War and State Building in the Middle East

War and State Building in the Middle East PDF Author: Rolf Schwarz
Publisher: Governance and International R
ISBN: 9780813044743
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
"This comparative volume explores the dramatic pathways of political development undertaken by rentier regimes in the Arab world. Here, waging war proved to weaken rather than strengthen state capacity in pernicious ways--an insight that contrasts sharply with received Western wisdom about war being the crucible of modern state building."--Sean L. Yom, Temple University "An important contribution to the literature on state building in the Middle East."--Gawdat Bahgat, author of Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East War and State Building in the Middle East addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the authoritarian-regime governments commonly found in the Middle East, particularly among oil-rich countries. In this region, war has interacted with processes of state making in ways that fundamentally differ from the European experience. In short, unlike in Europe, wars do not make states in the Middle East; they destroy them. According to economic theory, most oil-rich countries are rentier states; that is, they rely upon the extraction of a natural resource to generate revenue and authority for the central government. As a result, there is little reliance upon domestic taxation and a general lack of political accountability and transparency. By examining how such governments wage war, Rolf Schwarz turns the prevailing wisdom of modern state building on its head. He closely analyzes the real-world experiences of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Iraq to show how rentierism leads to internal weaknesses when it comes to governing. His comparative approach allows him to demonstrate how varying levels of reliance upon external resource rents are reflected in the structure of the regime. By highlighting the perils of funding wars through the sale of natural resources, fighting with imported weaponry, and accepting peace settlements negotiated and guaranteed by foreign powers, Schwarz offers provocative insights into post-conflict peace building, state failure, and the potential for democratic rule in the region. Rolf Schwarz is professor at the NATO Defense College in Rome.

War and State Building in the Middle East

War and State Building in the Middle East PDF Author: Rolf Schwarz
Publisher: Governance and International R
ISBN: 9780813044743
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 172

Get Book Here

Book Description
"This comparative volume explores the dramatic pathways of political development undertaken by rentier regimes in the Arab world. Here, waging war proved to weaken rather than strengthen state capacity in pernicious ways--an insight that contrasts sharply with received Western wisdom about war being the crucible of modern state building."--Sean L. Yom, Temple University "An important contribution to the literature on state building in the Middle East."--Gawdat Bahgat, author of Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East War and State Building in the Middle East addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the authoritarian-regime governments commonly found in the Middle East, particularly among oil-rich countries. In this region, war has interacted with processes of state making in ways that fundamentally differ from the European experience. In short, unlike in Europe, wars do not make states in the Middle East; they destroy them. According to economic theory, most oil-rich countries are rentier states; that is, they rely upon the extraction of a natural resource to generate revenue and authority for the central government. As a result, there is little reliance upon domestic taxation and a general lack of political accountability and transparency. By examining how such governments wage war, Rolf Schwarz turns the prevailing wisdom of modern state building on its head. He closely analyzes the real-world experiences of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Iraq to show how rentierism leads to internal weaknesses when it comes to governing. His comparative approach allows him to demonstrate how varying levels of reliance upon external resource rents are reflected in the structure of the regime. By highlighting the perils of funding wars through the sale of natural resources, fighting with imported weaponry, and accepting peace settlements negotiated and guaranteed by foreign powers, Schwarz offers provocative insights into post-conflict peace building, state failure, and the potential for democratic rule in the region. Rolf Schwarz is professor at the NATO Defense College in Rome.

Strengthening Maritime Security Through Cooperation

Strengthening Maritime Security Through Cooperation PDF Author: I. Chapsos
Publisher: IOS Press
ISBN: 1614995362
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 93

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Book Description
Seventy percent of our planet is covered by water, and even in today's world of instant communication the global community is still heavily reliant on sea-based transport. The maritime domain has always been one of NATO's key strengths, but concerns about maritime security have taken on renewed importance in recent years, and NATO has been forced to re-examine some of its fundamental assumptions about the post Cold War security environment. This book shares some of the research, debates and findings from a NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW); Building Trust to Enhance Maritime Security, held in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2014. The chapters in the book deal extensively with lessons learned by NATO from a wide range of policies, operations and situations. This maritime experience has been amassed from the Atlantic and Mediterranean to the Baltic and the Black Sea, and even into the Indian Ocean, as well as from the four decades spent defending NATO allies on the high seas during the Cold War. The single most profound lesson learned over the years has concerned the importance of efficient coordination. Structures and mechanisms have been created, not least in recent counter piracy operations, which enable a vast array of actors to work together in an efficient way, and which could prove invaluable in future efforts to counter terrorism and aggression worldwide. The safety of the maritime domain is essential to the freedom and security of all nations, and this book will be of interest to all those whose work involves maintaining that freedom and security.

Security Challenges in the Mediterranean Region

Security Challenges in the Mediterranean Region PDF Author: Roberto Aliboni
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 9780714646862
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
This book sets out to identify the challenges to western security emerging from the Mediterranean area.

The Future of NATO

The Future of NATO PDF Author: James M. Goldgeier
Publisher: Council on Foreign Relations
ISBN: 0876094671
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 45

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Book Description
A head of title: Council on Foreign Relations, International Institutions and Global Governance Program.

Dialogue with the Mediterranean

Dialogue with the Mediterranean PDF Author: Gareth Mark Winrow
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113557717X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 284

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Book Description
The first examination of the importance of NATO's Mediterranean Initiative for the security and stability of the Euro-Mediterranean area, this book discusses the challenges, risks, and possible threats to NATO member states which may stem from the southern and eastern Mediterranean.

Mediterranean Security

Mediterranean Security PDF Author: Rand Corporation
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Mediterranean Region
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Beyond NATO

Beyond NATO PDF Author: Michael E. O'Hanlon
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
ISBN: 0815732589
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
In this new Brookings Marshall Paper, Michael O'Hanlon argues that now is the time for Western nations to negotiate a new security architecture for neutral countries in eastern Europe to stabilize the region and reduce the risks of war with Russia. He believes NATO expansion has gone far enough. The core concept of this new security architecture would be one of permanent neutrality. The countries in question collectively make a broken-up arc, from Europe's far north to its south: Finland and Sweden; Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus; Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan; and finally Cyprus plus Serbia, as well as possibly several other Balkan states. Discussion on the new framework should begin within NATO, followed by deliberation with the neutral countries themselves, and then formal negotiations with Russia. The new security architecture would require that Russia, like NATO, commit to help uphold the security of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and other states in the region. Russia would have to withdraw its troops from those countries in a verifiable manner; after that, corresponding sanctions on Russia would be lifted. The neutral countries would retain their rights to participate in multilateral security operations on a scale comparable to what has been the case in the past, including even those operations that might be led by NATO. They could think of and describe themselves as Western states (or anything else, for that matter). If the European Union and they so wished in the future, they could join the EU. They would have complete sovereignty and self-determination in every sense of the word. But NATO would decide not to invite them into the alliance as members. Ideally, these nations would endorse and promote this concept themselves as a more practical way to ensure their security than the current situation or any other plausible alternative.

The Globalization of NATO

The Globalization of NATO PDF Author: Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
Publisher: SCB Distributors
ISBN: 0985335335
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 583

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Book Description
Spawned by the Cold War, NATO�s existence was justified by Soviet threats to Western Europe. That raison d�être is long gone with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Still NATO globalized relentlessly, moving from defensive to offensive under pretexts of humanitarianism, starting with Yugoslavia, then East Africa, Afghanistan, and most recently Libya, acting as an arm of the Pentagon. The danger to global equilibrium is a growing NATO being expanded further by American and British ambitions into a monster military force of world proportions, way beyond any Atlantic or European alliance. NATO expansion, intrusive military hardware, such as cyber technology/interference and the murderous capacity of drones is threatening North/South peace. The creeping NATO expansion into Asia, the attempt to surround Russia, China and others can only end badly for the billions of human beings involved. The recent mini-US occupation of Australia, the interference in the ASEAN countries by US arms dealers and naval forces, the menacing presence of US aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca should remind historians of just why the Japanese considered it necessary to attack Pearl Harbor to end the US naval strangle hold imposed upon them.NATO as it expands today is absolutely not what the world of struggling economies and deprived populations require. It is nothing, but a negative force. "I hope this book will be read by very, very many who can turn this morbid fascination with violence into constructive conflict resolution." �Johan GALTUNG, Professor Emeritus of Peace Studies and Sociology at the University of Oslo "Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya�s prolific writings give us a comprehensive understanding of the character of the military thrust and it�s all out, no holds barred STRATEGIC plans and moves to invade, occupy and plunder the resources of nations, inflict unprecedented barbaric acts on the civil populations. He is one the prescient thinkers and writers in contemporary times who deserves to be read and acted upon by people with a conscience and concern for humanity�s future".�VISHNU BHAGWAT, Admiral and Chief of the Naval Staff of India (1996-1998): Mumbai, India. "This book is a must read for those committed to reversing the tide of war and imperial conquest by the world�s foremost military machine". �MICHEL CHOSSUDOVSKY, Professor Emeritus

The EU and NATO

The EU and NATO PDF Author: Gustav Lindström
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789291988372
Category : European Union countries
Languages : en
Pages : 89

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Book Description


Turkey–West Relations

Turkey–West Relations PDF Author: Oya Dursun-Özkanca
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108488625
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 231

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Book Description
Explains the trajectory of Turkish foreign policy behavior vis-...-vis the West, identifying the major factors behind intra-alliance opposition.