Mehran
Kamrava’s “Multipolarity and Instability in the Middle East” is an article that
seeks to address the events taking place in the Middle East. Published for the
Foreign Policy Research Institute, this article is relevant because of the way
that it provides an interesting perspective concerning the Middle East. It
considers the manner through which the Arab uprisings brought about an
environment of instability because of the considerable involvement of both
outside and regional powers in countries such as Egypt, Libya, Syria, and
Yemen, and the way that these powers have essentially changed the balance of
power from one of stability to one of uncertainty.
One
of the most important observations that are made within the article is that
there has been a rapid shift in the way that the Middle East politics are
conducted since the involvement of outside powers. This is because while
previously, the United States was the leading power in the region, having
considerable influence over most of its governments, the same cannot be said of
the post-Arab uprising period. The role of arbitrator has essentially been
flipped due to the “declining role of the United States as an off- or onshore balancer”[1]
and the increasing involvement of powers such as Russia and Turkey in regional
affairs. Despite the continued military presence of the United States and the
UK in the region, it is important to note that there have been significant
changes in the Middle East as seen through the way that powers such as Russia
and China have also become involved. Russia, for example, has become more
involved in the region, essentially becoming one of its most prominent power
brokers, as seen in the case of Syria, where, alongside Iran and Hezbollah, it
has been able to ensure that the government of President Bashar Assad remains
in power. Moreover, China has taken on a more prominent role in the region
economically; upstaging the role that has been played by the United States for
decades. It is also noteworthy that the article looks into the way that the
United States has moved away from its traditional role in the region, based on
a “pragmatic realism by American policymakers in dealing with the Middle East”[2]
since the disastrous invasion of Iraq during the Bush administration that
brought about a decline in trust in the United States as a regional arbiter.
This article therefore presents an interpretation of events that have led to
multipolarity has become more prominent in the region and the way that it has
affected the events currently taking place within it.
The
way that Kamrava handles the issues addressed in the article is highly
competent because it is an accurate description of the events that are
currently taking place in the Middle East. The multipolarity in the region is
one of the biggest developments of the 21st century because it shows
the manner through which the decline of the United States as a global power has
taken place since the disastrous Iraq invasion. It is also important to
consider that Kamrava considers the way that other nations such as Russia and
China are increasingly challenging American dominance. American involvement in
Syria would previously have gone unchallenged but because of the way that it
handled the Iraq affair, other powers came to recognize its vulnerability.
Thus, because of Russian efforts, the Syrian government has not only survived,
but also managed to recapture large swathes of territory that were previously
held by Western-backed rebels. The author also considers the way that the war
in Syria has also led to unforeseen circumstances, such as the rise in
incidents of terrorism across the region and its export to other parts of the
world. One would agree with the latter stance because it shows the way that the
author seeks to emphasize the new multipolar outlook of the Middle East as it
unfolds. The importance of these circumstances cannot be underestimated because
it provides for a bigger picture of the way that events are taking place in the
region. There is also a consideration of the way that the handling of the Arab
uprisings by Western powers such as the United States, France, and the UK in
such countries as Libya, resulted in the disastrous events that continue to take
place in the country. However, despite this being the case, it is pertinent to
note that Kamrava does not address the refugee crisis that emerged in the
region following the attempts to overthrow the Syrian government.
This
article is very satisfactory when it comes to the way that it has addressed its
thesis. Its consideration of the changes that have taken place in the Middle
East and their impact is important because it shows the way that new players
such as Turkey and Iran, as well as Russia and China have come to take on a
more prominent role in the region from political, military, and economic
perspectives. Finally, it allows for a contemplation of the reasons behind the
decline of the United States’ role in the Middle East.
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