June 21, The Iran Project - Political conflicts and military clashes in Middle East are fast approaching a breaking point and it seems the people of the region should expect a summer hotter than they anticipated.
The Middle East is close to an outburst. Having failed in finding a diplomatic resolution to the problems plaguing the region, some of the domestic and international players of the tumultuous Middle East have now resorted to waging new wars.
Saudi Arabia, main backer of regional warmongers
There is no doubt now that undemocratic regime of Saudi Arabia is the main sponsor of terrorism in the region, playing a far more prominent role in spreading terror than countries such as Qatar and Turkey. Western media have repeatedly reported Saudi Arabias support for terrorist groups.
These reports reveal that the support for terrorism goes beyond Saudis involvement in terrorist attacks and includes active governmental measures. The most prominent case is Osama bin Ladan, famous Saudi terrorist, who was involved in the largest terrorist attack in the history on 11/9 in the United States.
Religious schools and imams in European countries and the United States which are supported by Saudi Arabia have turned into the main hub of Wahhabi ideology and source of Takfiri terrorists.
Saudi Arabia is now formally involved in Yemen war, provides financial war for numerous terrorist groups in Syria, supports Bahrain government who is waging war against its own people and has recently been rattling its saber for its neighbor and former ally, Qatar after buying billions of dollars worth of weapons from Washington.
It seems that Saudi Arabia is preparing for a new war in the Middle East as accumulation of weapons and hostile policies inevitably lead to the eruption of violence.
White House and War in Syria
Under the leadership of President Barack Obama, Washington avoided outright involvement in Syria. Although not averse to military showdown, Obama did not directly engage in Syria. Donald Trump, however, is not only a new president but also the herald of a new and different era; Trumpism.
Although American military leaders are not willing to engage in Syria, or at least pretend to be, the White House is not disinclined to begin a war in Syria to increase its bargaining power at the upcoming negotiations for dividing Syria. Staffan de Mistura believes that the war will continue until these negotiations are held.
Trying to secure their foothold in Syria, the United States is directly supporting the Free Syrian Army, Al-Nusra Front and several other groups. The Free Syrian Army, however, aims to liberate the border with Iraq which might lead to their confrontation with the American forces, who have recently set up a mid-range artillery. Not very effective in case of conflict, the artillery is more of an indication for willingness to fight back.
Syria is on the verge of an outbreak and direct confrontation which would create an inferno in the already heated summer in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles: Preemptive or Provocative?
Irans missile attack against ISIS stronghold in Deir ez-Zor in Syria was covered by media across the world, which marked Irans first foreign attack during the past 30 years as well as the first deployment of ballistic missiles outside of its borders. Several missiles have been fired which seems to have left a deep psychological impact on resistance front and its enemies. Time can only reveal that whether the attack, which was carried out by the knowledge of Syria, Iraq, Russia and probably the United States, will prevent the region from a direct confrontation or add fuel to the ongoing arms race in the Middle East.
Persian Gulf, calm before the storm
The presence of warships of different countries in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman has recently increased. The US is conducting a joint naval drill with the Qatari forces, while Iranian navy is carrying out a military drill of its own with two Chinese warships and at the same time has dispatched warships to Oman; everything is poised, resting in a fragile balance. A balance that might break if the daily confrontation of American and Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz becomes more serious, but both sides seem reluctant to take that extra step.
Foreign players and Middle Eastern countries are well aware that in case of a clash, it must be contained as any pervasive conflict will escalate into another world war which would inflict heavy damages even on the winner side.