Middle East - Political and Economic Issues - Case Study Example

The Middle East: An Assessment of Current Political and Economic Issues Introduction The Middle East remains as one of the most talked about and controversial regions in the whole world. Since the early part of the Middle Ages until the present era, it has always been a breeding ground of religious clashes and various armed struggles for control of the abounding resources and vast tracts of land. In fact, the entire region has always been of vital significance in the political and military points of view to perennial world powers like the United States of America, Russia, France and Britain as well as the other minor players in the international community. Since the Middle East has been found out to have the richest oil supply among all countries in the globe, the economic interest for it has never diminished and it may actually be one of the most sought after regions. According to Shah, Western nations have put in power corrupt Arab leaders to maintain their dominance in the region and protect their own vested interests. This has also served to keep their populations at bay, in return for militarization, power and personal wealth of the elite. The common theme underlying it though has been the struggle to control access to important resources such as oil. The Middle East is the most militarized region in the world and most arms sales head there. A suppressed people that sees US influence as a major root cause of the current problems in the Middle East has led to a rise in Islamic militancy, acts of terrorism and anti-west sentiment, anti-US in particular (2009). Likewise, for centuries, the western population has gotten used to type of propaganda and vilification of the Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East. This cultural racial discrimination has extended until the present period and such boundaries of discourse about the Middle East have already been framed. The Present Middle-East Scenario Despite the efforts by the United Nations, the major global military forces and the different governments within the Middle East, to work for a peaceful resolution of ongoing conflicts and declare a peaceful co-existence among all of the Middle East countries, the result has been far from encouraging. Armed encounters between armies and self-styled militia groups continue even as clashes in the political and diplomatic fronts continue persistently. The historical and convoluted conflict between Israel and the Arab Nation is seen as one of the reasons for this volatile situation. The Arab-Israeli quarrel that started after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and has lasted for more than a century is one of the primary concerns for consideration in this discourse. Ziad Khalil says “many people wonder why the Arabs and the Israelis did not reach an agreement to end the historical and complicated conflict between them. Although many negotiations were held, no solution was uncovered to satisfy the needs of both sides. It is complicated because it is a conflict of land, religion, and existence although most Israelis and Arabs prefer to consider it a conflict of land and right of property. The Middle East and the world in general is affected by the Arab Israeli conflict since it turned to become an international conflict which several states and organizations use to justify certain actions”. Notwithstanding the prolonged Middle East peace negotiations, many believe that the core issues have not really been addressed by the contending forces and the United States which has been at the helm in brokering the peace talks. The principal problems include the division of Jerusalem, the borders issue or withdrawal from parts of the West Bank by the Israeli armed forces, the Gaza settlement, Palestinian refugees and security for the people and state of Israel. These major developments and incidents in the history of the region give rise to the theory that two of the most dominant themes in the outcome of political, social and economic issues in the Middle East are territory and religion as demonstrated by the age-old conflict between Israel and the Arab nations. US Foreign Policy This brings us to the foreign policy of the United States of America in the Middle East which has also been the subject of numerous public criticisms globally. In the Global Connections, it was mentioned that “American influence in every country in the region is very much felt regardless of the physical distance between the United States and the Middle East. Throughout the 20th century, strategic interests, including a longstanding competition with the Soviet Union, have provoked a variety of U.S. interventions ranging from diplomatic overtures of friendship to full-blown war. American economic interests, particularly in assuring access to Middle Eastern oil, have long motivated presidents and lawmakers to intervene in the region. In addition, strong cultural ties bind American Jews, Arab Americans, Iranian Americans, and Turkish Americans, among others, to the area, and these interest groups seek to make their voices heard in the arena of U.S. foreign policy”. The Americans have never loosened up in their roles as peace advocates, go-between and security providers. They have been described and assailed as aggressors and intimidators most of the time since they have been involved in the internal affairs of the Middle East nations. There is also one allegation that an obvious reason for the U.S. government’s efforts to maintain influence in the region is oil. Policymakers, lacking an understanding of free trade and international markets, have labored under the fallacy that access to Middle East oil requires a heavy U.S. presence in the region. To that end, U.S. presidents have striven to place or keep loyal, client regimes in power. The starkest example came in 1953 when the CIA engineered the toppling of an elected government in Iran and restored the repressive Shah to power.  Whatever their degree of attachment is and their real motives are, one thing is obvious, the US has no intentions to reduce its role in the Middle East to sustain their political and economic interests today and in the near future. For most of the 20th century and going into the 21st, the US safeguarded its global concerns and will certainly continue to be a key player using its diplomatic, economic and military might to take care of these interests. However, Baxter and Akbarzadeh say “the weakness of Europe and also that of the US in the Middle East is not essentially one of waning power and influence. Although the scent of decline always has had a powerful affect in this region, the root of this western debilitation consists of a more profound ailment:  that its solution, its generic cure for a range of ills in the Muslim world, is seen to provide no conceivable cure to these regional and Islamic stresses and maladies, which it is supposed to alleviate (2008)”.  This does not mean, however, that the American desire to assert its mastery in the Middle East has never waned. While there have been many adversities and obstacles, they managed to thrive in these situations and managed to become the leading force in this part of the world over the years. The European Union for its part has also manifested its interests in the Middle East region although the EU’s level of desire does not seem to match that of the US. Early on, The EU has made a statement regarding the situation and affairs in the Middle East as explained by Ambassador Permanent Representative of Cyprus Sotos Zackheos to the General Assembly regarding the situation in the Middle East: “My delegation associated itself with the statement of the European Union. Let me say at the outset, that Cypruss long and rich history has always been heavily influenced by developments in the Middle East. Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, my country has throughout the centuries been a bridge between the peoples of the Middle East and Europe. In seeking to maintain and strengthen our ties with the European Union, with which we expect to start accession negotiations as early as next April, the promotion of our relations with all our neighbors in the Middle East remains also a significant pillar of our foreign policy. The recent alarming developments in the Middle East have shown the precarious nature of the peace process and highlighted the imperative need to redouble the efforts for the survival and ultimate successful outcome of this process (1997). The situation in the Middle East continues to be filled with tension and incidents that will definitely have profound effects on the community of nations. Whatever the final outcome and consequences will be, we can only expect that there will be good and bad benefits for the nations within the region, the neighboring countries and the major players particularly the USA and European nations. Works Cited Baxter, Kylie and Akbarzadeh, Sharam. (2008) US Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The Roots of Anti-Americanism, (Abstract) Routledge, April 25, 2008. Public Broadcasting Service, What have been the Role and Effects of US Foreign Policies and Actions in the Middle East?, Global Connections, The Middle East. Reynolds, Paul (2010), Middle East Peace Talks: Where they Stand?, Middle East Crisis, BBC News, September 27, 2010. Shah, Anup, (2009) Middle East: Global Issues, Updated 29 Dec. 2009, Accessed 08 Dec. 2010, www.globalissues.org/issue/103/middle.east The Middle East, Center on Peace and Liberty, www.onpower.org. Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad, (2009) A Look at the Current Situation in the Middle East, The Middle East Post, June 24, 2009. Zackheos, Sotos, Statement at the General Assembly of the European Union, December 12, 1997. Read More