read: rashid khalidi, resurrecting empire: western footprints and america''s perilous path in the middle east (paperback). (isbn: 978-0807002353) the final class project includes a reflection essay and class discussion of khalidi’s resurrecting empire. 1. according to khalidi, what are some of the important issues that need to be factored into an analysis of the conflicts in the middle east? websites about and from the middle east: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/default.stm http://www.mideastweb.org/index.html http://www.iranchamber.com/index.php http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/index.htm http://www.miftah.org/ http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/islam/islamsbook.html#The%20Pre-Islamic%20Arab%20World In addition to the essay question please try to answer the following questions in the essay too. 1. Explain how Khalidi frames his analysis of the conflicts in the Middle East and Central Asia. 2. Does Khalidi contribute to your understanding of the contemporary history of the Middle East? How? Explain. 3. What have you learned about the history of the region since reading Khalidi’s book. Does it conflict with what you already knew? If so, then please explain. 4. Are the conflicts in the Middle East and Central Asia part of a "clash of civilizations"? Or, are the historical issues more complicated than a simple "clash of civilizations"? Please offer some insights on this notion of “clash of civilizations” with specific historical examples to support your claims one way or another. 5. As you read through the Khalidi book and online links, please offer your comments and questions about the Middle East and Central Asia in general or more specifically on Iraq and Afghanistan. 6. Why is the United States waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan?