As we head into the second decade of the 21st century the Middle East continues to be the focus of attention for western foreign policy leaders. Whether it’s warfare in Afghanistan, troop pullouts in Iraq, oil supplies in Saudi Arabia or conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians – this region continues to make the news.
I firmly believe that the Ancient Near East has much to teach us about the modern region. Trajan’s debacle in Iraq should have been required reading for George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. Also I think President Obama and Robert Gates would benefit from a few hours of study about attempts to control ancient Afghanistan.
Iraq and Afghanistan both represent crisis situations. But what lessons does the Ancient Near East have to tell us - on a more general level - about dealing with the modern? I came up with three:
The news is awash with Barack Obama’s plan to “surge” roughly 30,000 US troops into the country on a short-term basis.
Some consider it a necessary measure to protect American security, while others think he’s leading the United States into the next Vietnam.
It's an important debate. He might have just made the most important foreign policy decision of his presidency.
Ever since the news broke I have been thinking about what lessons ancient history has to teach us about making a choice like this.
In ancient times much of Afghanistan was known as "Bactria" and played a significant role in the Persian and Hellenistic empires. The country has a turbulent history - and one that has a few lessons to teach foreign forces.
The blockbuster exhibition has been at the Canadian Museum of Civilization since October 23. There has been a strike on at the museum for that entire time. Nearly 400 workers, including educational staff and tour guides, have been manning picket lines.
News is just breaking that the latest attempt to reach a negotiated settlement has failed. The union now believes that a negotiated settlement is impossible.
“PSAC advised the Minister of Labour after the vote that it believes that a negotiated settlement with the CCMC is impossible, and requested her direct intervention to resolve the dispute without further delay,” said the union in a media release.
For that entire time there has been a strike on - with 400 workers manning picket lines. The strikers include educational staff and tour guides. The museum is a crown corporation - owned by the federal government.
People who want to see the exhibit have had to cross the line to go and see it. There have been no talks since early October. Wages, job security and the contracting out of jobs have been the major bones of contention.
It’s lonely out here in Tibet. The sun is shining down over a mountain and for miles around there is not a soul in sight. The sky is clear and at my feet I can see six layers of brown stones, about the size of baseballs, piled up by an unknown people.
These stone piles dot the landscape – only a few feet away I can see a pile of them shaped into what looks like a house with two or three rooms.
No, I’m not in Tibet. I’m also not reading an archaeological report, or even a looking at a virtual reconstruction. I’m immersed in a photographic panorama of an actual site in Tibet. The objects are real and were shot by a photographer – Tito Dupret – who was actually there.
Highlighted Quote:
“This will be the beginning of a new era to express these fabulous pictures and sites around the world.”
As Heritage Key’s Helen Atkinson writes, it features treasures from Afghanistan’s history that have survived the turmoil the country has faced for the past three decades.
As we head into the second decade of the 21st century the Middle East continues to be the focus of attention for western foreign policy leaders. Whether it’s warfare in Afghanistan, troop pullouts in Iraq, oil supplies in Saudi Arabia or conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians – this region continues to make the news.
The news is awash with 
It looks as if picket lines will be up for awhile yet at the Ottawa showing of 
