Regionalism as a Driving Force in World Politics

Regionalism as a driving force in world politics would go back to dawn of history. There were ambitious men who were feudal lord for a small land, and expand their land to a point that sun never sat. These ambitious men looked at the world from their own window like Napoleon, who would be a good candidate to exploring the idea of regionalism in Europe briefly. Napoleon rose to power, when France was going through French Revolution, and he was just an artillery officer. He made high reputation during war, and fortune lady (Machiavelli's concept) was on his side as he ascended to the throne of emperor of France. He too wanted to united Europe. However, the balance of power in Europe was not divided among other nations like England. Automatically, there were resistance forces against vision of Napoleon and ultimately fortune lady walked away from Napoleon as he descended from the throne of France. Napoleon was not sole dreamer of unity of Europe, World War I and World War II were visions of having one Europe. The above wars were rejected by European nations because there was no balance of power among heterogeneous European nations.

To amalgamate all European nations in one Europe was a good idea to avoid war with one another in order to have vibrant economy which was beneficial for all European nations. There was no more causality of human life and destruction of properties which were having detrimental impact on economy. There emerged idea of League of Nations to unify Europe. However, the League of Nations failed to fulfill the idealistic of peace for Europe. In 1945, the League of Nations vaporized from scene of politics as United Nations building erected in New York. It was a lofty idea to bring all different races, and languages in one place and asking them to collaborate with one another over issues which may have been 'fault line' as Samuel Huntington discussed in his book “The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order”. The United Nations Chapter 8 provided a window of opportunity for nations to form security alliances with one another. The United Nations did not provide a ground for nations to form economic or social alliances. It also did not prevent nations from forming economic or social alliances with one another. The primary objective of regional organizations are to promote peace security, and economic prosperity. The European Union, African Union, NAFTA, and ASEAN entities would be prime example how they promote economic growth at the same time it is an excellent source of reducing equation of war among nations. The economic growth can happen, when there is political stability among nations.

The European Union is an ideal model for other union like African Union and ASEAN to follow. However, there was a key issue of sharing power between states and the African Union ingredients and ASEAN key role players. The European Union is an independent body which is self-governing itself and does not rely on states. It has own legal, social, and economic jurisdictions. Thereby, the sovereignty of European nations diminished by the European Union. The African states would not share their political powers with NGOs or private sectors. There is partially culture tone into it. African nations have traditional views about concept of 'private property' which is different than European way of understanding private property. Moreover, there is a long tradition of political hierarchy within each state in Africa which can be understood by African nations. The Asian countries too have complex political hierarchy, and cannot follow European Union model. In Asia, there is a long tradition of following leaders, and there is less chance of becoming a leader. Thus, there would not be a window of opportunity to have judicial, social, economic jurisdiction for ASEAN key players which would undermine sovereignty of Asian nations. The aim of this paper is define the concept of regionalism and some key challenges that Turkey face to join European Union, examining key factors for the European Union as an ideal model for rest of the world, and discussing NATO and Shanghai Cooperation Organization as emerging source of conflict between East and West which is weakening the role of the United Nations on world politics.

This portion of the paper is defining the concept of regionalism and some key challenges that Turkey face to join European Union. The concept of regionalism may appear that when several nations are located side by side, they share certain common elements which would unified them; such as, political culture that they may have in common. Turkey has been trying to join European Union since 1959. The European Nations declined Turkey's application due to fault line. In 1915, Turkey massacred Armenians which has become a bad blood between Christian Europe and Turkey. Even, Attaturk (Atta father, Turk, Turk, Father of Turk) changed Arabic alphabet to English alphabet, as well as, established a secular state, and confronted Islamic religious clerics face to face so Turkey would be transformed from ruined of Ottoman empire in a new nation-state which deemed everyone as Turk, and everyone must forget their ethnic background. Plus, small territorial part of Turkey is in Europe. Still, Turkey cannot be part of European Union. The European nations are pointing their fingers at human rights violation of minority groups in Turkey. The chances for Turkey to join the European Union is slipping away as Turkey is walking away from secularism to an Islamic theology state. The European Union would not tolerate a religious state to participate in its union. Particularly, a Muslim state to be part of the union.

In 1955, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and England signed Baghdad Pact to prevent communism to spread in their nations. The US was behind the formation of the Baghdad Pact, but due to technical reason could not join the pact. In 1958, Abdul Karim staged a coup in Iraq, and became head of state of Iraq, and aligned Iraq's foreign policy with former Soviet Union. Subsequently, the members altered the name from Baghdad Pact to the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO). In 1965, there was a war between Pakistan and India. Pakistan requested for assistance from the CENTO members to confront Indian military force. However, the CENTO members did not provide assistance to Pakistan to confront Indian force. As a result, the dynamic of relationship between members became weaker. In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus which claimed to be part of Turkey and not Greece. Iran provided military equipments to Turkey. However, England withdraw its support to the CENTO. In 1979, revolution took place and His Majesty, King of Kings Mohammad Reza Pahlavi I left Iran, which caused the CENTO Pact to dissolve. It provided a window of opportunity for Russia to invade Afghanistan with vision of fulfilling Peter the Great's vision of capturing Persian Gulf, as well as, spreading communism to rest of the world. The CENTO pact illustrated how England did not share geographical location in the Middle East, and was able to join the pact due to their common ideology. It should not be forgotten that alliance among nations may carry an expiry date which is unspoken at the time of inauguration.

In 1967, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippine formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to developed strong economic ties by promoting regional security. This idea of mini-dragon nations to join to one another to determine their own destiny was important for the region. At the time, there was the US and China proxy war in Vietnam which was causing the region to be unrest, and it was causing potential investors to be reluctant to invest in mini-dragon nations. In 1975, the Vietnam war came to an end, and the US withdraw from Vietnam. In 1976, these mini-dragon nations began to see economic growth in the region until 1997-1998 economic melt down of the mini-dragon nations. The ASEAN like any other organization recognized its weakness, and regained its confidence among other developed nations. As of 2005, the ASEAN approved membership for Australia, and New Zealand (unlike Turkey that never will have a chance to join the EU). The ASEAN is able to maneuver itself through different venues and participate in global economy and it is moving out of regional organization to a global system.

This portion of the examining key factors for the European Union as an ideal model for rest of the world. The political culture of Europe is different than rest of the world. The layers of history in Europe would unit them as they experience Enlightenment movement, and two bloodiest wars that they shared with each other. In 1957, Treaty of Rome was creating European Community with a good intention of bringing European nations closer than ever. Eventually, it became European Union (EU). It had agendas on premise of Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as, Justice and Home Affairs. The ideas are always flexible and do not remain as is. As time passes by and current and past events would shape the EU. It is like a tree which has a body with many different branches as each branch would serve a purpose for overall well being of the tree. In 1974, the EU formed the European Council which was providing opportunities for head of states, as well as, governments to meet regularly to discuss the issues that matter for them to resolve their differences. Currently, the European Council may alter its electoral and jurisdiction format once the Lisbon Treaty is approved. There is European Commission which plays larger role than European Council. The European Commission plays role of law enforcer. There are times, when a state may fail to follow rules, the European Commission would issue warning to that state. The European Commission may take legal measure to take legal action against a state and resolving that dispute in the European Court of Justice. There is also need for a parliament as a body to govern Europe. There is the European Parliament which is base on electoral process and it has 785 members (MEPs), each member can remain in her/his office for duration of five years with an opportunity to renew her/his office term. The members of the parliament do not represent their own country but a political faction. Thus, this parliament is divided between socialist, Christian Democrat and extreme right factions. The European Court of Justice is the judicial, as well as, executive bodies of the Europe which has a responsibilities to interpret the law and execute the law in Europe. The EU is about economic growth, and it would essential to create a system which is reducing trade barres, and it is encouraging economic growth. The European Court of Justice would be able to legislate laws which is for common good. The European Nations take great pride in their social policy, and would take measure to reduce economic inequalities among European nations. It is clear for an outsider that European nations are sharing one common currency which is united different nations in Europe in one country.

As a result, the Europe Union was able to reduce political friction among European nations and economic growth was able to pull together these nations, and create one Europe.

This portion of the paper is discussing NATO and Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an emerging source of conflict between East and West which is weakening the role of the United Nations on world politics. It was after World War II, when the US and former Soviet Union formed balance of power on global scale. The US wanted to promote capitalist economic system around the world. The former Soviet Union also wanted to promote communist economic system around the world. There is only one world to rule by one ruler. The world was not enough for two opposing economic views. The US was providing assistance to European nations under Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) to promote the capitalist economic system as an ideal system for a nation. In 1949, the European nations decided to form a military alliance with one another with help of the US under treaty of NATO. The former Soviet Union too formed its military alliance under treaty of Warsaw Pact. In 1991, the communist economic system failed in Russia, and Russia disintegrated as a country, and Eastern European nations no longer followed Russia. Ultimately, the Warsaw Pact dissolved. The main objective of the NATO was to defend Western nations against aggression of former Soviet Union. Today, the NATO's role has become a global constable to promote peace, security, democracy, and liberties around the world. There are times that it appears it is assisting the United Nations article 51 to act in good faith to emancipate people from hands of destruction and tyrants. The NATO has Article 5 which is authorizing to use of force against aggressors. However, the NATO have indicated to be a useful military instrument for the US to confront states that the US seems undesirable. In 2003, the US made one unilateral decision in Iraq that Iraq had weapon of mass destruction and was supporting terrorism. Despite the fact that the Security Council rejected the US to use physical force against Iraq. The US ignored the Security Council's recommendation and confronted Iraq.

In 1994, The NATO formed Partnership for Peace (PFP) with twenty five countries in Central Europe and Central Asia, and in 1997, the NATO approved application for Poland and Czech Republic and Hungry. In 2004, the NATO admitted Croatia and Albania. However, Russia is not interested to join NATO.

In 1991, the former Soviet Union collapsed and there was a vacuum for three evil elements of eastern nations to become active, one terrorist, two extremist and last separatist. Naturally, Russia, China and other Central Asian countries formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This organization was able to promote peace, security, and economic development among eastern nations. However, the Western nations do not share same sentiment as their counter part and have accused the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as another form of Warsaw Pact. Since Russia, China and other members are not liberal, and there was on-going human rights violation in their countries. The West also can speak loudly, when Chinese government began to engage in Cyber-war with Canada. Therefore, the United Nations which is a body of universal value to resolve differences among nations. Regionalism is giving permission for nations to come together, and continue to have conflict with one another.

All in all, this paper had three main bodies, one it tried to define the concept of regionalism examining key factors for the European Union as an ideal model, and discussing NATO and Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a source of conflict between East and West which is weakening the UN role on world politics. Today, there are no prince or princess in kingdoms as their union would bring peace among nations. Now, it is regional union which is bring peace in the region. There is peace because of economic growth. China and Japan may not like each other issue of Island, but they need to work with other for sake of money. The West and East still have many issues to resolve.