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    Louise Fawcett - International Relations of The Middle East - Ebook-242-259

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    Eigarys

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    Middle East Security: Conflict and Securitization of Identities MARINA CALCULLI WITH MATTEO LEGRENZI Introduction 219 Security inthe Middle East concepts and practices 20 Securitization of identities 22 “Monarchs vs republics: the traditional structure of security in the Arab Middle East 223 ‘rab monarchies and republics after the uprisings 225 Srategic competition and the Sunni-Shiarift 226 ‘The narrative ofthe ‘Shia crescent’anditsimpact from 2003 to the aftermath ofthe 2011 uprisings 2 ‘Anewrivalry: proponents and opponents ofthe Muslim Brotherhood 23), Conclusion 23 Further reading 2 Questions 235 Notes 25 Overview This chapter explores the mechanisms and waysin which tateand non-state ators seek to shape the regional balance of power in the Middle East, especialy after the 2011 uprisings. Itsheds light on the ‘securtzation of identities’ and the production of security discourses through which rival replmes deliberately instigate hostlty and conflicts, which are cften accompanied by high levels of transnational socal, and polical moblizaton, a proxy to direct miliary confrontation The chapter pro- poses fresh understanding ofthe construction of identities and thelr role in inter- ational polite, moving beyond essential understandings of sectarianism. Instead, it treats the manipulation of sectarianism and other ideological tools of mobilza tion as sophisticated ways of balancing and/or expanding power Three main wends are taken into account: the long-standing rivalry between monarchies and repub- isthe opposition between Sunnis ané Shia; and the rift between proponents and ‘opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood. In considering the impact of both state nd on-state actors on Midle East secur, the chapter reveals how the distinction between these two types of actors often blurred, expecially when they cooperate ‘orcompete inthe traditionally domaine réserof states. MIDDLE EAST SecuRt CONFLICT AND SECURSTIZATION OF IDENTITIES Introduction ‘This chapter analyses security in the Middle East with a focus on the consequences of the Arab uprisings of 2010-11 on alliances and alignments in the region. Interstate dynamics remain crucial to understand the shifts inthe distribution of power as well as how and why Middle Bast states have engaged in conflicts, remained neutral or made peace (Walt 1987; Barnett 1998; Korany 20118), Yet, there is a need to encompass more transnational and in- trastate actors in the analysis of security threats, with regards to their unconventional nature and directionality (David 1991a; Salloukh and Brynen 2004; Ryan 2009) issuing new chal- lenges to prevailing security understandings. ‘he political consequences of the Arab uprisings have led to a reassessment of the as- sumptions framing Middle Bast security and the role of regional and international alliances. Moreover, the proliferation of violent non-state actors and especially their unprecedented ability to compete and/or cooperate with state-actors demands a reassessment of the ques- tion of Middle Bast security in all its multi-layered dimensions Building on existing literature the chapter argues that, in the wake of the popular uprisings that erupted across the region, the collapse of key long-standing regimes led to a reconstruction of the security status quo, However, at the interstate level there has not been a radical shift and redefinition of traditional alignments. On the contrary, ‘old latent rivalries have increased, whilst traditional alliances have strengthened. For instance, whilst old tensions between Syria and the Gulf States have erupted, the axis, ‘of Arab monarchies has been further empowered. The only outlier in this trend is the ‘Syria~Turkish relation, which has drastically deteriorated after 2011. Nonetheless, in- terstate wars do not characterize the contemporary Middle East, whereas intrastate! transnational conflicts and asymmetric warfare are now the markers of insecurity. Yet, in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings both interstate dynamics and asymmetric con- flicts are compounded by confessional/ethnic discourses that drive the creation of coali- tions or rivalries in the region. ‘Against this backdrop, it willbe argued that the securitization of sectarian identities—that is, the elaboration of a security discourse by state and non-state actors—is the main tool through which certain key regional players have either attempted to capitalize on domestic instability, resulting from popular upheavals, or to elaborate new defensive strategies end coalitions in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings. Indeed, state actors remain central to the understanding of Middle East security, whilst cooperation and competition between state and non-state actors—some of them increasingly autonomous—is a recent development (Calculli 2015). identify three main trends that define patterns of confict in the Middle East today. The first of these trends isa notable resurgence in the long-standing rivalry between monarchies, and republics (Kerr 1967; Derichs and Demmelhuber 2014), although the legacy of ths fric- tion has assumed a new paradigm in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings. The second is the Sunni-Shia confrontation, mainly reflecting a geopolitical rift opposing the Sunni monar- chy of Saudi Arabie and the Shia republic of Ian. The third isa rising antagonism against the ‘Maslim Brothersin the region, mainly orchestrated by Saudi Arabia, which hasled to violent ostracism towards Brotherhood-afiliated political actors. 219 MARINA CALCULLI WITH MATTEO LEGRENZI ‘Taken together, these three trends entail contradictory alignments: for instance, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are allied within the monarchical axis, but rivals in the support off ‘opposition to the Muslim Brothers. Yet, the strategic salience of Gulf Arab monarchies—in spite of inner disputes over power and prestige—has consolidated the strategic alliance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “This chapter is divided into three parts. The frst part assesses the concepts and practices of security in the Middle East, as approached in the existing literature, and as for what the ‘securitization of identities implies; the second partis devoted to understanding interstate interaction with respect to the antagonism between republics and monarchies in a histori- cal perspective, Finally, it discusses the securitization ofthe Sunni-Shia rift and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood as politcal force after 2011, which involves states and non-state actors alike. Security in the Middle East: concepts and practices ‘here isa burgeoning literature that addresses manifold aspects of security in the Middle East, especially its regional and international dimensions. For decedes, the link between scholarship in Middle Fast security and Western interests in the region has been apparent (Bilgin 2005: 2-3). This is entrenched in the very fact that Western powers, and espectally the United States, have exerted—and still exert—an unparalleled influence in the region. A ‘more critical stream of scholarship hes instead put forward new overarching approaches, shifting the attention onto regional ‘agency’ rather than external orchestration. Even as the United States has sought to limit its overall involvement, the security situation in the region {isnot conducive to such amove. Atthe seme time, the US has filed to recalibrate its strategy toward the Middle Bast (Gerges 2012). Moreover, the unprecedented prominence of ‘peo- ples power’ (Volpi and Stein 2015) in 2011 (see Chapter 15), as wel as the consequence of popular movements on regional security, show that the US has by and largelost its capability to impose a security order on the Middle East (Amar and Prashad 2013; Heydemann 2014). ‘Two main approaches can be distinguished inthe existing literature, One more traditional strand of the literature analyses primarily the role of states and how they respond to secu- rity threats by either creating alliances or waging war. A second and more recent approach focuses on the role and impact of non-state actors, particularly violent armed groups, and ‘unconventional threats to domestic and regional security as well as some instances of co- ‘operation and competition between state and non-state actors. These two approaches com- bined reflect various stages in the evolution ofthe Middle East system from the beginning of the post-colonial erato the aftermath ofthe Arab uprisings of 2010-11. Indeed, whilst newly

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