Middle East Crises
Gulf crises / Middle East conflict / Middle East crises
The Middle East is an important, yet complex region of the world. Middle East countries share a common religion, but they have many differences regarding different issues which are the basic cause of Middleeast crises. Power politics, proxies, terrorism and the role of external powers are vital ingredients to fuel the conflicts in the region.
Causes of Middle East Crisis
According to the realists, all the states struggle for survival and power. Therefore, the phenomenon of power politics is present in the Middle East as well. Retrospective analysis of the region makes it clear that a tussle always remained there for power in the Middle East. Whether it was the Gulf war of 1990s or the Saudi-Iran conflict, the major players of the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq (in 1990s) are struggling to maximize their power in the region.
Proxy wars are not a new phenomenon for the region. Saudi Arabia and Iran have been indulged in proxies for decades. The Shiaa Sunni division of these two states have affected the region in the most terrible way. Both of these states are using the small states as well as the non state actors, for their own agendas and interests. Syria and Yemen have become the war theaters of these two states.
Emergence of Al-Qaeda AQAP & ISIS in Middle East countries
The second war theater against the terrorism lies in Middle East. Therefore, terrorism is not unknown for the region. Al-Qaeda had its stronghold in the region, when it was dismantled from Afghanistan in 2002, it was organized and reemerged as an insurgent group from the Arabian Peninsula and known as AQAP. Middle East is the region, that has seen the emergence of most terrorist organization; ISIS. Islamic state of Iraq and Syria currently known as Islamic State (IS) emerged from the Middle East and attracted the likeminded people from the whole world, 2500 people joined IS from Europe as well.
External powers in the Middle East
External powers always tried to maximize their sphere of influence in other regions. Middle East is not immune from the interference of the external powers. Saudi Arabia is the biggest ally of the US, while Iran and the US are facing the highest level of tensions. US recently sent 1000 troops to the Middle East to counter the threat of Iran. According to Vox “US to send 1,000 more troops to the Middle East to counter Iran”
Apart from US, Russia is present in the region and joined the Iranian block against the US. Therefore, the region is facing uncertainty because of the complex system of alliances and interference of external powers.
Palestinian movement & Kurdish movements in the Middle East
Additionally, there are freedom movements such as Palestinian movement and other separatist movements such as Kurdish movements are going on in the region. Therefore the region is observing insurgency, freedom fighting, terrorism and proxies all at once.
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