This thesis examines Turkish-Iranian rivalry over Iraq and Syria after the 2003 United States led invasion and the 2011 popular Arab uprisings. It examines the viability of Realism in explaining sectarian-laden regional disputes. It reviews the geopolitical and historical struggle between the Ottoman and Safavid dynasties in order to reveal contemporary relevance. It entertains different strands of Realist propositions, as they are unraveled in the current power struggle over Syria and Iraq. By focusing on contemporary foreign policy developments, this thesis reveals that the geopolitical considerations of both Turkey and Iran remain the most relevant to theoretical interpretations. This runs in contradiction to the proclaimed sectarian and identity-politics paradigms.
Harake, Jamilah A. M. Al(Lebanese American University, 2015-02-19)
Much of the media hype has portrayed the conflict in Syria as solely based on ideological and sectarian motivated calculations, specifically a Sunni-Shia conflict. The involvement of regional actors in Syria, mainly Saudi ...
Makdessi, Joelle Hanna(Lebanese American University, 2011-12-13)
Analysts predicted a shift in Syria‘s foreign and domestic politics after the death
of Hafiz el-Assad in 2000. Expectations were high that Bashar will initiate political,
social and economic reforms. These expectations ...
Moghrabi, Rana(Lebanese American University, 2011-11-18)
This study examines the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, focusing, in
particular, on Syria's position during that War. The thesis first
provides a discussion of the Iran-Iraq War, highlighting the history
of the conflict ...
