By Dr. Cemil Doğaç İpek
The Middle East is a region that has been characterized by various conflicts, ethnic and sectarian tensions in some periods of history. Oppressive governments and the ideologies imposed by these governments have played an important role in the prolonged chaos in the countries of the region such as Iraq and Syria. In this context, one of the main reasons for the chaos in Iraq and Syria is the ideology of Baathism. Baathism, a mixture of Arab nationalism and socialism, has been the cornerstone of the oppressive regimes in these countries.
The idea of Baathism was created in Damascus by Michel Wallach and Saladin Bitar. Both men were born in Damascus shortly before the start of World War I. (Sources give various dates between 1910 and 1912.) Eflak was an Orthodox Christian and Bitar a Sunni Muslim. Both studied at the Sorbonne, Eflak in history and Bitar in physics and mathematics. After completing their studies, they returned to Damascus in 1934 to teach and conceived the idea of Baathism.
Baathism emerged as a resistance movement against Western influence in the Arab world. However, over time, this ideology became a tool of totalitarian regimes and fueled social segregation. The Baathist regimes in Iraq and Syria suppressed the identities of different ethnic and religious groups in order to maintain their power. These groups became the targets of this repression, which eventually led to a larger social explosion.
The destruction of Baathism on social structures is one of the main causes of conflicts in the Middle East. While on the surface these regimes maintained a strong centralized authority, in reality they caused a deep alienation between different layers of society. In the long run, this alienation paved the way for the collapse of states and the descent of countries into chaos.
Saddam Hussein’s Iraq and the Assad family’s Syria are the most prominent examples of Baathist regimes. Both regimes implemented harsh and repressive policies that silenced the opposition and ignored ethnic and sectarian differences. However, these policies fed the resistance of repressed groups and led to the weakening of the regimes. Especially after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Iraq was plunged into a protracted civil war and sectarian conflicts intensified.
In Syria, despite the Assad regime’s attempts to contain the civil war that started in 2011, the country has rapidly turned into a regional and international conflict zone. The civil war in Syria has had devastating effects not only within the country but also on regional balances. The failure of the Baathist ideology has led to a wave of instability not only in these two countries but also in the entire Middle East.
The vacuum created by Baathism also paved the way for the rise of radical groups. In particular, terrorist organizations such as DAESH/ISIS and PKK/YPG gained strength in this chaotic environment and further destabilized the region. The collapse of Baathist regimes not only led to the disintegration of states, but this vacuum also led to the spread of radical ideologies and sparked new conflicts.
Foreign interventions in the region are also important in this regard. The US intervention in Iraq in violation of international law and the involvement of major powers in the civil war in Syria have further deepened the fragile structures in these countries. The interventions of external powers, although aimed at stabilizing the situation in the short term, have led to the emergence of larger regional conflicts in the long term.
The ideology of Baathism has profoundly affected the social and political structures in the Middle East. Baathism led to the establishment of repressive regimes in these countries and their gradual collapse. The failure of Baathism can be seen as one of the most important reasons not only for the chaos in Iraq and Syria, but also for the general instability in the region. Radical groups took advantage of this vacuum and gained power, further deepening the chaos in the Middle East. Therefore, the solution to the problems in the region lies in correctly analyzing the legacy of Baathism. The overthrow of Assad and thus the Baathist regime does not by itself mean that things will improve in Syria, at least at this stage. If the interim administration in Syria does not make the necessary moves, it could both deepen and widen the chaos in the country.
The British traveler Freya Stark wrote in 1928, and later published in 1942 under the title Letters from Syria, “I did not encounter a single sign of national feeling: It was all sects, hatred and religion”. A few days ago, when I asked a Turkmen Arafa I met in northern Aleppo what he thought about the future of Syria, he gave me the following answer: “Syria is like a smoker who lights one cigarette after another, the moment he finishes one chaos, he starts another.”
The Baathist legacy after French colonialism has been far more deadly than the colonial period. No one has so far been able to find a solution to the collapse of the Turkish Empire. Syria, the crippled child of Sykes-Picot, presents ambiguities and paradoxes from the very beginning. We do not have to try to solve them all at once, but we need to recognize them. When the Turkish Empire came to an end after nearly 400 years of holding the Levant and the Middle East together, the victorious powers tore it apart in a way that left many questions unanswered. It is important to analyze this well and draw the necessary lessons.
The state of chaos in Syria may continue for some time. There is no doubt that terrorist organizations such as PKK/YPG and DAESH in Syria are the children of this chaos. Therefore, the fight against terrorism and the establishment of order in the country should be prioritized. All elements, especially Turkmens, should be given a place in the administration. The support given to Syria by President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN and MHP Leader Dr. Devlet BAHÇELİ is very valuable. The Syrian Administration should make use of this support. Otherwise, it will not be a surprise that Syria will sail into new chaos.
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