Contemporary conflicts and geopolitical interests

Faris Kasim

What is Geopolitics?Definition: politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors.

Description:Your geographical location in the world is responsible for political, economic and military relations with your neighbors, regional powers and the international system.

POWER GEOGRAPHY+

GEOPOLITICS IS:• Immensely complex – the more you research, the

more complex it becomes.

• Depends on politico-economic interestsEVERYBODY ACTS FOR THEIR OWN INTEREST!

• There is national and cultural memory – grievances are not forgotten

Recent ExampleUKRAINE!Nov. 2013: Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych, faced two choices: 1. Sign long-term, initially painful deal with EU to increase integration and trade, OR2. Take $15bn loan from Russia and move toward a "Eurasian Union", with Belarus,

Kazakhstan and Russia.

• Widespread protests, in Dec.2013. By Feb.2014 President fled to Russia.

• Russia sent soldiers in February 2014.

Why did they do it?

Russian business newspaper Kommersant estimates the costs of integrating Crimea into Russia is $30 billion over the next decade, i.e. $3 billion per year.BUT

Russia gets to control the area surrounding the Black Sea (nearly 3 times that of Crimea) - access to oil and gas reserves, BILLIONS of dollars!

Recent ExampleUKRAINE!The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – remnant of the Cold War

Afghanistan

1995 - 2001:

Taliban rule

1973 - 1979: Internal Strife

SOVIET UNION

1940 - 1979: Post-colonial dynamics

1979 - 1989: Afghan War(Russia vs. US)

Rise of Islamic radical groups

2001- 2005:

Reconstitutio

n

2005- 2011:

Surge operations

NATO forces

2011 - Present: Peace Deal;

NATO withdrawal

International AidSaudi Billionaire –

formation of Al Qaeda

International

Jihad

Massive refugees

Massive refugees

Middle EastIraq & Syria

IraqFrom 1980 - 1988: Iraq vs. Iran War (Cold War)1990 - 1991: First Iraq War1991 - 2003: Sanctions and grievances

2003 (March - May ): Second Iraq War2003 - 2008: Internal strife and state

collapse2008 - 2014: Insurgency and sectarian war

• April ’09: 1,200 killed• Oct ’13: 900 killed

2014 - Present: power vacuum; rise of Daesh (ISIS)

Minority Sunni in power; Majority Shia

Majority Shia

NATO led Sanctions & no-fly zonesU.S. led invasion to oust Saddam

SyriaFrom 1960 - 1980: Contentions with Lebanon and Israel 1980s: Supported Iran

against Iraq1991: Supported U.S. action against Iraq

2003: President Bush brandish Syria as one of the “axis of evil”2007: Good relations with U.S, Europe & Iraq

March 2011: Protests is Daraa, violent suppressionJuly 2011: Unrest in Homs, violent suppression2012 - 2013: Escalation of violence nationally, tensions with Turkey, Israel and global condemnationDec. 2013: State collapse; power vacuum; rise of Daesh

Prager University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-cUr2MYbh8

Conclusion - Food for ThoughtImmanuel Wallerstein: World-systems theory

Saul Cohen:• 21st is the Global Century, not the

American or Chinese.

• Complexity of the global system requires leadership of all major and regional powers to keep world peace.

• U.S. (+ EU) challenged to apply military & economic power to international affairs BUT recognize their limitations and responsibilities inherent in the exercise of power.

Each of the 45 black dots is a U.S. military base

Conclusion - Food for Thought

THANK YOU

Religious Extremism/Radicalization

• What is it?

• Islamic perspective about radical groups

• How pervasive is it?

• Causal Factors

• Religious understanding of radicalization

• The Solution

https://fariskasim.wordpress.com/2016/01/30/radicalization-of-muslims-brief-note-about-rising-extremism-in-muslims-especially-youth-and-causes-of-terrorim/