The Security Sector in the Arab World - Essay Example

The Security Sector in the Arab World Security sector in the Arab world is among the most important sectors within each of the countries within it because of the highly tense atmosphere that permeates this region. Each of the Arab countries has invested significant amounts of its resources in its security sector as it has been recognized for a long time that this region is one which has a potential for conflicts, especially when one considers its sectarian nature. The fact that most of the Arab countries have authoritarian regimes is a reason for these regimes to ensure that their security sectors are well advanced so that they can be able to deal swiftly with dissent from among their populations. Despite the heavy investment made in the security sector within the Arab world, it has been found that it is the cause of both stabilization as well as instability within the region that it occupies. As such, an analysis will have to be made concerning the role that the security sector has played, and continues to play, within the Arab world with reference to stability. The security forces of the various Arab countries have been involved in a diverse number of conflicts since they were formed, and as a result have been a cause of instability in the region. One will find that as long as the Lebanese conflict took place, security forces of the Arab countries that neighbor Lebanon contributed to its falling apart as each of them attempted to protect their own interests. It has been found that none of the countries that were involved in this conflict saw any reason for the peaceful solution of the Lebanese sectarian conflict, and instead they all supported their own sectarian factions within the country. For example, Syria gave its full support to Hezbollah and Alawite militia groups, while Libya and Egypt supported the various Sunni militias. All of the security forces of the Arab states involved in this conflict, wanted the sectarian factions that they supported to take over Lebanon so that it could be used as a base for attacking Israel in a war, which many of them believed, was inevitable (Haddad, 589). The loss of life among the native Lebanese population was massive, but this did not end the conflict as one would have expected, since the various security forces involved in the conflict were determined to make themselves dominant within Lebanon. Instead, this conflict became even worse, with each of the sectarian factions even more determined to establish its dominance all over the country. The security sector of the Arab world, therefore, had a direct hand in the causing of the Lebanese crisis since each of the countries involved attempted to use Lebanon to achieve its own ends. Among the reasons which have led to the influence of the security sector in the Arab world is the wealth that has been brought about by the oil boom in some of the countries in the region. The huge finances that have been gotten from the sale of oil have gone a long way in ensuring that the security forces of the oil rich countries are well equipped and paid so that they can easily deal with dissent from the population. The security forces as well as the oil wealth that backs their operations have enabled the rulers of most Arab countries to be less accountable to their people since they do not rely on them for the purpose of funding governmental activities, as they do not rely on taxes. The oil wealth, which some of these governments within the Arab world have control over, has tended to act as a means of their maintaining power because they have the funding needed not only to buy out the opposition, but also to maintain the loyalty of the security forces (Ghalioun, 129). In some cases, such as that in Bahrain, where the monarchy was almost overthrown, these repressive regimes have had the support of the security forces of their more powerful allies in maintaining their grip on power (Dalacoura, 75). In Bahrain, the demonstrations and government assaults that took place at the height of the Arab Spring have exacerbated tensions amongst Sunni and Shiite Muslims. The government of this state has attributed it to Shiite-inhabited Iran for the turmoil and summoned in militaries from Sunni-rich Saudi Arabia, hovering apprehensions across the whole Persian Gulf. While it is a fact that democracy in Bahrain has been stifled through Saudi intervention, the presence of the Saudi security forces has ensured that there is stability in the country since it has been able to provide a means for the quelling of the public unrest that was plaguing the Persian Gulf nation. The involvement of the various security forces in the Arab world in the affairs of their neighbors can be considered to be both a cause of stability as well as instability. This is because of the fact that while they initially go to these countries with the intention of protecting their interests as well as act as a stabilizing factor, there have been instances when they have ended up making things worse. An example of such a scenario was when the Syrian security forces came to be directly involved in the affairs of Lebanon in 1976 (Kessler, et al, 7). This took place mainly as a check to the growing power of the various Palestinian groups in the country, since the Syrian government felt that the Christian population had to be protected against them. As a result, the Syrian security forces came into the conflict on the side of the Maronite Christians against the radical Islamist and Palestinian groups, whom they had previously supported. At first glance, one would come to the conclusion that the Syrian security forces were taking sides in a conflict which was none of their concern, and that perhaps because of their involvement, they were making things worse. Such was not the case since the Syrian army got involved in the Lebanese conflict for the purpose of keeping peace between the conflicting groups, so that it could be better able to secure its interests in the country as well (Baroudi and Salamey, 399). The Syrian army caused significant damage to the various armed Palestinian groups in Lebanon but at a meeting of the Arab League, it was forced to call for a cessation of hostilities. While this was the case, it was realized that the Syrian security forces were a stabilizing force within Lebanon and as a result, they were given a mandate to form a deterrent force to ensure that all the sides of the Lebanese conflict maintained a ceasefire. The Syrian security forces seized the opportunity to further stabilize Lebanon during the Lebanese war of 1982, which drove the PLO out of the country. As a result of Israel being pressured into withdrawing, the Syrian security forces were able to consolidate their power in Lebanon and effectively come to dominate it, hence stabilizing the country which was previously mired in conflict (Jadallah, 163). In the current world, the security sector within the Arab world has come to be divided along sectarian lines, each believing that they are fighting for the survival of the respective sect that is dominant in their own country. This is because of the fact that the Arab Spring has come to divide the various Arab states along sectarian lines, which many of the security apparatus during the previous regimes had kept in check. The sectarian divisions that occur within the security sector are likely to ensure that there is no real democracy in the Arab world because each security force loyal to a particular sect or religious group will contend with its rival for power in any way that is deemed possible (McQuinn, 716). It is a possibility that that the security sector within the Arab countries affected by the Arab Spring might have an influence on who gets elected in a democratic process, and since leaders are likely to be chosen because of sectarian preferences, it is a fact that they will come from majority sects. In conclusion, it can be said that the security sector in the Arab world is among the most influential in almost all the aspects of life within this region. Its influence is seen not only in matters that are domestic but also economic and regional, so that the assumption can be made that the security sector within the Arab world has been designed for the purpose of ensuring lasting vigilance over local and neighboring populations. As a result, these security apparatus have come to attain an unprecedented level of experience as well as ability to navigate through the delicate political and economic scene that is prevalent in the Middle East, thus ensuring the complete dependence of the various Arab countries on them. The region’s potential for conflict is the main reason why the security sector within it is so heavily invested in because it is often believed that the ability of this sector is what will determine whether the Arab world will remain stable or unstable; whatever the case that arises. Works Cited Baroudi, Sami E., and Imad Salamey. "US-French Collaboration on Lebanon: How Syria's Role in Lebanon and the Middle East Contributed to a US-French Convergence." The Middle East Journal 65.3 (2011): 398-425. Dalacoura, Katerina. "The Arab Uprisings Two Years on: Ideology, Sectarianism and the Changing Balance of Power in the Middle East." Insight Turkey 15.1 (2013): 75-89. Haddad, Simon. "The Christians of Lebanon in the Context of a Syrian-Israeli Political Relations." The Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies 26.3 (2001): 589-624. Ghalioun, Burhan. "The Persistence of Arab Authoritarianism." Journal of Democracy 15.4 (2004): 126-32. Jadallah, Dina. "The Questionable Nature of Sovereignty In The Arab World." Arab Studies Quarterly 32.3 (2010): 163-70. Kessler, Martha Neff, et al. "Lebanon and Syria: Internal and Regional Dimensions." Middle East Policy 8.3 (2001): 1-22. McQuinn, Brian. "Assessing (in)Security After the Arab Spring: The Case of Libya." PS, Political Science & Politics 46.4 (2013): 716-20. 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