CIAO DATE: 09/2013
August 2013
Danish Institute for International Studies
The Middle East regional security order is under rapid transformation. The Arab Uprisings and the Syrian War are changing not only the relationship between state and societies, but also some of the region’s core norms and historical divisions. This report analyses key changes in regional security order the Middle East in the period after 2010. It identifies five key issues where regional order is changing: State-society relations Relations with the West and foreign policy posturing The impact of the Iran-Syria –Hezbollah Axis (the Resistance Front) and radical-moderate divide The Sunni-Shia rift and the rise of identity politics The Saudi-Qatar rivaling, and the role of the Muslim Brotherhood The report concludes that the Middle East security order has not been as unstable and conflict-ridden since the 1950s-early 60s, where revolutionary ideologies, interventionism and wars equally were marking the region. To the extent that the Syrian war is allowed to carry on, this will continue to damage many of the positive developments originally unleashed by the Arab Uprisings and more robust and unified Western action may therefore called for.
Resource link: Ambiguous endings: Middle East regional security in the wake of the Arab Uprisings and the Syrian civil war [PDF] - 180K