F or two centuries, the Western states have occupied the Middle East. The first century was composed of actual military occupations, while struggles for independence marked the second century. At the end, all countries of the Middle East earned their independence with a national flag and a membership of the United Nations. Yet, few of them have the capacity to defend themselves against new military occupations.
In this century, the Western states place importance on two issues. First of all, taking into consideration the demographic (ethnic-religious) structure of all countries of the Middle East, which were founded on lands divided strategically, the Western powers acquired the capacity to ignite war in any place and at any time. Secondly, the Western powers target directly Islam lest the countries of the region recover through the uniting Islamic values.
The regional competition between Iran and the Saudi Arabia locked the two countries in a fierce animosity. While the former aims at dominating the region through its Shiite state doctrine, the latter challenges the regional aspirations of Iran through the Wahhabi idealism. The game-making political strategy of the Western states turned this fierce competition into a full-fledged enmity.
One of the tragic consequences of the enmity between the two leading powers of the region is the ongoing suffering of the people in Yemen. In fact, the Saudi Arabia has never assisted Yemen, its southern neighbor. Instead of bribing the Western powers in each decade, Saudi Arabia must have invested in Yemen. The Saudis must have aimed at constituting their political influence in their neighboring country through actual economic aids thanks to which Zeydis, the followers of Sunnah, would have not taken shelter in Iran.
As of today, the United States sold a massive arsenal to the Saudis. If the fierce competition between Iran and the Saudi Arabia soothed, the U.S. could have not convinced the Saudis for signing such extremely extravagant arms contracts.
Due to the murderous Daesh, which is itself a Western innovation, Iraq lost the status of an independent and sovereign state. When the U.S. and the PKK have settled in Syria, Iran called in Russia for the survival of the Syrian regime. In the end, Syria has become the center of international competition and military bases.
Libya, on the other hand, is currently divided into two countries. Grasping its global role, Daesh has rapidly moved into Libya, although the government in Tobruk gives no respite to that terrorist organization.
One of the crucial developments in the region is the new air of friendship formed between Iraq and Turkey. After the military occupation of the U.S., Iraq is now under the political influence of Iran. Defending the independence of their country, many Iraqi people understand the Iranian influence as a second occupation. Despite the unfavorable conditions in the country, the Iraqi state naturally aims at acquiring full independence.
In fact, the countries of region must pursue a win-win strategy, instead of a zero-sum game in their mutual relations. For instance, the historical competition between Iran and Turkey must conclude with mutually beneficial relations, instead of a destructive rivalry that would resemble the current enmity between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
While the Western states instigate the regional conflicts in Islamic countries, any conflict between two Muslim countries rapidly turns into an international competition. The ongoing Syrian civil war underlines the fact that the countries of the region must not follow the destructive aspirations of the Western powers, which never have beneficial dreams for the Middle East.