Water as a Weapon of War in the Tigris-Euphrates Basin

What is it about?

The paper aims to present water as a weapon of war in the Tigris-Euphrates Basin, as well as the role and significance of water for a new architecture of global security. The main goal of the study is to find an answer to the research question of whether water the Tigris-Euphrates Basin will be still a tool for fighting or cooperation as an effective tool for facing strategic challenges. The research hypothesis is that the issue of challenges related to water in the Euphrates River basin will, first of all, follow the social and political-economic relations between Turkey, Iraq and Syria and external factors. The research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method. Moreover, this research is based on the neorealist theory of international relations, and the concept of international constellation analysis, as well as the theory of neo-institutionalism. Future anarchical global security architecture will lead to a hegemonic system of water relations. Therefore, without international coordination and far-reaching strategy in the face of the emerging anarchic global security structure, stable water cooperation in this region cannot be reached.

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Photo by Jonathan Cosens Photography on Unsplash

Photo by Jonathan Cosens Photography on Unsplash

Why is it important?

One of the biggest challenges for regional, as well as global security architecture, is a water scarcity in the Middle East. The dry climate of the Middle East and limited water sources pushes the states and non-states players there to compete for control over them. Tensions and conflicts over the resources of all major international rivers are continuing. Analysing the armed conflicts of recent years, it should be stated that what is more often used as a weapon is water and its infrastructure, including through its control, destruction, or water poisoning.