing happens. An oil embargo must be unanimous. OPEC states should consider this as a means of applying pressure in diplomatic negotiations, but be careful – if you push it too far, your customers will look for other sources of energy, and you will lose out!
2. Foreign aid. Another diplomatic tool is foreign aid – money given by one government to assist another state. The following states have the ability to give foreign aid: the US, the European Union, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and the World Bank. The US already gives money to Egypt, Israel, Afghanistan and Iraq. It can agree to give aid to one more state in the region, or it can threaten to reduce aid to one of the countries it is already helping. The EU and Saudi Arabia can each make an offer of foreign aid to one country. Consider all aid packages to be equal in value for the purposes of this game. Aid donors cannot themselves receive aid. It is simply a way for rich countries to use their economic leverage in diplomacy. Any country that receives aid can be said to have achieved one of its economic objectives.
3. Trade. Each country in the region depends on international trade for a healthy economy. Research your country to find out who its major trading partners are. For most of them, it is the US and/or the EU. Countries can make trading deals with their major partners, or engage in economic sanctions – restrictions on trade with a partner. Trade deals improve your economic position, and trade sanctions hurt them. They are one more way to engage in diplomacy. For example, the US can pressure countries it trades with by imposing sanctions, or it can encourage them with trade deals. Be careful! Too much use of this tool can disrupt your economy.
4. Religious-based aid. Many private religious groups, temples and mosques receive funding from a variety of sources in this region. Some of this money ends up supporting terror groups. The US would like to see restrictions placed on religious groups, such as means of tracking where they get their money and where it goes. Many states view this as yet another assault on their sovereignty. In particular, they don’t want to appear to side with the US against their own holy men.
Terror finance networks. Middle Eastern banks are notoriously sloppy about keeping records. Sometimes illegal organizations use banks and credit associations to funnel money to terrorist operations.
Regional free trade. Most states in the region do not trade with one another. One reason for this condition is that each state taxes goods coming from neighbors to protect their own businessmen. In other regions, like Europe and North America, free trade agreements have increased regional economic activity.
Pipelines. One of the last great untapped oil markets is in Central Asia. Experts believe that the oil in states like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan can fuel the next generation of industry. But there is a major problem: how to get the oil to market? Pipeline routes must either go through Afghanistan, Russia or Armenia. Major oil companies want politically secure routes through stable countries. There are four potential pipeline routes from Central Asia: through Armenia and Turkey; through Armenia and Iran; through Afghanistan and Iran, or through Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hosting a pipeline brings revenue to a country and helps to promote its development. The oil company, British Petroleum, can make contracts to open up one of the possible pipeline routes, but it must have the agreement of both countries on the route to do so. These contracts must be signed by BP and these countries, and then delivered to control.
Room Three: Environmental Matters
Issues:
Water rights: Water is the most precious commodity in the Middle East. Most countries in the region are part or mostly desert. The rich countries – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE – buy expensive desalination equipment or drill for underground water much like they drill for oil. Most other states rely on limited supplies from rivers – the Nile, Jordan, Euphrates and Tigris among them. Most of these rivers flow through several countries, and fights over water rights are common. Dams are one issue – Egypt built the massive Aswan dam to control more Nile water, and Turkey’s Ataturk dam threatens to cut off water flowing into Iraq and Syria. National solutions are one thing, but another option would be to create an international body in charge of resolving water disputes, promoting efficient use of water resources, and building better relations among countries sharing water.
Coastal erosion: Thanks to global warming, a phenomenon caused by the effects of pollution in the earth’s atmosphere, polar ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising. States with coastlines face growing problems, including beachfront erosion, saltwater penetration of river deltas, and the potential loss of coastal communities. What can be done about this problem? One idea is to push industrial countries, like the United States and the European Union, to adopt cleaner environmental standards. They put out most of the pollution that is causing the problem. However, many countries in the region rely on selling oil to these countries. If they adopt cleaner policies, they might lose customers. This will be a battle between coastal states and oil states.
Preservation of archeological sites: The Middle East is home to some of the world’s greatest archeological sites, including the pyramids, Babylon and Jerusalem. As populations rise and economies grow, threats to these sites emerge. The war in Iraq also damaged many sites. Should the region appoint a multinational commission to investigate threats to these sites? Can foreign aid from wealthy states be attracted for projects to preserve them? Can governments cooperate on this common problem? And how important is this issue, relative to other topics?
Oil spills, pipelines and tankers: Oil is a great asset to the region, but also a great hazard. Oil must be transported by pipelines and tankers, and spills are common along the way. The greatest dangers from tanker spills are in the Persian Gulf, Straits of Istanbul (in Turkey) and Suez Canal. Coastal regions near these waters face catastrophe if a major tanker were to spill, like the Exxon Valdes spill in Alaska. Pipelines are another problem. They stretch through Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries. They are vulnerable to terrorist attack and accident. What measures can be employed to make them safer and more secure? And who would pay for these improvements? Will countries pay, or oil companies like British Petroleum?
Room Four: Human Rights
Prisoners of conscience: Many countries in the region have tough policies on political opponents. Those who criticize the government are often jailed without trial, subjected to long imprisonments without access to a lawyer. Some are tortured. The worst offenders are Syria, Iran, Libya, Egypt and Turkey. Human Rights groups regularly protest these policies. These countries reply that tough measures are needed to halt the spread of terror organizations or to provide for political stability. At the end of the session, Human Rights groups like Amnesty International will produce a document outlining which countries are the worst offenders, and which countries are making the greatest steps towards improvement.
Use of torture: Many of the same states use torture against political opponents. Should this be condemned? Some states argue that torture is justified if it saves lives. For example, if a terrorist is tortured and reveals information, it could stop a bombing. But should a government have this power? On the other hand, is it the business of other states if one state chooses to use this method?
Rights of women: Many of these countries are conservative Arab and Islamic states. They govern by a system using the Koran or Islamic tradition, which holds that women should not vote, hold drivers’ licenses, public offices or jobs. Other states are more liberal, like Lebanon, Israel, Turkey and Jordan. This is another rights versus sovereignty dispute: should countries be allowed to keep women in a backward state? Put another way, does anyone have the right to tell a country that it must change customs based on religious beliefs?
Democracy: Few countries in the region are democracies. Only Israel and Turkey elect their leaders. Many of the other states are monarchies (like Saudi Arabia or Kuwait) or dictatorships (like Syria or Libya). Many are in the middle, with some form of elections granting limited power to the people (Iran, Egypt, Jordan). Should states be pressured to make democratic reforms? Is democracy the best form of government? Some of the reforms called for by democracy advocates include: freedom of the press, the right to form political parties, freedom of speech, and elections. Note that many would argue that their countries are not ready for democracy, or that democracy is not the right government for them. States with dictatorships or monarchies are particularly likely to take this view.
Rule of Law: This region has a long tradition of law going back to the Code of Hammurabi. The purpose of law is to make sure that all people are treated equally and that all respect public order. Legal codes in this region vary, from the highly developed legal traditions of Israel to the absence of law in Afghanistan. How important is it that each country have an independent judiciary like the US Supreme Court? Should it have the power to rule independently of the rest of the government?
The Treatment of Palestinians: Right now, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza suffer from serious human rights abuses. The Israeli government can seal the border, keeping Palestinians from getting to their jobs in Israel. It regularly imprisons Palestinians suspected of terror or rioting, and tears down the homes of suicide bombers. The Israeli army has a policy of assassinating leaders of groups it labels as terrorists. Most importantly for many Arabs, it denies Palestinians the right to their own government. The Israelis reply that all these measures are necessary for its security.