Since the beginning of this decade, we have had four wars that had a tremendous effect on the Middle East region. These were the Israeli-Palestinian war in 2000, the war against Afghanistan in 2001, the war against Iraq in 2003 and the present war against Lebanon. They all seemed to take us by surprise but they all fall into the category of well-planned and orchestrated wars.

These wars were against different states in the region for economic or strategic reasons and captured the attention of the entire world due to the enormous atrocities, extreme violence, massacres and apathy to human rights, demolition of infrastructure and loss of innocent lives involved.

All of these wars were instigated directly or indirectly by either the United States or Israel or both on false pretexts in order to advance US interests in the region and impose their influence or control on regional affairs. No matter what reasoning the Americans had promulgated, whether it was the dismantling of the WMD, regime-change, the eradication of “Axis of Evil”, annihilation of terrorist groups or the control of the Gulf oil reserves, the fact remains that the United States is determined, capable and stimulated to continue implementing its doctrine according to a devised agenda of spreading its Eurasian influence and leadership, unrivaled by any other parallel superpower or powers that are capable of deterrence.

In this endeavor, the United States has used its stronghold of military power on false pretense of implementing freedom, liberty and the spread of democracy. America has relied on its close ally, the United Kingdom, and others using sophisticated weaponry, strong air force and an advanced technology of satellites and information system that cannot be matched by any other power at present. It has used NATO forces whenever possible to minimize the burden on its military and eradicate any political attack that confronts it. All this has been made possible because the global environment suffers from an unequal balance of power that is distorting the international power equilibrium.

The US hostility and pre-emptive military strikes against the Middle East region have created a feeling of resentment worldwide. Some states in Europe, Asia and Latin America have demonstrated against such acts but could not change the US policies already planned and being implemented. The region, in particular, has suffered tremendously not only from the devastation and loss of human lives but more importantly from a feeling of helplessness, intolerance and insecurity. These recurring incidents have tested the entire region in a way that has never been faced before and has motivated it to act effectively and collectively in order to deter such incursions, secure their borders and protect their national security.

The usual regional tools that are made available for the Arab states in times of crisis are the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Organization of the Islamic Conference. All have proved to be too weak in crisis management and hesitant on security matters either because the US has managed to penetrate them through one or two states that usually stimulate the meetings with division and disagreement or because they cannot simply deal collectively with security issues.

On the international level, the United Nations, mainly the Security Council, is responsible for stopping clashes between member states and maintaining world peace and security.

However, it has been under the control of the United States for sometime now and seems to be paralyzed on security issues, especially in areas such as the Middle East.

Today, the Palestinians are under siege and suffering from frequent Israeli incursions into their territories and from frequent massacres of innocent lives. Iraq is under US occupation and at present in turmoil suffering from a civil war. The daily Iraqi death toll is around one hundred of innocent civilians. Afghanistan is still occupied by US and NATO troops and in resistance. Last but not least, Lebanon is suffering today from horrific hostility against its people, relentless bombardment of its infrastructure, murdering its innocent civilians and the killing of their children.

These wars do not seem to see the end of the horizon but are only the beginning. No matter what the people of the region do in demonstrations, uprisings or pressuring the international public opinion, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no peace or security in sight. Although the United States has not been successful in any of its attempts it does not seem to cease its hostility toward the region. Today, Iran and Syria are threatened. Syria is threatened because of its hostility toward Israel though Israel is still occupying the Golan Heights against UN Resolution 242. Iran is targeted because it has a nuclear program. America has also denounced its regime and has put it on the “Axis of Evil” list and is continuously threatening to attack it. The situation seems to be intolerable and endless; the cup seems to be half empty and not half full.

What the region needs is an urgent and fully integrated regional strategy that would be responsible for maintaining peace and security. The region needs to organize an entity or organization that would include all countries of the region in the Greater Middle East area including Russia and China based on cooperation and coordination on economic, security and strategic aspects with the purpose of acting as a balancing front to the Eurasian front. This should not be meant to be either anti-American or anti-European but rather should be well established in order to be a balancing and powerful front to the Eurasian front.

The US, EU and Japan have a well established and integrated Eurasian front that implements their political, economic, military and strategic goals exemplified in various organizations such as the G-8, OECD and NATO. These states have a wide-ranging network of research studies and think-tanks that offer their expertise, and strategies and enable them to make sound policies and decisions. They are not hesitant about their policies and remain focused on their goals.

Our region should not be hesitant or fearful of any cooperation with the Eastern countries because we share common goals. Our purpose should be focused on economic prosperity and growth in a peaceful environment and secured borders.

The time is of the essence to be determinant and decisive. We should be adamant in our goals to avoid another Iraq or another Lebanon. As long as the international system suffers from this hostile superpower, there will be neither peace nor security worldwide and the world will pass through several wars to come.

— Dr. Mariam Al-Oraifi is a Saudi academic. She holds a doctorate from Canberra University in Australia.