Middle East Policy

The 'internationalism' keeps being demonstrated as an empirical fact in the international field where the Westphalian 'border' of sovereignty of nation-state is actually porous to international inputs and even determinant kind of international 'interference'. In fact, the international input including all kinds of practices and policies is of vital importance and impact in shaping the outcome of domestic-deemed issues regardless of their international ramifications and dimensions. The sovereignty is not a barrier between the domestic and international realms in reality. 'interference' is a term made to maintain the interests of the most powerful actors, and is actually a natural kind of interaction when it is not protected by adequate power. This is actually a reality rather than a theory or ideology. The ideology is what I invented and became a Keen proponent of it that is 'Neo-Internationalism' where the international natural input ...

A meme putting the Iranian president in the seat of Syria at the Arab League.  One hard thing for political analysts and researchers when they find difficulty in understanding or analyzing some political development or course of action. A lot of ink has been spilled lately by political analysts and commentators trying to explain the unexpected and inexplicable decision of the Arab League to re-admit the Syrian regime after 12 years of suspension because of the atrocities committed by this regime against the Syrian people among other causes according to the suspension decision along with a started Arab normalization course with the Syrian regime. I am trying to explain this decision by spelling major reasonable causes and eventually derive the strategic significance of this political development.  - First thing to do here is to ask about what has changed in the context of the Syrian crisis and the suspension decision. The answer is nothing except for the military vi...

Admitting frustration over Saudi's China-brokered rapprochement with Iran and Syria's new deal after implicit denial of their significance or strategic nature is a very good first step provided that it be complemented with considering the fact of being consequences of US policies and checking and reviewing these failed policies.  I said it before, it is a strategic move and new deal:  Middle East’s New Era: China’s Prominence and the U.S. Retreat And it is a consequence of the US frustrating and failing policies: The Middle East Is Heading East: Ending the Western Era?

  Less than 3 months before this major development, I wrote this  commentary , which was faced with underestimation by many western fellow scholars. They wouldn't believe it considering the announced strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia as just tactical maneuver by Saudi Arabia the well-established US backyard ally for timely purposes and gains. This position was widely adopted by the US political and governmental circles as well. I can understand this western stance as a typical behavior because the leading powers along with their mentalities are usually reluctant to recognize and acknowledge ‘change’ that affects their supremacy in general. This  Chinese-backed agreement  constitutes a double blow to the US stand and interests in the Middle East in political terms for the following reasons. Firstly, China has shown and proved in the most practical and factual way that it has interests wide beyond the previously-established renown and accepted econom...

  Israel army chief has made a statement about his country's achievements in preventing "Hizbollah 2" project in Syria. Apart from the motives behind this misleading or self-deluded statement, there are key facts should be stated and clarified concerning Iran, Israel and Syria's war and crisis.  - Iran is the most powerful actor in the regime-held part of Syria in terms of military and economic resources and associated parties. Territories deemed vital for Iran in there are under direct and explicit control of Iran, especially the region that extends from Qalamoon to Deir ezzor.   - Iran invested in a complex infrastructure in Syria consisting of military forces, paramilitary militias, economic networks, military and security personnel, and religious and social institutions. - Iran is working to strengthen its on-ground presence in SDF-held region and even in factions and Turkish-controlled areas. - Iran has a real presence and influence in the southern Syria neighb...

This may be the beginning of the end for the West's supremacy in the Middle East, especially for the United States. It is actually the harvest season for what the US policies has planted in the region, in particular the #Obama administrations' policies. We can't understand the current developments in the Middle East without getting back to Obama's policies there. Obama was the ultimate sponsor of the region's terror organizations, especially #ISIS and #al-Qaeda, which controlled northern Iraq and the most of Syria during his terms, and in the same time he was also the ultimate supporter of the Iranian regime, which controlled four Arab countries and Gaza strip as they publicly claim. #Biden administration is staying the course of course. Now we know that this is a natural policies of the US #Democrats and expect these results from Democratic administrations by default. In general, they betray their values and norms, particularly the liberal democracy and human right...

After so many years, and with much excitement, the Middle East Policy is back. I will resume posting to the renovated weblog by the end of year. It is definitely a new Middle East with much of chaos, violence and authoritarian abuse. My advocated values-based Neo-Internationalism has been overrun by standard pragmatic and opportunistic national interests by the Western states, especially after their Libya and Syria policies, which resulted in the death of the 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P) once promising international norm, and in more chaotic international order and security.