Israel, Iraq and the USA in Middle East Politics Analysis - Essay Example

? Israel, Iraq and the USA in Middle East Politics Analysis Lecturer Middle East Politics Analysis Among the many regions that have experienced numerous dynamics and events, the Middle East takes the lead. The constant revolution is multifaceted as varying issues are involved. One of the significant issues that make the Middle East to stand out is that the region is rich with vital natural resources and particularly fossil fuel. “These resources have influenced the dynamics, economic, political and social which took place in the region. Religious issues have also been a constant cause of conflict in these regions”.1 These problems of the region do not originate solely from the Middle East countries alone, as external interventions have contributed largely in the past and prevailing affairs in the region. These intervening outsiders do interject because of vested interest in the oil sources. Interventions of countries like the United States of America and Russia among others have led to the unending squabble and unrest in the region. In most cases, the intruders could easily set the Arabs up in arms as regions like in Israel had internal religious disparities between Christians and Arabs/Muslim.2 Focusing on middle East and the US relation, this paper will not only seek to unravel the relationship between these three countries, but will also deliberate on their contribution to the politics of the middle east. The Middle East has for a long time now suffered from Socio-economic and political problems. The problems in this region blossoms from the citizens of the region, as well as other countries. The interventions have both exacerbated uprisings, and led to loss of millions of lives in wars and unrest. Other than the resources that entice external countries, terrorist groups that thrive in the Middle East have attracted global attention as countries join hands in fighting terrorism. The mere mention of the word terrorist instills fear to any country or individual, as many countries have experienced terrorist attacks in the past. The relationship between Iraq, Israel and USA emanate from either of those connecting factors. Iraq Iraq has been for a long time pivotal in shaping of the Middle East politics. Other than the recently known invasion by the United States of America, Iraq has experienced decades of political and social economic issues. Baker, Shareen and Ismael3 demonstrates clearly and precisely the events of the American invasion in detail. They analytically reveal the causes of the invasion, the economic, social and political factors that are wrapped around the history of Iraq. The most empirical purpose or invasion of Iraq by the US militia emanated from the belief that Iraq was a terrorist country, a factor that led to the invasion in the attempts to wipe out terrorism completely both in Iraq and other targeted nations. All middle east countries that were suspected to condone the development of terrorist groups. This invasion, religious fanaticism and the long time conflicts with the neighbouring countries acted as pivotal determinant factors concerning the country’s political stature and its effects in the region.i Before and after the cold war, America and the Russian governments sought to control the oil and water sources in the Middle East. These resources became an issue of conflict in the region leading to numerous political upheavals. Since the times of imperialism, America had convinced Muslims to adopt secular methods of governance and legal systems in order for modernization to take place in the Middle East. Reforms to the former Sharia government and legal systems became a fundamental issue when the secular methods failed (Cleveland and Marti). These reforms led to lengthy political squabbles for many years to the present time. Israeli also played a major role in the politics of Iraq as its neighbor and the fact that Israel collaborated with the Americans in the Anti-Arab movements. This relationship connects the three countries in a fundamental way. Israel Israel has played a significant role in the political environment of the Middle East. Apparently, the political environment for Israel has permeated even on the top ranks of the Israeli defense forces.4 Israel sprouted in a hostile environment having fought numerous major wars in the past fifty years and straining forward to having an egalitarian system of governance, albeit there have been despotic regimes.5 Having that kind of political jurisdiction on the military forces have numerous implications the manner in which the defense forces are controlled. Israel is a country that is widely known for its upheaval and fight with the Islamist (Shiites) in Hezbollah and other parts of the Middle East.6 However, they continue to assert that the religious communities in the region shape the Middle East political landscape. The political decisions taken by the Israeli government have doubtlessly culminated to varied effects on its societies and the people of Lebanon East. With Israel having such serious political issues that are driven by religious disparities, the situation has its impact on the small children on both divides. Some Israeli children would wish for war to end while others wish that people of the other religious divide be annihilated or evicted from Israel. Such sentiments coming from young children only portray the rift between the Islamists and the Israelis.7 Israel has been allies of the US for long and the other side of Islamists having at one time been receiving backing from the Russian government against their opponents. The influence of the abroad allies for both sides would help them financially and supplied them with armor. The US would support their junior partners – Israelis-, while the Soviet Union helped the Islamists who were opposed to the secular citizens. The political dynamics between the nationalists and the traditionalists have geared towards constant upheavals in the Middle East. This is specifically amid the Israelis and Palestinians. Iraq used to support the Palestinian resistance with Israel, an issue that saw Iraq experiencing an attack by Israeli.8 The Iraq support for Palestinian Islamists created the hostile relationship with its neighbors Israel. The relationship between Israel, Iraq and the US is imperative in understanding the politics 9of the Middle East as it shines some light on the long and unending wars in the Middle East.9 The United States of America The United States of America have had n upper hand in the politics of the Middle East in many ways. The most empirical factor of US interest in the Middle East is the presence of terrorist threats by some organized groups like Al Qaeda from the region. The US government has in the past catapult sanctions on the Middle East countries that were allegedly incubating terrorist attack especially after the September 11th attack on America. The issue terrorism and the threat of nuclear attacks pushed America to invade some Middle Eastern countries. This escalated the hatred that Arabian the Middle East had against America and worsened the relationship. However, the US government has tried severally to set laws that would have given it an unfair advantage over the oil producing countries since the law would have given America a noon competitive thirty year contract. To the Middle East oil rich communities, the attempt was selfish and it bruised the relationship between them and the US. America on several occasions asked the Middle Eastern communities to unlock their economies to foreign investors In conclusion, Israel, Iraq and the US are three countries whose relationship have greatly affected the Middle Eastern politics in diverse ways. The sour relationship between some communities in the region has caused major political cataclysms in for many years now. An excellent example is the unending war between Islamists and Israelis. The Islamic uprising has also culminated to copious disputes between communities in the region. However, the problem have also extended to foreign communities who believe that the Middle East is directly relate to terrorist activities in the world today The American communities in particular are a lucid evidence of the status quo between some middle east countries and the rest of the world. The political scenery in the region is highly influenced by the religious extremities and the socio-economic issues. The three countries are a clear depiction of the multifaceted political environment.10 Bibliography Achcar, Gilbert, and Michel Warschawski. "The 33-Day War: Israel's War on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Its Consequences." (2007): 1-97. Baker, Raymond W., Shereen T. Ismael, and Tareq Y. Ismael. "Cultural Cleansing in Iraq: Why Museums Were Looted, Libraries Burned and Academics Murdered." (2010): 1-285. Cleveland, William L, and Marti Bunton. "Modern Middle estern History.” 1-24. Ellis, Deborah. "Three Wishes: Palestinian And Israeli Children Speak." (2004). http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo5/no4/book-livre-05-eng.asp (accessed March 12, 2013). Hitchens, Ralph. "Generals in the Cabinet Room: How the Military Shapes Israeli Policy." The Journal of Military History. 71. no. 4 (2007): 1321-1322. Hilleary, Cecily. "QUICKTAKE: What’s Really Stalling Middle East Peace?" Middle East Voices. (2013). http://middleeastvoices.voanews.com/2013/03/quicktake-whats-really-stalling-middle-east-peace-61000/?from=mevlister (accessed March 12, 2013). Keddie, Nikki R. "Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution." Middle East Quarterly. 11. no. 3 (2004): 389-405. Mednicoff, avid. "Middle Eastern Politics Two Years after the Uprisings: A Brief, Even Hopeful Overview." (2013). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-mednicoff/middle-eastern-politics- Peri, Yoram. "Generals in the Room: How the military shapes Israeli Policy." (2006): 3-251. Tripathi, Deepak . "My father was a freedom fighter. Gaza's untold story." Book Review. (2010). http://www.palestinechronicle.com/old/view_article_details.php?id=15744 (accessed March 12, 2013). Read More