LESSONS FOR MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES FROM WEST ASIA WAR-by N.S.Venkataraman
While Israel and Iran have been at logger heads for several years now, by and large , the Middle East countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, UAE , Saudi Arabia have kept themselves aloof and were not affected by the Israel Iran conflicts and war in any significant way , until the eruption of recent West Asia war . As Israel is fighting with Hezbollah and Hamaz , Labanon has been severely and adversely impacted by this conflict for several years. However, Middle East countries have largely remained peaceful , as they ensured that they would not be impacted by this conflict in any significant manner.
However, in the recent West Asia war , with USA entering what has until then been Israel Iran war and with USA taking the side of Israel and attacking Iran , West Asian countries have been thrown into the conflict zone much against their will. With USA using its base in Middle East countries such as in Qatar , UAE to attack Iran, the war caused serious issues for Middle East countries , as USA was using its base located in the Middle East countries to attack Iran and Iran attempted to attack the US base in Middle East countries. In the West Asia war, the damage that occurred to several infrastructure facilities in Middle East countries have been so severe , that it would take several months to recover back. Several refineries and petrochemical complex in countries like UAE, Qatar, have been damaged causing loss of production and huge financial loss.
Further, with Iran going to the extent of closing the shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz and USA, in turn , imposing blockade , the world trade got considerably paralysed and Middle East countries have suffered due to import export transportation issue considerably.
Now, the question is whether the Middle East countries have themselves been the cause for the problems that they face , as Middle East countries became a war zone. The fact is that Iran would not have attacked Middle East countries in its conflict with Israel, in the event of US military base not being located in the Middle East countries.
This has happened, since Middle East countries have permitted USA to have its military base in their countries. Obviously, when USA has the military base , it would certainly use the military base in the Middle East countries to attack any other region that USA want . Certainly, USA would not seek the permission of Middle East countries to use its base in their countries nor Middle East countries are in a position to prevent USA from using the base in their countries .
Obviously, the Middle East countries must have thought that USA having its base in their region would provide them defensive cover in the event of conflict or war. This assumption have proved to be a myth , and West Asia war has conclusively exposed this myth.
The West Asia war and consequent sufferings of Middle East countries have made many discerning observers to think that allowing US base in Middle East countries has become a self inflicted pain for the Middle East countries. Any country that seeks defensive cover from another country is bound to be at the mercy of the other country providing the defensive cover, which seem to be inevitable.
The West Asia war should prompt the Middle East countries to re examine their foreign policies and approach and they should work out some strategies to prevent the overseas country from having military presence on their soil, where the country having the military base inevitably would use the base in their own whimsical way, irrespective of the consequence to the region. This means that Middle East countries need to have their own military capability to defend themselves. It would be appropriate if Middle East countries put their heads together and create a common defensive force which would act only with the self interest of the Middle East countries alone in view.
The Middle East and West Asia encompass around 400 million people and have some of the world’s most important trade and energy corridors. United Middle East countries would be a win win situation for the Middle East countries as well as the world trade and economy.
The Middle East countries need to realise that cooperation between themselves by arriving at minimum common programme keeping the interest of all the countries in view is vital and immediately necessary, just as European Union has done. This should be the way forward for the Middle East countries..
The need to have a well coordinated and unified approach amongst the Middle East countries based on appropriate policy and programme is the right lesson that they should learn after this West Asian war.
Whether this suggestion would be far fetched and Utopian view is difficult to predict at this stage. Time alone will tell.
As preliminary agreement has been signed between USA and Iran, there would be unending debate around the world as to who gained in this war and who blinked first to arrive at peace settlement. Anyway, the unending debate , which can be of academic interest , have no relevance for Middle East countries, as they have been forced to suffer and have been definite loser due to the West Asia war and certainly not gainer.
