Arms Race And Arms Control In The Middle East After World WarⅡ

The issues of arms race and arms control are important parts of the international relationships in the Middle East, which are closely related with the regional peace, stability, prosperity and blessedness of local people.Objectively speaking, the damage of arms race and the significance of arms control do not receive due attention and arms race are still going on after World Warâ…¡.Meanwhile, major wars triggered by escalating arms race broke out and arms control did not play well the role of curbing arms race in this region. Arms control should be further strengthened in future.Bounded by the Cold War, the Middle East arms race and arms control can be divided into two phases.During the Cold War, interfered by two powers of America and Soviet Union, the Middle East arms race became increasingly intense and ended and restarted in the way of wars.Affected by the impact of US-Soviet competition, arms control in this region looked rather feeble and powerless in this phase. After the Cold War, driven by its own interests, America gave more attention to the Middle East arms control and focused its attention on preventing the proliferation of mass destruction weapons.America achieved some successes, but its real interest was not in the conventional arms control,(except for anti-American countries, such as Syria, Iran, etc.),which led to increasingly fierce arms race in this region, especially the intense confrontations between the Gulf countries.This paper focuses on the following points:First, the development of arms race in the key areas, including Levant, the Gulf and Maghrib region; the impact of arms transfers, military industry development and mass destruction weapons on the Middle East arms race; Second, the root of arms race and its negative influence upon politics, economy, society and environment of related countries, region and the world.For example, arms race regularly interrupted the democratization progress of the Middle East countries; the trust absence between counties caused by arms race made the economic integration of this region far behind the other parts of the world;the valuable human and material resources occupied by arms race hindered the economic development and deserved welfare of local people. Additionally, authoritarian tendencies caused by arms race may seriously infract the human rights of local people. Third, the development, characteristics and the impacts of Middle East arms control upon this region; Levant, the Gulf and Maghrib region are cited as examples again. In this part, we also deal specifically with the conventional and unconventional arms control as well as the position of the states. Fourth, the defects and causes of arms control in the Middle East and its relationships between Middle East peace process and Middle East security.The paper includes the following main viewpoints:First, Middle East arms race is a substantial cause of regional instability, but it is neither the only factor nor the root of the problem. The instability of the region rooted in the complex ethnic and religious conflicts, etc. Without the solution of the problems, the arms race can not be eradicated. Only the peace process breakthroughs obtained, can we stop the arms race there. Second, arms control can not fundamentally curb the arms race, but it is indispensable because it can enhance the reliance as well as cooperation among states and lay foundations for the elimination of arms race and other contradictions in the Middle East. Third,supplementing with reliable means of check and implementation, we can establish specific mechanism for regional and sub-regional arms control in the Middle East and starting with the sub-region may well be a transitional approach when the regional arms control was hampered. Fourth, powers (especially the U.S.) must assume the responsibility for the Middle East security;as important participants in the Middle East arms race, the extraterritorial powers should also shoulder more responsibilities for the development of the Middle East arms race, strictly control arms transfers to the Middle East and reduce their regional affairs interventions.Fifth, it is essential for the Middle East countries to change their conceptions, learn to respect the interests and legitimate concerns of other countries; discard self-centered security conception, seeking security by force and military superiority, and try to coexist with neighboring countries and realize mutual security.After a general survey of Middle East arms race and arms control,we can conclude that some achievements have been made in Middle East arms control. Comparing with the long-term intense arms race, we can not call them successful practices, which both have something to do with the defect of arms control and the complex conflicts in the Middle East. However, as an important tool to maintain the Middle East peace, we still must give more attention and support to arms control in the future.Only in this way, can we create the conditions for the Middle East peace and development.