Aqeel Ahmad

Introduction After the recent convulsions at social and political levels, the "Middle East" once again finds itself at the cusp of present uncertainties and future possibilities. The nomenclature "Middle East" has been a political expression rather than a geographical one; however, the discussion in this study relates to the region from the Indus to the Nile that is significant for its conflict-prone and energy-rich characteristics. It is still premature to completely assess the outcomes and impacts of the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings and upheavals on the emerging geostrategic outlook in the Middle Eastern arena. Nonetheless, two and a half years after the upsurge began, it is useful to tentatively delineate and scrutinize the region's unfolding maturations. Future developments can only be forecasted. By studying the upheavals and their possible repercussions on the geostrategic environment. Considering the significance of religious, strategic, po...

   WEST ASIA AND ARAB WORLD SINCE 1919 ( Assignment by Aqeel Ahmad) International Relations Table of Contents Why the Middle East is so important? Middle East Facts Sykes-Picot Agreement The Ottoman Empire in the Post-Tanzimat Period and World War I by Ellen Lust The decline of Ottoman Empire Why the Middle East is so important?                  The Middle East is the birthplace of three major religions and civilizations. It comprises many countries inhabited by various ethnic groups. The region is widely known for its rich Islamic culture vast reserves of crude oil other monarchs, ongoing constitutional reforms, conflicts, and other various reasons. The Middle East is a large and diverse transcontinental region spread across Northeastern Africa. And west of Asia Middle East is not a continent it is a term used to describe a geographical region. This term was originally used by the British India office in the mid-19th century. l...

  West Asia and the Arab world since 1919 I   Outline: 1          Middle East: Strategic importance, geography and history   Turkey: 2          Downfall of Ottoman Empire during WWI 3          Turkish war of independence 4          Mustafa Kemal reforms 5          Cyprus problem 6          Turkey and Pakistan   Egypt: 7          Egyptian Nationalism after WWI 8          Free officer’s movement, Coup d’état 9          Suez War 10        1967 Arab Israeli war 11        1973 Arab Israeli war 12 ...

 Review of the book. When Robert D. Kaplan talks, people listen. Kaplan has authored over a dozen books on subjects ranging from the conflicts of the Middle East to the wars of the Balkan Peninsula, and his uncanny ability to assess international trends has catapulted him onto Foreign Policy magazine’s list of the Top 100 Global Thinkers. In his latest book, Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific, he demonstrates that the Southeast Asian littoral may very well be the locus of the most important clashes of the twenty-first century. Kaplan’s talents as an author complement his insightful analyses; his prose is lucid, informative, and accessible. The book is an excellent tool for exploring multiple classroom topics ranging from nationalism, geography, and diplomacy to military affairs, interstate competition, economic development, and authoritarianism. Most undergraduates, as well as high school students in honors or advanced placement courses, should ha...

By Aqeel Ahmad Gichki and Adeel  Ahmed Gichki  First published on World Geostrategic Insight on 15/03/2022         Impractical threats from the US are undermining its hegemonic role.  The West Policies to counter Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine are putting the entire so-called liberal institutionalist and democratic world at risk.  The world’s attention was focused on the West, particularly the United States to see what type of punitive actions they would take as they claimed against Russia and what penalties Russia would suffer if it invaded Ukraine. Russia has now taken the action and begun a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Still, the world has not seen any concrete steps taken by the NATO countries to contain the Russian aggression. So, what do these incidents tell the scholars of International Relations (IR)? The situation is once again forcing to observe the world realistically. As  John J. Mearsheimer  says in ...

  Why does Pakistan need to focus on it security and deterrence? States live in an anarchical world where no higher authority exists. All states have to prosper through self-help to make sure they survive. Nuclear weapons, with potential lethality, can be used for balancing the potential destruction against rival states. Considering the security model, one can argue that Pakistan started its nuclear program for its security purposes. Nuclear weapons are the weapons of deterrence by creating fear in the mind of the adversary potentially preventing full-scale wars. Countries that build nuclear weapons, build these, to ensure their relative security and survival. Only nine countries have developed nuclear weapons (since South Africa dismantled its nuclear program). Kenneth Waltz, in his book  Theory of International Politics , argues that nuclear power states are concerned with maintaining their position within the international system. States work harder to increase their streng...