SECTARIANISM AND CONFLICTS: SECURITY CHALLENGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND CHANGING THE BALANCE OF POWER

Abstract

Sectarianism has become a vague concept due to the confusion of the concept of sectarianism and absence of criteria, which led to our misunderstanding of it as a social and political phenomenon that led to a clear confusion between religious pluralism in the sense that the society includes a large religious diversity which is characterized by harmony and conflict.  In addition, the dominance of a religious group is based on traditions of power or on its main position for extraordinary benefits prohibited by law. Sectarianism rises in society and State, the first is related to the way the society operates and the second is the way the state operates, the most obvious example is represented by using religion in politics and consider the religious group in terms of a special interest group. Sectarianism does not apply to the use of clear religious practice in its principles and the heavenly value. The new balance of power in the Middle East has directly affected the US strategy in the Middle East with sectarianism and conflict. The numerous developments in the Middle East are associated with many political, security and economic problems. It has begun clearly when Russia intervened directly and effectively In the region, especially in Syria in an attempt to stabilize its influence and work to change the balance of power in the Middle East and reduce the role of the US and Western and regional powers. This study discusses all these issues.