There is a complex web of political events happening around Middle East in this decade. It so complex that it even puzzles the political observers. I’d like to point out in this article some of the recent developments in Middle East in the year 2012.
- Syria – To start with Syria, there is an ongoing agitation by the Syria Rebels aka Free Syrian Army against Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad. The rebels want to end the regime of Assad. Its been alleged that the Western powers are supplying the rebels with weapons and other supports all in the name of Democracy to topple Assad. But why is US and her allies are so keen to remove Assad? Because the present Syrian Government is a key ally of Iran and Russia in the Middle East. So crippling Syria would be a huge blow to Iran and Russia.
- Iran – If US is opposing Syria for its alliance with Iran, what terrible thing did Iran do? Iran did what previously Iraq and Libya tried to do. Yes Iran stopped selling oil in US Dollar. US dominates the world economy only because of the world trade being done using Dollar as an international currency (Read more in my another article : http://greenxgene.blogspot.in/2012/11/the-fall-of-us-economy-is-imminent-as.html) If the international market tried to switch over to any other currency, it will strain the already weakened US economy. So if anyone tried to challenge this, they would face the same fate as Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya. But US always wanted to play safe with Iran, because Iran is rumoured to have acquired weapon-grade enriched Uranium. This one thing has stopped US so far from initiating any misadventure in Iran. (Watch this video on how US Dollar became prominent in International Market http://youtu.be/vpP8MsN-CIA ). Meanwhile Israel is growing impatient with Iran’s Nuclear enrichment activity. Israel has been urging US to begin a joint operation to cripple Nuclear facilities of Iran.
- Israel – One of the advanced nations in the middle east having a long standing territorial dispute with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza strip. The very existence of the state of Israel itself is a source of bitterness for surrounding neighbours. Partly because Israel has the backing of US. So neighbouring nations don’t want to see a dominant Israel. The present Egyptian ruling party, Muslim Brotherhood is the fraternity of Hamas, the Palestinian resistance operating in Gaza. Also Hezbollah operating out of Lebanon is an extremist movement against Israel operating out of Lebanon. Though Egypt indirectly supports Hamas by allowing weapons from Iran to be delivered to Hamas through Suez canal, Israel cannot go in to open war with Egypt, because of the peace treaty binding them. Also the previous Government of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt have effectively partnered with Israel in blockading Gaza.
- Turkey – A long time ally of Israel, but recently partnership between Israel and Turkey has been strained especially after the Gaza flotilla raid (Read here more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_flotilla_raid ). But Turkey is a NATO member, so Israel and Turkey can never be seen confronting each other in battle. Although Turkey had supported the cause of Palestinians strongly. Turkey also opposes the regime of Assad in Syria. In fact its been alleged that Turkey is allowing smuggling of arms in to Syria to be delivered to Free Syrian Army. The recent fightings between Assad’s forces and rebels near Turkish border prompted Turkey to request NATO to install Patriot Missiles in Turkey-Syria border. This move is opposed by Syria and is observed as a move to enforce No Fly Zone in Syria like whats been done in the final days of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya.
- Palestine – Looking in to the case of Israel explains well enough about Palestine. Palestine is geographically made up of two separate land masses – Gaza and West Bank. Gaza is ruled by Hamas and West Bank is ruled by Fatah, the opposition party of Hamas. The international aid to Palestine is delivered only to West Bank and the Gaza solely surviving on the support from Iran. Iran even has supplied Hamas with Fajer 5 missiles. (Here is rocket capabilities of Hamas to comprehend how Iran has improved Hamas’ reach pic.twitter.com/ix9M1sUx). Although Hamas is considered to be the surrogates of Iran, they too oppose Assad’s Government due to their support for Free Syrian Army. The recent conflict of Israel with Hamas in Gaza, named ‘Pillar of Defense’ , came to cease only when US agreed to deploy its forces in Sinai Peninsula, through which Hamas allegedly smuggle weapon from Egypt delivered by Iran. The recent air raid by Israel on an Iran owned weapons factory in Sudan is notable.
- Kurdistan – Not a nation by itself but predominantly parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria inhabited by Kurd. Kurd people living in Turkish Syrian border often battle with both Syrian army and Free Syrian Army rebels. Kurds often captured the Syrian territories from which Assad’s forces have withdrawn. During the early stages of Syrian uprising the Kurds fought along with the rebels. But Kurds were convinced that if Free Syrian Army annexed power, they would face the same oppressed fate as Kurds in Iraq and Lebanon. Kurds were even hopeful of forming a separate nation from Syria. Already Kurd inhabited regions in Iraq are autonomous both during pre and post American occupation.
- Saudi Arabia – The region dominated by Wahabis is predominantly a part of Sunni crescent which doesn’t want to see the Shia crescent to get powerful. Shia crescent is composed of Iran (The newly formed Iraqi Government after American occupation is dominated by Shia members, while in Saddam’s regime it was reigned by Sunnis), Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Sunni crescent is composed of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Libya. The Sunni crescent is obviously always supported by US and her allies.
Please feel free to leave your comments and arguments.
Sources:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/11/2012111311424048459.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/syria-and-gaza-show-complex-alliances-2012-11
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