Military Expenses

I) Introduction and Research Question

The aim of this paper is to show the effects of regional instability and its dynamics in the Middle East from the perspective of security policies. First and foremost, I will explain the outcomes of regional instability by asking the question "what is the impact of regional instability on regional actors." The answer to this question requires a comparison of unstable and stable regions. In this case, I would like to compare Middle East to West Europe, former an unstable region and the latter a stable region. The causes of instability are conflict in the sense of national sovereignty, religion, ethnic, and territorial integrity. Middle East is having these types of conflict because its borders were drawn by major powers like England, USA, and France during the end of First World War. We know Middle East is very important for the economic stability of the world because of their abundant oil reserves. However, the current and potential future events cause unstable atmosphere for both of region and World.

There is no doubt that a conflict between two or more nations have an impact on other nations around them. Any interstate conflict makes other nations feel insecure and urges them to protect their national security. For example, some nations try to improve or rebuild their military basic needs and equipments through advanced technology. Other nations try to make alliances with each other to secure their national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The point here is, these nations having conflict or around conflict, have the same goal, i.e. preserving their national security.

The above-mentioned question is important because it takes place in real politics. The current position of world is showing many conflicts in different regions and some of these conflicts are ongoing for many years by affecting the stability of the regions where they occurred. For example, Middle East is one such region, which has a lot of,

inter -region conflicts such as Iran- Iraq, Syria- Turkey, Palestinian-Israel and Israel-Syria. Each of them has different reasons for conflict with each other but the overall outcome is they are affecting the regional stability. Another region reiterating the importance of my question would be Central Asia, where there are ongoing conflicts between Azerbaijan and Armenia about Karadag and between Russian- Cechenians about national identity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

It is important to note that definition of security requirements varies widely and is an ongoing process. However, it is true that security is a primary concern of all states for the continuity of the government, national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Furthermore, national security provides to the nations economic, military and political cooperation with each other without feeling any threat, which would eliminate the instability of region and that would also bring regional security.

Trust is one way of ensuring regional stability and security. However, on the other hand, security dilemma based on the uncertainty that decision makers can face in trying to determine each other's intention produces fear in both parties that the other wishes to harm them. Moreover, both sides fail to realize their predicament. They are unaware that they themselves are generating feelings of insecurity in the other. (Paul Roe, p.184). Importantly, this suggests that the parties involved could both be secure only if they could come to see the nature of the situation they are in. In the Middle East, the regional actors do not trust each other. Therefore, they spend more on defense to rebuild their military over again and again. For that reason and as Nick Wheeler and Ken Booth emphasized, security dilemma exists when "the military preparations of one state create an irresolvable uncertainty in the mind of another as to whether those preparations are for defensive purposes only (to enhance its security), or whether they are offensive purposes (to weaken another's security)." (Wheeler - Booth, p.30). States usually try to increase their security by building- up their arms and ammunitions. However, most arms and ammunitions can be used for defensive purposes and also for offensive purposes as well. For example, a tank can just as easily be used to attack a neighbor's territory, as it can be to defend one's own.

Actually, as a region, Middle East is a product of Western Colonialism and Imperialism. It also has political concept in its origin that reflects the strategic interest of inside and outside powers. It is contented that the relationship among the countries is anarchical, but the politics, economics, and destiny of the Middle East region are dictated by bigger forces such as USA, France, and England and decided at a higher level, outside its narrow and inconsequential confines. (Fawaz A Gerges, 211) Hence, first we have to be clear what kind of relationship exists between regional actors and global superpowers, to understand if the behavior and reactions of the regional actors are aggressive or not. However, the main purpose of this research is the regional instability instead of analyzing such type of relation.

II) Definitions, Literature and Hypothesis

My hypothesis is "the more the regional actors have conflict, the more