The Use of Arms Transfers and Arms Control to Enhance Security in the Middle East

Abstract

Abstract : The Middle East has experienced numerous wars and other conflicts over the past 50 years that have been caused by religious, geopolitical, social, and economic factors. Strategically located, it has served as an important trade route linking mankind's earliest civilizations. This region, also known as the Holy Land, was the birthplace for three of the world's major religions-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In turn Persia, Egypt, Rome, Byzantium, the Arabs, the Ottoman Empire, and the British Empire ruled the area for its strategic location and religious significance. By the Twentieth Century vast oil reserves discovered in the Middle East made this an economically important region for the industrialized world. The United States, Europe, and the Former Soviet Union all have attempted to influence this region to enhance security and gain economic benefits. Conventional arms transfers and conventional arms control are two ways that have been used to achieve these goals. This paper examines the relationship between arms control and arms transfers and evaluates their impact on security in the Middle East. It also examines economic benefits of arms transfers for supplier nations that include preserving the defense industrial base; reducing research, development, and production costs for weapon systems; and easing trade imbalances caused by oil purchases. Finally, some recommendations for the future of arms transfer and arms control are proposed.