Political Development of the Middle East
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- Category: Politics: Political Science
- Date Submitted: 03/03/2010 04:02 PM
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Discuss critically the impact of the political process in the last six decades on the shape of the political development of the Middle East in the following situations:
a) the breakdown of what is described as the “focus system”, the reasons for the collapse, and the disappearance of viable leaders as Nasser and King Feisal of Saudi Arabia.
b) the geostrategic, geopolitical, economic and religious dimensions shaping the political development. Explain how “strategic assets” impact the politics of the areas.
You may conclude your essay by giving a macro vision of how you see the political future of the Middle East by keeping in mind the (a) and (b) sections of the question.
The foreign policy process had two constituents that played a key part: leadership and new pragmatism.
Leadership
There were many leaders during the time such as Khomeini, Ataturk in Turkey and King Hussein of Jordan. One of the most popular leaders of the time was the charming Gamal Abdel Nasser who had all the characteristics of a proper leader. He believed that the most important factor was to unify all the Arab states. The people of the Arab world loved him including those who weren’t in agreement with his ideals. Being popular and very close to the general population helped Nasser in being such a preferred and great leader. He had “an interest in the common man, expressed in terms of daily needs and concerns” (Andersen, et al., 2008, p.173). Nasser was the first to convey the message of Pan-Arabism making him the outspoken leader of this doctrine.
New Pragmatism
The objectives of the foreign policy process during Nasser’s time as leader were to free Palestine and bring together the Arab states. At that time those two objectives were considered to be long-term objectives. In this day and age, more objectives of the foreign policy process are short-term.
Pan-Arabism
This doctrine materialized in the 1880’s. Pan-Arabists saw themselves as one united nation. They...
a) the breakdown of what is described as the “focus system”, the reasons for the collapse, and the disappearance of viable leaders as Nasser and King Feisal of Saudi Arabia.
b) the geostrategic, geopolitical, economic and religious dimensions shaping the political development. Explain how “strategic assets” impact the politics of the areas.
You may conclude your essay by giving a macro vision of how you see the political future of the Middle East by keeping in mind the (a) and (b) sections of the question.
The foreign policy process had two constituents that played a key part: leadership and new pragmatism.
Leadership
There were many leaders during the time such as Khomeini, Ataturk in Turkey and King Hussein of Jordan. One of the most popular leaders of the time was the charming Gamal Abdel Nasser who had all the characteristics of a proper leader. He believed that the most important factor was to unify all the Arab states. The people of the Arab world loved him including those who weren’t in agreement with his ideals. Being popular and very close to the general population helped Nasser in being such a preferred and great leader. He had “an interest in the common man, expressed in terms of daily needs and concerns” (Andersen, et al., 2008, p.173). Nasser was the first to convey the message of Pan-Arabism making him the outspoken leader of this doctrine.
New Pragmatism
The objectives of the foreign policy process during Nasser’s time as leader were to free Palestine and bring together the Arab states. At that time those two objectives were considered to be long-term objectives. In this day and age, more objectives of the foreign policy process are short-term.
Pan-Arabism
This doctrine materialized in the 1880’s. Pan-Arabists saw themselves as one united nation. They...