Explain how the Cold War influenced American international alliances

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• The United States formed alliances with the democracies of Western Europe and some of the most brutal dictatorships in the late 20th century, all in the name of anti-communism.
• Saudi Arabia was one of many countries that stood for a form of government that violated expressed American ideals.
• American foreign policy makers also embraced the conservative religious views of the Saudi upper classes.
• The United States supported any form of Islam as a stand against communism.
• Rachel Bronson says the religious nature of Saudi Arabia was an asset during the Cold War.
• For nearly half century the kingdom's antisocial stance kept the country in the U.S. political orbit; the Soviet Union, on the other hand, supported the emergence of revolutionary socialism in the Islamic world driving the Saudis deeper into the U.S. camp.
• When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, both the Saudis and the United States saw an opportunity to strike back – they would support Muslim resistance to the atheist invader.
• John Cooley believes the foundation of modern jihadist power grew from the cold war, and he blames the West for incubating the network.
• The French intelligence community knew that Islamic militants hated the communists for several reasons and therefore suggested to intelligence counterparts in Washington and London that militant Islamic reformers might be used against communist countries.
• Using ties with oil-rich Muslim states, especially Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Western allies channeled support to both militant and nonviolent purification movements within Islam.