Arab Geopolitics in Turmoil – Perceptions, Unknown and Policies 5

NATO Foundation Defense College The NDCF is a unique think-tank: international The Arab revolutions, together with the US-Iranian peace overtures and the Traditionally the Middle East is considered a by design and based in Rome, due to its associa- developments regarding Turkey Syria, Iraq and Yemen, have changed in a si- region so complex that it does not allow a cle- tion with the NATO Defense College. Its added gnificant way the strategic landscape of regional security even in countries ar political narrative on its political and strategic value lies in the objectives stated by its charter where no political upheaval was experienced. In fact these events have shown priorities: it is an explication but also an excuse and in its international network. the importance of pluralism and diversity in Arab societies and media and for short sighted crisis management and inac- that political establishments need to take into account the contribution of dif- tion. This conference, where the NATO Defen- The charter specifies that the NDCF works ferent political orientations. se College Foundation has brought together an with the Member States of the Atlantic Allian- exceptional array of regional practitioners in a ce, its partners and the countries that have some Revolutionary processes have quite ramified consequences that include also a very critical period of the region, has dispelled form of co-operation with NATO. Through the number of still unfathomable or partially appraisable factors that need to be this and other myths. Foundation the involvement of USA and Cana- considered in order to synergize national and regional responses. Firstly it has demonstrated that co-operation is da is more fluid than in other settings. possible in such a diverse and fragmented en- Therefore the conference was structured into four panels in two distinct and vironment because the different cultures and The Foundation was born five years ago and is intertwining sets: one on soft strategic factors and one on hard security. The components of the area have never ceased to rapidly expanding its highly specific and custo- first panel takes a look at non-state actors and disintegration risks. The se- reflect in a very critical way about the past and mer-tailored activities, achieving an increasingly cond tries to delineate different scenarios for the rise of viable politics within the present. Political short-term interests can be higher profile, also through activities dedicated the Arab region, while the third wants to gauge the scope of sensible partner- ARAB divergent, but there is a common understanding PERCEPTIONS, UNKNOWN AND POLICIES AND UNKNOWN PERCEPTIONS, to decision makers and their staffs. ships and co-operative security. The fourth panel concentrated its attention that has been accelerated by the jolt of the Arab on the interaction between regional hegemonic aspirations and the reconci- Revolutions: change is necessary, inevitable and Since it is a body with considerable freedom of liation among external powers that are intervening. GEOPOLITICS even manageable despite serious obstacles. action, transnational reach and cultural open- Secondly, cultural distinctions, often portrayed ness, the Foundation is developing a wider The conference successfully offered added-value input in order to analyse the as unsurmountable and unintelligible religious scientific and events programme. context of crucial new security developments in Arab countries which are di- gaps, have once more being revealed as ve- rectly relevant for the Alliance’s fundamental security and also for NATO’s IN TURMOIL ry concrete power and political differences. As programmes in the area. This approach was meant to be conducive to a bet- often since a century, war, in its different and ter understanding of some key factors which are relevant also for an in depth PERCEPTIONS, UNKNOWN AND POLICIES changing facets, has been deemed as the great assessment of NATO’s potential in terms of outreach and concrete initiatives problem-solver, and yet the conference procee- aimed at strengthening its co-operative security interaction with partners of dings show that there is a strong opportunity the Region. There is indeed a necessity to overcome short-term political and and advantage in pursuing negotiated solutions. diplomatic disarray with meaningful policies capable to guarantee the security Thirdly, all participants sensed that the age of the and sovereignty of all countries of the area. great, all-encompassing and almost never-en- ding interventions is over. All actors understand that the best contribution to regional stability is supporting endogenous and consensual change ARAB GEOPOLITICS IN TURMOIL IN GEOPOLITICS ARAB in a sensible way. NATO’s co-operative security can offer useful tools in a meaningful way to the entire region. 9 788861 402027 NATO Foundation Defense College The NDCF is a unique think-tank: international The Arab revolutions, together with the US-Iranian peace overtures and the Traditionally the Middle East is considered a by design and based in Rome, due to its associa- developments regarding Turkey Syria, Iraq and Yemen, have changed in a si- region so complex that it does not allow a cle- tion with the NATO Defense College. Its added gnificant way the strategic landscape of regional security even in countries ar political narrative on its political and strategic value lies in the objectives stated by its charter where no political upheaval was experienced. In fact these events have shown priorities: it is an explication but also an excuse and in its international network. the importance of pluralism and diversity in Arab societies and media and for short sighted crisis management and inac- that political establishments need to take into account the contribution of dif- tion. This conference, where the NATO Defen- The charter specifies that the NDCF works ferent political orientations. se College Foundation has brought together an with the Member States of the Atlantic Allian- exceptional array of regional practitioners in a ce, its partners and the countries that have some Revolutionary processes have quite ramified consequences that include also a very critical period of the region, has dispelled form of co-operation with NATO. Through the number of still unfathomable or partially appraisable factors that need to be this and other myths. Foundation the involvement of USA and Cana- considered in order to synergize national and regional responses. Firstly it has demonstrated that co-operation is da is more fluid than in other settings. possible in such a diverse and fragmented en- Therefore the conference was structured into four panels in two distinct and vironment because the different cultures and The Foundation was born five years ago and is intertwining sets: one on soft strategic factors and one on hard security. The components of the area have never ceased to rapidly expanding its highly specific and custo- first panel takes a look at non-state actors and disintegration risks. The se- reflect in a very critical way about the past and mer-tailored activities, achieving an increasingly cond tries to delineate different scenarios for the rise of viable politics within the present. Political short-term interests can be higher profile, also through activities dedicated the Arab region, while the third wants to gauge the scope of sensible partner- ARAB divergent, but there is a common understanding PERCEPTIONS, UNKNOWN AND POLICIES AND UNKNOWN PERCEPTIONS, to decision makers and their staffs. ships and co-operative security. The fourth panel concentrated its attention that has been accelerated by the jolt of the Arab on the interaction between regional hegemonic aspirations and the reconci- Revolutions: change is necessary, inevitable and Since it is a body with considerable freedom of liation among external powers that are intervening. GEOPOLITICS even manageable despite serious obstacles. action, transnational reach and cultural open- Secondly, cultural distinctions, often portrayed ness, the Foundation is developing a wider The conference successfully offered added-value input in order to analyse the as unsurmountable and unintelligible religious scientific and events programme. context of crucial new security developments in Arab countries which are di- gaps, have once more being revealed as ve- rectly relevant for the Alliance’s fundamental security and also for NATO’s IN TURMOIL ry concrete power and political differences. As programmes in the area. This approach was meant to be conducive to a bet- often since a century, war, in its different and ter understanding of some key factors which are relevant also for an in depth PERCEPTIONS, UNKNOWN AND POLICIES changing facets, has been deemed as the great assessment of NATO’s potential in terms of outreach and concrete initiatives problem-solver, and yet the conference procee- aimed at strengthening its co-operative security interaction with partners of dings show that there is a strong opportunity the Region. There is indeed a necessity to overcome short-term political and and advantage in pursuing negotiated solutions. diplomatic disarray with meaningful policies capable to guarantee the security Thirdly, all participants sensed that the age of the and sovereignty of all countries of the area. great, all-encompassing and almost never-en- ding interventions is over. All actors understand that the best contribution to regional stability is supporting endogenous and consensual change ARAB GEOPOLITICS

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