Middle East wars have spread all the way to villages. Now there are dominance wars continuing through villages. Sovereignties divided from nations into cities are starting to emerge. Cities that are invaded, battled over, saved and re-invaded. Kirkuk, Mosul, Tal Afar, Idlib. There are dozens of cities like this. This is a brand new situation. These are the signs of a political dominance crisis. We are now faced with political dominance wars that are carried on at the basis of cities. Are we making a return to city states?
In history, political dominance was first established in cities. The Greeks called it Polis, Muslims called it Madinah and the Latins Civita. Hence, the first political scientists in history presented their ideals on the basis of cities. Plato’s “Callipolisi” (State) and Farabi’s “Madinat’ul-Fadhila” (The Beginning of the Founding Principles of the Virtuous City), which was inspired by it. Farabi first wanted to establish a social order on the basis of the city. This is what he pursued at a time when empires collapsed and numerous regional states were alive. Farabi’s political theory also represents the late period search for city state. Hence, a while later, new empires will emerge. The Ottoman Empire will shine on Islamic territory. Dozens of societies, languages, ethnicities and sects will live under the umbrella of the dominance that will continue with the empires. The vastest experience of dominance in history will live with empires. It is the same in Islamic history. Our last empire was our last world order. Today, different styles of empires continue to exist. The Russian Federation, the United States of America are “modern empires” living under the conditions of our century. Hence, they are also the political actors of the world order. They are the “world orders” of modernism. However, these are capitalist, secular and materialistic world orders. Because of these characteristics, they have a world order today that is based on immorality, injustice and exploitation.
With European nation-states, the area of dominance is now based on a nation. They embody a limited number of tribes, sects and languages. Modernity, which is based on the homogenous society theory (to create a single nation), is quite intolerant of diversity. The dominance of nation-state still continues with many cities. Self-determination is understood by the nation-state in a way that it also includes various cities. However, it renders some tribes dominant, while silencing others.
Along with the post-Ottoman Empire, Europe exported the nation-state order to the Middle East. This is exactly what the Sykes-Picot agreement is all about. Now, in global times, while the U.S. and Russia are continuing in the new forms of empire, they are recommending the Middle East to the political order founded on ethnicity and sects. Take note. Classifications like Kurds, Shiites, Sunnis or the Shiite Crescents all emerged from the strategic research centers of the U.S. Such classifications were made based on the predicted dominance theory. Now, sects and ethnicities go beyond their borders, with the cities’ self-determination on the agenda. This is a major chaos of political dominance. It is the end point of the political crisis. It is the rise of city states. This means the emergence of new clashes, new forces, new terrorist organizations around every city. Political authority is being atomized. It is being divided into the smallest pieces to be rendered completely dysfunctional. This also leads to the lack of security. Its sociological cost is also high. Because communities are drifting away. Waves of migration are appearing. Families are being divided. Massacres are taking place. Ethnic organizations and sectarian groups are becoming enemies. Sectarian wars and tribe wars are emerging.
In wars that have spread all the way to villages, terrorist groups and militia groups are born as alternatives to armies. Fighting groups are on the stage instead of fighting armies. As a matter of fact, some militaries, like the Iraqi Army, are almost becoming a part of militia groups. Some states like the U.S. are also fighting alongside terrorist groups. States and terrorists are becoming intertwined. In the Iraqi government, the Hashd al-Shaabi stands out, while in the U.S. army, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) stand out. Security and authority, dominance and representation lose meaning in the regional context.
Political dominance must be re-established. This is not possible through protecting the status quo. We need to find a common dominance that allows diversity. We achieved this in history, we can do it again. Imperial dominance existed in history despite everything, and stands at the top of the best solutions. Like the U.S. and Russian Federation. The U.N. is also in search of this. The Middle East must also find it for itself. A solution that provides representation for sectarian and ethnic identities, but an authority established beyond this. Turkey is the most important country that has this awareness.
