IR Response Paper Outline

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IR Response Paper Outline

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ashleyg1177

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IR Response paper

-synthesize, analyze, and make an argument about something that links some or all of the
articles from a given week.
-Unpack a debate and assess the theoretical merits of each side;
-evaluate theoretical arguments in light of empirical evidence; compare different approaches to
a particular empirical question, critically analyze the logic.

Class notes
 US fears MENA due to seeing it for breeding ground og terrorist movements and IRAN
power
 US interest-anti-communism, oil and Israel/ ME policymaking/ regional tensions & revot
since 1970s that challenged US interest and their reaction/ Bush and Obama reactions
 Late 19th century-US began their intervention in MENA -MENA rather be ruled by US
then others-King Krane commission (‘wishes’ of MENA ppl)
 2nd WW- led to conflictions btw them and US focus on communism, oil and Israel
o Eliminate communism with military alliances (failed) and financial assistance
(failed for Lebanon)
o Siding with Israel -soviets side with Arabs and more upheavals and instability -
future US decisions in region contradictory -after soviet’s weak help Egypt
shifted to US for help with Arab-Israeli conflict
o Oil-Red line agreement-share proportionally the future oil, ARAMCO, OPEC
standardization, oil weaponization and boycotts,
o Israel-US support of Jewish state, increased military increased US interest, SU
annual aid packages “midwife” at the birth of Israel (362), Camp David Accords
and Oslo peace process
 Policymaking
o Argument-middle eastern policy is deciscely shaped by domestic US politics,
notably the presidents, state department, congress (research arm, lobbyists, aid to
Israel, think tanks), shift in party favor of Israel, think tanks, pro-Israel media,
o Israel lobbiest-AIPAC, links with critism of them being anti-semetic , J-street , oil
lobby (against Israel)and business lobby
 Confusing labeling-white house (talks about president), executive branch
(state department)
 Regional tensions
o 1979-peace treaty Egypt and Israel, Grand Mosque in Meccand KSA takeover,
Islamist revolution, Soviet invasion and Saddam Husein in Iraq, Militant political
Islam
o 1990s- Soviet union collapsed, Iraq invasion of Kuwait, Iraqi war, US dual
containment of Iraq and Iran, OSLO, terrorist arracks on US targets
 US response
o George w Bush-global war on terror, launched three wars (Afghanistan, Islamic
terrorism and Iraq
o Obama-initial interest in settling Palestine-Israel issue, Osama bin Laden, US
forces out of Iraq, war aagisnt Islamic extremism
o Arab spring-Obama hiding behind NATO supporting protesters in NA, Bahrain
criticism, Syria golden opportunity and trap (layed down red line warning Syria of
consequences of using chemical wepons)
 Interest in first world war took precedence, 15 years later policies ineffective

Europe in the ME
 Britain and France controlled MENA then US came in-turned into commercial
relationships, EU shift to focus on migration and soft power
 Evolution between two regions/ role of EU in resolving Arab Israeli conflict, European
response to Arab spring, regional instability and refugee crisis
 Era of focus-WW1 and collapse of Ottoman (1950s), EU imperialism in ME, Post-cold
war (1990s-2010) challenging US hard power with soft power, European involvement in
ME at end of 2010
 Theoretical approaches –imperialism, no-imperialism, post-colonialism (20th century
European predominance in ME, US hegemony and legacy of post-colonialism in
contemporary European relations w region
o Realism-cold war-European and Us coemption for client, resources, arms sells,
military force
o Author critiques realism and no-realist for assuming states are rational actors’
actin on their interest in global competition
o Critical theory: deconstruct European opinion on ME and counter-terrorism
policy and control migration
o European imperialism effected Europe
 Imperial erea-phase 1
 Imperial retreat-phase 2
 EU regional security-phase 3
 EU, Arab Spring, refugee crisis-phase 5

The war for regime change in Iraq

 Us invasion highlighted their assumption of US hegemonic domination were exaggerated
 Decrease of US connections and traditional friends (Israel, Jordan ,Egypt, GCC states)
and new assertiveness of Iran, Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah
 US invasion wanting to change regime -goal for Bursh

Key terms and empirical evidence

-new world order-euphuism for US hegemony
Greater Middle East Partnership Imitative-
Bush doctrine-307-right to attack to prevent terrorist outrages
Kyoto climate treaty-
BRIC phenomenon-307-newsly emerging power centers without looking at Tokyo or hard power
‘Eunuch’
Yeltsin years-307-
Clinton’s dual containment-in the Gulf constraining Iran as well as Iraq-308-
1991 Damascus Declaration-regional cased security approach eventually collapsed -308-
Smart sanctions
Democratic idealism
Neighboring Countries initiative -313
OIC-317

Difference between US and EU foreign policy in region

-USA-trump withdrawn from nuclear agreement with Iran, (withdraw from JCPOA)2018
-trump thought region was less important while EU saw it a essential to stay to obtain energy
supplies and stability
Obama-international sanctions
-EU-wanted to preserve nuclear deal in Iran,
focus on border externalization, protect borders, refugee crisis

Western intervene militarily in Libya but not Syria

-trump shifting policy saying IS was defeated
-less migration in Libya
-believed was straightforward struggle between haftar and ISalmist militas
-thought Syria as endless war –“we don’t fight endless wars”