SOVEREIGNTY AND STATEHOOD IN THE MIDDLE EAST – THE UNBEARABLE FRAGILITY OF BEING

Abstract

The impact of globalization, the emergence of transnational actors and the destruction of the states by internal conflicts and/or foreign interference have contributed to the weakening of their sovereignty. In the Middle East, states often face serious constraints on the part of regional and global powers. Their sovereignty is also being eroded under the pressure of numerous non-state actors. External forces (individual states and international organizations) have over the decades formed with varying degrees of success the political face of the Middle East with directly impacting on the structure of regional international relations. This influence was ambiguous. Despite the injustice of the colonial policy, and arbitrarily drawn borders, the partition of the Ottoman legacy was a step towards modernisation of traditional societies, the emergence of modern Middle Eastern States, which, however, were in genetic dependence on external players. The absence of great powers, able to form new regional system, was the result of a colonial policy and at the same time a factor in the preservation of the special role of external players in the Middle East. The problem of external intervention was closely connected with the attempt of new reading of the concept of sovereignty. This was preceded by the collapse of the bipolar system, which gave birth to the idea that all major threats to the world were eliminated. Interventions in the form of humanitarian intervention and R2P in Iraq and Libya led to the collapse of the former political system due to the lack of institutions, and contributed to the strengthening of non-system players, including terrorist groups.

Keywords

• sovereignty
• the westphalian system
• statehood
• conflicts
• interference
• nationalism
• institutions