Leadership Crisis in West Asia

 

Introduction

Islamic world has its epicenter in the Arabian Peninsula and its neighbouring states though the religion is practiced all around the globe. It is estimated by many that 2050 Islam will be the most followed religion in world. Despite increase in number of people diverting towards Islam especially in the so called liberal western European Country the mainland itself is in perpetual cycle of Chaos and conflict. It is without doubt that Muslim world is in leadership crises. The region first suffered a severe ideological division during the First World War. The origin of Pan Arab movement against the Ottoman’s Turkish identity was well exploited by the Britishers to find Allies in Arabs against Germany. Muslims groups and organisation has focused on the word Ummah and yet the Muslim countries are the ones facing one another in the battle ground defying its own concept which otherwise the 49 Muslim states have used in the international forum several times for its political gain. Turkey under Erdogan is vociferous advocate of the word Ummah but has not been able to justify its stand on Kurds. The Sunni Shia divide has become a cloak for Saudi and Iran rivalry to dominate the region’s geopolitics.

States in the quest of Leadership

Turkey: Energy security is a crucial factor in this oil-rich region's regional security complex, which goes beyond terrorism and border issues. Turkey, which is ones again, trying to revive its Ottoman glory, has been observing hiccups in its relations with U.S. It has conflicting interests with Greece and Israel in respect of Cyprus and natural gas exploration [1]. The State of Turkey shares a border with Syria, which is in a very unstable state and is the source of the massive influx of refugees in the country. Further Ankara has been fighting Kurdish separatist group near the border which has overall lead to an increase Turkey’s investment in its military. Turkey's growing desire to take on neutral responsibilities in the management and resolution of regional conflicts, especially the Arab Israeli one, is a relatively recent development in Turkey's Middle East policy over the past 20 years. Turkey’s growing desire to take on neutral responsibilities in the management and resolution of regional conflicts, especially the Arab Israeli one, is a relatively recent development in Turkey's Middle East policy over the past 20 years. There are primarily two causes for this shift. First, Turkey was forced to take a more active role in conflict management as a result of the region's shifting geostrategic landscape and growing instability. Second, the persistence of the Arab Israel conflict also enables some regimes to take use of it to gain more power and influence in the area.

Iran: Iranian leaders believe Saudi Arabia is responsible for integrating an anti-Iran coalition and misrepresenting the threat Tehran's growing might poses to regional security. Also, Iran alleged that while doing so, Riyadh had the backing of Israel and US President Donald Trump. The Saudis and Israelis are stepping up efforts to confront Iran's regional position and missile capacity after framing the country's nuclear programme as an imminent threat. Their anti-Iran coalition seeks to weaken Iran economically and politically by building an international consensus in support of their positions, particularly by getting European nations to join the coalition. Militant organisations who are allied to Iran, like Hezbollah, some Hashd al-Shaabi fighters, and the Houthis, have expanded their positions in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, respectively, building strong political systems throughout the Arab world. Israel and Saudi Arabia have suffered because of this change in the region's power dynamics.

Saudi Arabia: In Syria, the Saudis upheld a long-standing tradition of close cooperation with the US by complying to the CIA's framework for screening rebels, refraining from attempts to arm the Free Syrian Army with MANPADs, and essentially leaving the country after the US rebel training program was completed. Despite this withdrawal, Riyadh views Iran as exercising more power in Syria than any other actor, to the detriment of regional stability and Western interests. Hezbollah's political and military branches have grown to be Lebanon's preeminent domestic armed force and have significantly increased their influence over the country's government. Hezbollah is the IRGC's proxy in the Levant. Hezbollah’s political and military branches have grown to be Lebanon's preeminent domestic armed force and have significantly increased their influence over the country's government. Hezbollah is the IRGC's proxy in the Levant. Riyadh will not allow the IRGC to secure a foothold in Yemen. It thinks that such a foothold would result in a failed state on Saudi Arabia's southern border, endangering the security and trade of Gulf Arab states, including through the threat of Houthi ballistic missiles. Saudi Arabia would gladly back a revised joint approach, involving the US and its regional partners, to rein in Iranian proxies throughout the Middle East.

Conclusion

Middle east predominantly Muslim, hence, it is unlikely that the region will allow Israel or any other western-European country to indirectly influence the province. Saudi’s close relation with U.S has already deepened its conflict with Iran. It is the spill over of the Saudi- Iran rivalry has been witnessed in the region surrounding their border. Syria and Yemen are the buffer zone of the ongoing cold war between the two states belonging to major, Sunni- Shia, sects of Muslim world. By acting as a middleman. Through acting as a middleman, Turkey is attempting to become a leader. Despite being a member of NATO, Turkey and the United States have had a rocky relationship. This in turn may if not immediately, but in future affect its relationship with Saudi. As for Iran, both has common interest in Iraq, PKK, and energy security. In July 2007, the two nations agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that called for Turkey to generate Iranian gas from the South Pars gas field in exchange for Iranian gas being sent to Europe via Turkey. In July 2007, the two nations agreed on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that called for Turkey to generate Iranian gas from the South Pars gas field in exchange for Iranian gas being sent to Europe via Turkey. These three Muslim countries despite being stable countries do not hold potential of being the leader. U.S.A and its support to Israel and Saudi has weaken the chances of any west Asian country to rise as regional power which can assert its hegemon in the region. Further, the complex geopolitics of the region takes away the focus from combine efforts to stabilise the region. An unstable Muslim world further deflects attention from the Palestinian question, protecting Israel from what it perceives as its hostile Arab neighbours and shielding the United States from having to choose between Israel and its Arab friends.

 

References

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·         Fuller E., Graham. Understanding Contemporary Islamic Crises in the Middle East. The Issues beneath the Surface. Leiden University Press, 2017. https://doi.org/10.26530/OAPEN_625498.

·         MAGAZINE, THE MIDDLE EAST. ‘Home’. The Middle East Online. Accessed 6 July 2022. https://www.themiddleeastmagazine.com/.

·         ‘Middle East Battle Lines’. Accessed 6 July 2022. https://ecfr.eu/special/battle_lines/.

·         ‘The Middle East Conflict—a Brief Background’. Accessed 6 July 2022. https://www.globalissues.org/article/119/the-middle-east-conflict-a-brief-background.

 

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