CONTEMPORARY MIDDLE EAST CRISIS: GEOPOLITICAL ASPECT
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Abstract
In this paper the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East is being viewed as a critical component of the more general deep crisis which has engulfed the region. U.S. military intervention in Iraq and the subsequent occupation of this country (2013–2011) as well as the Arab spring of 2010– 2011 provided an impetus for the crisis by launching painful and mostly destructive transformation processes in the region. The article deals with characteristics of the regional conflicts of “new generation” in the Middle East. The Syrian civil war occupies now, in all respects, a central place in the structure of regional conflicts overshadowing the Palestinian – Israeli conflict. Considerable attention was given to the analysis of significant shifts in the geopolitical balance of power in the Middle East among global actors as well as regional actors. Particular mention should be made of an enhanced role played by the regional powers and armed non – state actors in the geopolitical processes in the region. It is also worth noting that the regional actors become more and more active in exploiting the might of global actors to their advantage. As a result, the global actors become more vulnerable to the influence of their regional partners. The Middle East has turned into an arena of fierce rivalry among leading global and regional players for power and spheres of influence. The center of gravity of this rivalry has mostly shifted to the plane of local conflicts. One of the most alarming trends in the policies of global and regional actors is the common practice of violating generally recognized norms of international behavior. This is manifested, in particular, in their unprecedented interference in the local conflicts, often with the use of military power. At present, four competitive dyads – U.S. – Russia, U.S. – Iran, Israel – Iran, and Saudi Arabia – Iran – seem especially critical to shaping a new regional security balance. Against the background of a global crisis in the U.S. – Russian relations, the space for constructive interaction between the United States and Russia in the Middle East has drastically shrunk while their rivalry is becoming increasingly fierce. In recent years, the Sunni – Shia standoff, embodied in the confrontation between the Shia Iran and the Sunni Saudi Arabia, has been a determining factor of geopolitics in the Middle East. Many leading actors, including the U.S. and Russia, have been sucked into the vortex of this confrontation which makes it the most dangerous destabilizing factor in the region. Today, we can watch the collapse of the old regional order being replaced by anarchy and anti – order.
How to Cite
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armed non – state actors, balance of power in the region, conflict in Syria, confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, geopolitical crisis, global actors, Middle East, regional actors, regional conflicts, Sunni – Shia controversy, U.S. – Russian rivalry
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