Download or read book The Position of a Weak State in an Unstable Region written by Walid E. Moubarak and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2003-01-07 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this lecture Dr. Walid Moubarak argues that Lebanon’s stability and continuity as a viable state does not solely depend upon action taken by the Lebanese people, but to a large extent on the balance of power in the external Middle East environment, as well as on the interests other powers have in the preservation of this balance. He showed how external factors can shape domestic politics in a weak state and how, in the case of Lebanon, this weakness has become an integral part of its political structure. The presence of Palestinian refugees, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Syria, which plays itself out in southern Lebanon through the actions of Hizbullah, the alliance of the various major groups in Lebanon with outside powers with their own interests, and Lebanon’s precarious geo-political situation, all ensure that there will be no solution in the near future to the instability experienced by Lebanon.

Download or read book Conflict Resolution in the Post Cold War World written by Michael Rose and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2004-03-10 with total page 15 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although US foreign policy is still based on the desire to secure freedom, justice and democracy for all people - a vision which is shared by most Western nations - following the attacks against US targets on the September 11, 2001 (9/11), President Bush declared that the elimination of international terrorism had become a first priority for America. However, a determination to use military force in order to defend these values and pre-empt attack against America has inevitably altered its relationship with other nations.

Download or read book Gulf Security and Regional Watercourse Management written by Bertrand Charrier and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2005-02-09 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rivers and other water resources are one of the sources of life on the planet. As such, everybody should have access to water and such resources should be protected from conflicts and over-consumption. Many long-standing water-related disputes still remain unresolved, and the growing demand for finite freshwater resources heightens the risk of future conflicts developing. The need for integrated, cooperative solutions is particularly urgent in the 263 river basins that are shared by two or more states and in which nearly half the territory and population of the world is located. In the absence of strong institutions and agreements, changes within a basin can lead to conflict. When major water projects proceed without regional collaboration they can become a flash point, heightening tensions and regional instability, and requiring years or even decades to resolve. This study tackles the information and reasons driving the GCC countries, particularly the UAE, to play an essential role as mediators and actors in facilitating the building of peace in the Middle East. In the Gulf region, the surface water and groundwater issue is gradually turning into a cause of tension and conflict, and possibly even wars. It is imperative not to ignore the need to establish forms of management that are sustainable in the short, medium and long term. Therefore, political decision makers should treat this highly critical issue as soon as possible, and effectively address the issue of water management for trans-boundary water bodies and thus avoid potential conflict.

Download or read book Pakistan s Security Perspectives written by Syed Athar Ali and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2012-11-16 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pakistan’s security matrix is beset by multi-dimensional threats which stem from a host of external and internal factors such as economic deprivation, poverty, drug trafficking, natural disasters, and terrorism. Terrorism and extremism have posed particular challenges for Pakistan; the country has played a leading role in the global campaign against terrorism and has consequently paid a very high price. At the same time, the lack of success achieved by coalition forces in their attempts to create stability in Afghanistan has impeded Pakistani efforts to stabilize its western tribal regions. Nevertheless, in spite of all the challenges, Pakistan feels that it has been generally successful in containing the insurgency and confining it to a limited geographical area through a combination of political and military measures. Pakistan views India as its most important neighbor and seeks a sustained, substantive and result-oriented process of dialogue. Pakistan would like to resolve all outstanding issues with India in a peaceful and just manner. The country attaches great importance to a purposeful, broad-ranging engagement; however, this will require India to play a more positive and accommodating role and respond to Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns. India will not find Pakistan unwilling to write a new chapter in the two countries’ bilateral relations. Positive manifestations of India’s peace initiative can only be seen through the implementation of tangible steps, including a reduction in the defense budget and the prevention of an arms race. The terrorism which prevails today has developed into militancy of dangerous proportions for Pakistan, placing it at the top of the internal security agenda. Terrorism is now a challenge for Pakistan more than any other state. The militants are well equipped, funded, and motivated, and enjoy foreign support. Needless to say, the potential effect of this militancy could be felt both regionally and globally. Therefore, peace and stability in South Asia will remain elusive unless this issue is addressed comprehensively. All stakeholders must remain engaged on a long-term basis if lasting success is to be achieved. Also, a much greater degree of understanding is needed between Pakistan, Afghanistan and coalition forces in order to adopt and apply a common approach on both sides of the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Pakistan alone cannot bear the burden of responsibility for a global problem whose genesis is to be found elsewhere. The international community must show greater resolve in Afghanistan and more patience towards Pakistan, if we are to succeed. Regional countries would also do well to assist Pakistan in these efforts, rather than exploiting this as an opportunity to malign the country, if the scourge of terrorism is to be erased from South Asia.

Download or read book The Foreign Policies of Arab States written by Bahgat Korany and published by American University in Cairo Press. This book was released on 2010-03-01 with total page 706 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first edition of this book was praised as "a milestone for present and future research on Arab and Third World foreign policies" (American Political Science Review), and "an indispensable aid for those studying or teaching the foreign policies of the contemporary Middle East" (International Journal of Middle East Studies). It has become a standard textbook in Middle East studies curricula all over the world. This third edition, now in paperback, with new material reflecting the earth-shaking events at the end of the Cold War and the continuation of violence and terrorism, examines foreign policies of nine Arab states in the context of globalization. The editors first establish an analytical framework for assessing foreign policy, which they and other contributors then apply chapter by chapter to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, and Iraq. Contributors: Moataz A. Fattah, Karen Abul Kheir, Ali E. Hillal Dessouki, Hazem Kandil, Bahgat Korany, Ann M. Lesch, Abdul-Monem Al-Mashat, Paul Noble, Jennifer Rosenblum, Bassel F. Salloukh, Mohamed Soffar. William Zartman. Foreign Policy Analysis in the Global Era and the World of the Arabs Bahgat Korany and Ali E. Hillal Dessouki Foreign Policy Approaches and Arab Countries: A Critical Evaluation and an Alternative Framework Bahgat Korany and Ali E. Hillal Dessouki Globalization and Arab Foreign Policies: Constraints or Marginalization? Ali E. Hillal Dessouki and Bahgat Korany From Arab System to Middle Eastern System: Regional Pressures and Constraints Paul Noble Regional leadership: Balancing off Costs and Dividends: Foreign Policy of Egypt Ali E. Hillal Dessouki Foreign Policy under Occupation: Does Iraq Need a Foreign Policy? Mohamed Soffar Does the Successor Make a Difference? The Foreign Policy of Jordan Ali E. Hillal Dessouki and Karen Abul Kheir The Art of the Impossible: The Foreign Policy of Lebanon Bassel F. Salloukh The Far West of the Near East: The Foreign Policy of Morocco Jennifer Rosenblum and William Zartman Irreconcilable Role-Partners? Saudi Foreign Policy between the Ulama and the U.S. Bahgat Korany and Moataz A. Fattah From Fragmentation to Fragmentation? Sudan's Foreign Policy Ann M. Lesch The Challenge of Restructuring: Syrian Foreign Policy Hazem Kandil Politics of Constructive Engagement: The Foreign Policy of the United Arab Emirates Abdul-Monem Al-Mashat Conclusion: Foreign Policy, Globalization and the Arab Dilemma of Change Bahgat Korany and Ali E. Hillal Dessouki

Download or read book A Union of Iraqi States written by Pauline H. Baker and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2008-11-19 with total page 15 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the analysts who have looked at Iraq since 2003, few have conducted assessments from the perspective of a failed state, not only to examine the mistakes of the past, but to explore feasible options in the future. While the term “failed state” is controversial, it is an accepted part of the international vernacular that is widely used by scholars and practitioners alike, and therefore will be used in this analysis. Most observers would agree that, while there have been temporary gains in some areas – notably in the United States’ military “surge” tactic – Iraq remains, overall, a state in turmoil that has not been able to attain sustainable security. Indeed, there remains a high level of danger. Iraq could collapse violently – with various parts opting out of the state and going to war with each other – and become the battleground for a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran that could entangle the entire Middle East. This paper looks at Iraq from the failed state’s perspective with a view toward avoiding this worst-case scenario. It examines trends over the last five years and concludes by proposing a vision for the country’s future based on a framework that would allow the varying sects to live together in peace without genocidal revenge, sectarian domination, foreign occupation or a regional proxy war— all of which are possible if current trends continue. Instead of a centralized state, or a federal arrangement which is little more than a sum of its competing parts, the factions that make up Iraq could enter into a new political arrangement called a Union of Iraqi States, in which each major component would have political independence but be tied to a union of economic interdependence and co-prosperity. Imaginative thinking of this kind must be accepted by internal groups and come into being through engaging the region. Difficult and bold as it sounds, this could be a way forward.

Download or read book The Making of Lebanese Foreign Policy written by Henrietta Wilkins and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-05-29 with total page 165 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seeking to explain Lebanon’s behavior in the international arena during the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, this book offers a critique of both systemic and sub state factors in determining foreign policy decisions. The Making of Lebanese Foreign Policy illustrates how systemic theories are limited in terms of explaining foreign policy decisions because they largely ignore the role of internal, or sub state, factors. Within Lebanon, foreign policy is split between the interests of different internal Lebanese groups working in alliance with external actors. The competing interests of these internal groups compromise the cohesion of the Lebanese state and its capacity to promote its own interests above those of the different internal groups. The example of Lebanon during the 2006 war thus demonstrates the importance of these sub state factors in influencing state behaviour on an international level. Arguing that a more pluralistic approach is necessary in order to understand the conditions that affect the foreign policy making of the Lebanese state, this book fills an important gap in the literature on the topic and will be of interest to students of International Relations, Middle East Studies and Islamic Studies amongst others.

Download or read book Democratisation and Power Sharing in Stormy Weather written by Tamirace Fakhoury Mühlbacher and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-11-14 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is democracy possible only in homogeneous societies? Does heterogeneity - clude a stable democracy? Throughout history, ethnic, linguistic, or religious homogeneity whether by circumstance, coercion, or choice, has seemingly been conducive to democracy. In France, democracy was established after the impo- tion of religious uniformity and the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The United States pulled in immigrants who renounced their original affiliations to forge a new identity in a newly born state. Still, defying assumptions, democracies have emerged in heterogeneous states such as the Swiss Confederation, the Successor States of the Holy Roman Empire and, later, those carved out of the previous colonial empires. One common feature is the failure of – often violent – attempts to enforce homogeneity, or the lack of any such attempt in the first place. In the course of time, these divided societies have learned to live in diversity, to pacify their differences, and to find a path - wards peace or at least accommodation. In sum, they went beyond forms of se- rating powers to sharing power. Whether defined by ethnicity, language, religion, or even ideology, communities agreed to a pact on participating in a joint gove- ment based on proportional or even equal representation. It is noteworthy that political systems based on power-sharing were long marg- al in mainstream political science which laid an emphasis on democratic tran- tions in homogeneous societies and on socio-economic or cultural prerequisites that facilitate the rise of democracy.

Download or read book The COVID 19 Pandemic in Asia and Africa written by Giorgio Milanetti and published by Sapienza Università Editrice. This book was released on 2023-11-29 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present publication has been conceived as a critical reflection, in different disciplinary fields, on the social, institutional, and cultural impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic in Asia and Africa. The issues presented here were first discussed as part of a larger research project at two conferences, held in Rome in June and October 2022. After extensive revision, these results have now been collected as fully developed articles in the current two volumes: the first focuses on the cultural, artistic, and media-related facets of the pandemic; the second on its social and institutional implications. This Volume II examines the effects of the health crisis on the socio-political landscape, addressing, among other themes, the responses of civil societies to the infection, the consequences of quarantines, the role of the pandemic in blurring the boundaries between democracy and authoritarianism. The articles cover a wide range of geographical regions, including Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, China, Singapore, and Japan.

Download or read book Civil Military Relations in Lebanon written by Are John Knudsen and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-08-31 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines Lebanon’s post-2011 security dilemmas and the tenuous civil-military relations. The Syrian civil war has strained the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) cohesion and threatens its neutrality – its most valued assets in a divided society. The spill-over from the Syrian civil war and Hezbollah’s military engagement has magnified the security challenges facing the Army, making it a target. Massive foreign grants have sought to strengthen its military capability, stabilize the country and contain the Syria crisis. However, as this volume demonstrates, the real weakness of the LAF is not its lack of sophisticated armoury, but the fragile civil–military relations that compromise its fighting power, cripple its neutrality and expose it to accusations of partisanship and political bias. This testifies to both the importance of and the challenges facing multi-confessional armies in deeply divided countries.

Download or read book A Muslim Realist written by Fatima Gülhan Abushanab and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Türkiye enters an era of re-structuring international relations as a potent geostrategic actor dubbed "the" hub of solutions. More than a middle power, Türkiye's changing status brings forth a new conceptualization in global politics.

Download or read book The National Dialogue of Lebanon written by Walid E. Moubarak and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2018-06-27 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The need for national dialogue within states has been gaining momentum ever since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the emergent new global system, intra-state conflicts have surpassed inter-state conflicts in number and complexity, requiring new instruments, approaches to mediation, and conflict resolution mechanisms. The Lebanese National Dialogue (LND), presided over by Michel Suleiman, the president of the Lebanese Republic from 2008 to 2014, represented a relatively new experiment in inclusivity or internal mediation for Lebanon, which marked a change from outside mediation. The LND was a hybrid mechanism, in which the top political leaders aimed to rectify the constitutional failures and solve the current and future challenges the small and weak Lebanese state was facing. This dialogue was designed along the same lines of the 2006 dialogue, when Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, called for a national dialogue. This latter dialogue was short lived and came to a complete halt, primarily because of Israel’s war with Hezbollah in July 2006. The call for dialogue at that time was seen as a vital measure to respond to the transition period following 30 years of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. This study attempts to examine the LND to determine whether the nature of Lebanese politics would allow internal mediation to solve problems of regional implication, or at least to maintain relative stability and continuity for the political system. The study examines the structure and process of the LND, the strengths and weaknesses of the LND, and the role of supportive dialogue structures. The study also includes an analysis of the national dialogue process, incorporating the Baabda Declaration of 2012 and its aftermath and the controversy over a national defensive strategy for Lebanon.

Download or read book US Policy Towards Political Islam written by Graham E. Fuller and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2003-03-03 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Political Islam is growing in the Middle East and Central Asia, and is at the same time evolving and diversifying. Islamist parties have also matured as they gain political experience. They are faced with political realities and must adapt their policies accordingly. The question of whether Islam and democracy are compatible is a current point of discussion, with many Islamist parties now believing that they are. Islam has become a vehicle for the expression of many different agendas in the Muslim world. Muslims may too readily blame the West for their own problems, but their frustrations and current grievances are real. Cultures and communities under siege seek comfort in a back-to-basics view of religion, a narrowing and harshening of cultural and nationalist impulses, and a return to traditional community values. US policymakers would be wise to drop the simplistic and inaccurate notion of Muslim anti-Americanism, and should instead consider what steps can be taken to spread democratic values to areas where they have been noticeable chiefly by their absence. If the war on terror is to be successful in the long run, Washington should not limit itself to a merely punitive agenda, but should engage in dialogue with Islamic clerics and representatives of moderate political forces in order to support regional democratization.

Download or read book US Iran Relations written by Flynt Leverett and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The US-Iran relationship is one of the most important variables affecting the strategic environment for the Arabian Gulf region. Since the war to unseat Saddam Hussein, policy toward Iran has risen rapidly to a prominent place on America’s foreign policy agenda. On the Iranian side, the question of the Islamic Republic’s relations with the United States has become the most important foreign policy issue for Tehran and a central issue in Iran’s internal political drama. The status and future course of US–Iran relations are also very much on the minds of people in the Arab states of the Gulf region. For all of these reasons, it is timely indeed to consider the factors shaping this very important bilateral relationship.

Download or read book Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World written by Lynn V. Foster and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2005 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive and accessible reference explores the greatest and most mysterious of civilizations, hailed for its contributions to science, mathematics, and technology. Each chapter is supplemented by an extensive bibliography as well as photos, original line drawings, and maps.

Download or read book South Asia s Weak States written by T. V. Paul and published by Stanford University Press. This book was released on 2010-08-09 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: South Asia, which consists of eight states of different sizes and capabilities, is characterized by high levels of insecurity at the inter-state, intra-state, and human level: insecurity that is manifest in both traditional and non-traditional security problems—especially transnational terrorism fuelled by militant religious ideologies. To explain what has caused and contributed to the perpetual insecurity and human suffering in the region, this book engages scholars of international relations, comparative politics, historical sociology, and economic development, among others, to reveal and analyze the key underlying and proximate drivers. It argues that the problems are driven largely by two critical variables: the presence of weak states and weak cooperative interstate norms. Based on this analysis and the conclusions drawn, the book recommends specific policies for making the region secure and for developing the long lasting inter- and intra-state cooperative mechanisms necessary for the perpetuation of that security.

Download or read book Meeting Iran s Nuclear Challenge written by Gary Samore and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2005-03-14 with total page 13 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although Iran's secret nuclear fuel cycle program began as early as 1985, the full extent of the program was not publicly disclosed until 2002, when details were released of two previously undeclared nuclear facilities. In 2003, Iran, fearing that the US could turn its attention to regime change in Tehran, secretly approached Washington to negotiate an agreement on the nuclear issue. However, Tehran's overtures were spurned by the US, primarily due to evidence linking senior Al-Qaeda officials residing in Iran to a string of bombings in Saudi Arabia. The US proceeded to launch a campaign to convince the IAEA to adopt a resolution threatening to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for past violations of its IAEA safeguards agreement. To avoid referral to the Security Council, Iran reached an agreement with the EU-3 (the United Kingdom, France and Germany) in October 2003 to resolve its past safeguards violations, and accept more intrusive IAEA inspections. In return, the Europeans agreed to counter US efforts to refer Iran to the Security Council. However, by early 2004, as the American predicament in Iraq worsened, an emboldened Iran began to renege on the October 2003 agreement. The EU-3 responded by threatening to refer Iran to the UN Security Council. As a result, a new agreement was reached in November 2004, in which Iran agreed to restore the full suspension of its enrichment and reprocessing programs. In return, the EU-3 again agreed to block referral to the Security Council. Ultimately, a key factor in determining the success or failure of EU-3/Iran talks will be whether the US is prepared to endorse and support an agreement between them.