The usage of the term "Middle East" to refer to the countries in Western Asia can be traced back to the 16th century map drawings of the Flemish cartographer Mercator who put Persia on the right-hand side of the map. the early 20th century writings of the American naval strategist Alfred Mahan about the Persian Gulf. the 5th century BCE writings of the Greek historian Herodotus about the Persian-Greek wars. the 21th century Bush administration in an attempt to justify the Gulf war as being a war to the east of the US (in analogy with the term "mid-west").

The usage of the term "Middle East" to refer to the countries in Western Asia can be traced back to the 16th century map drawings of the Flemish cartographer Mercator who put Persia on the right-hand side of the map. the early 20th century writings of the American naval strategist Alfred Mahan about the Persian Gulf. the 5th century BCE writings of the Greek historian Herodotus about the Persian-Greek wars. the 21th century Bush administration in an attempt to justify the Gulf war as being a war to the east of the US (in analogy with the term "mid-west").

		the 16th century map drawings of the Flemish cartographer Mercator who put Persia on the right-hand side of the map.
		the early 20th century writings of the American naval strategist Alfred Mahan about the Persian Gulf.
		the 5th century BCE writings of the Greek historian Herodotus about the Persian-Greek wars.
		the 21th century Bush administration in an attempt to justify the Gulf war as being a war to the east of the US (in analogy with the term "mid-west").