CSS 2018 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | Islamic Military Alliance and the Muslim World
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Question Breakdown
In this question the examiner has asked you to glance at the Islamic Military Alliance, its objectives, and history, highlighting significant implications for the Muslim World
Outline
1-Introduction
2-What is the Islamic Military Alliance?
3-What are the objectives behind its formulation?
4-What are the implications of the Islamic Military Alliance for the Muslim World?
- ✓Counter-terrorism collaboration and future implications
- Evidence: Brookings Institution’s Research 2016
- ✓Regional hegemonic aspirations of KSA
- Evidence: (Middle East Institute, 2016).
- ✓Potential for Sectarian Tensions
- Evidence: (International Crisis Group (ICG, 2017)
- ✓Potential to eradicate distrust among the regional rivals, KSA and Iran
- ✓Effects on Conflicts in the Region
- Evidence: (UN Human Rights Council, 2019).
- ✓Military Capacity Building and imbalanced states
- Evidence: Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)’ research
- ✓Economic and Political Influential implications
- Evidence: Gulf Research Center, 2018).
- ✓Global Security Contributions
- Evidence: (Global Center on Cooperative Security, 2020)
5-Pakistan’s Role in Islamic Military Alliance
6-A cursory glance at a way forward to make this alliance more practical for the Muslim World
7-Critical Analysis
8-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Islamic Military Alliance, officially recognized as the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), was launched in December 2015 and was considered a crucial geo-political formation with an endeavour to manage Muslim-dominant countries against terrorism. The coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, is aimed at tackling extremism across the world, especially the groups of ISIS and Al-Qaeda, which have been responsible for social unrest and insecurity. Its formation is part of a new trend in Middle Eastern countries’ tendency to unify their military and political forces to meet the threats of radicalization. The coalition involves dozens of states, and therefore, it is oriented not only on counter-terrorism operations but also on the stabilization of the region. Nevertheless, the ability of the IMCTC to only function and expand its influence in the future depends on the secret ability to address various political factors, such as rivalry within the Muslim countries and sectarian divisions. Although the alliance seeks to portray collective security, there is always the issue of individualistic interests and capabilities to provide security in the member countries. This critical juncture opens opportunities for improvement in cooperation. It increases the chances of the rising of new and exacerbation of existing regional conflicts, thus making the future fate of the coalition the central point for future stability and security in the Muslim world.
What is the Islamic Military Alliance?
The Islamic Military Alliance is a Military organization with 42 member countries from the Muslim world formed in 2015 and is officially known as the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC). It is spearheaded mainly by Saudi Arabia, and its main focus is to fight against terror and other groups of extremism, such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. It is formed to pool many countries together to deliberate on security issues related to defence, intelligence sharing, etc. Nevertheless, some challenges it may encounter include achieving unity of interest among individual member countries and balancing power relations between member countries and non-members in the Muslim world. It is, therefore, valuable and crucial when used in harmony with other strategies and executed in cooperation with other departments.
What are the objectives behind its formulation?
The Islamic Military Alliance, officially called the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), was created with several strategic goals to improve regional and global security. The coalition’s primary focus is to fight terrorism by bringing together Muslim-majority nations to tackle the threats from extremist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda as a united force. By sharing military resources, intelligence, and joint operations, the IMCTC seeks to counter these groups and diminish their power effectively. In addition, the alliance aims to promote regional stability by addressing the root causes of extremism, including political unrest and economic marginalization. This emphasis on stabilization is designed to support conflict resolution and restore peace in affected regions. Another essential goal is to create a unified front that amplifies the collective voice of member countries, offering an Islamic viewpoint on global security matters. With Saudi Arabia at the helm, the IMCTC also represents a strategic move to consolidate regional authority and counter the sway of rival nations, particularly Iran. Moreover, the coalition is dedicated to enhancing its members’ military and operational capabilities via joint training and improved interoperability. Together, these aims seek to bolster the alliance’s ability to tackle immediate and long-term security threats.
Implications of the Islamic Military Alliance for the Muslim World
The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), aka the Islamic Military Alliance, will have various implications for the Muslim world. Some of them are as follows.
- Counter-terrorism collaboration and implications:
The IMCTC aims to enhance cooperation between the 42 member countries in the fight against terrorism through a joint effort that focuses on sharing military resources, intelligence, and strategy. According to research by reputable organizations such as the Brookings Institution, “multinational coalitions have much better chances of succeeding in their anti-terrorism campaigns than solitary nations.” Furthermore, Brookings points out that sharing intelligence and joint military undertakings among different countries could extend the scope and capacity of the allied response against terrorists like ISIS or Al-Qaeda. The same was indicated by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace study, which states that when countries work together to fight terrorism, it helps them reduce inefficiencies associated with a lack of information and enhance operational capacity. This kind of cooperation is an essential aspect of addressing complicated and widely dispersed terrorist threats today, wherefore it could produce a stronger united front against extremists.
- Regional hegemonic aspirations of KSA
The creation of the IMCTC can be attributed to being an intelligent move by Saudi Arabia to boost its power in the Middle East and showcase itself as the leader in the Muslim community globally. According to the International Crisis Group, the coalition’s creation supports Saudi Arabia’s goal to lead a Sunni group in the OIC member countries and challenge Iran’s control in the region. This significant change could shake things up in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and Iran teaming up or butting heads, which could stir up political and security drama.
- Potential rise in sectarian Tensions
One of the IMCTC’s most prominent characteristics is its predominantly Sunni membership, which has raised fears that it may contribute to increased sectarian divisions in the Muslim sphere, especially between Shia-majority Iran and the rest of the countries. The International Crisis Group has reported that the coalition’s emphasis on the Sunni sect could worsen existing sectarian cleavages, resulting in more conflicts and raising tensions at a regional scale. If member states disagree on sectarian issues or external forces use this disjuncture for their strategic motives, this dimension will complicate diplomatic relations and may undermine the coalition’s effectiveness. In addition, research from the Gulf Research Center suggests that such sectarian conflicts might affect the internal coherence of the alliance and its capacity to take a common position on regional security issues.
- Potential to eradicate distrust among the regional rivals, KSA and Iran
Apart from the fact that IMCTC can potentially fuel further sectarian tensions, it can also serve as a unification platform for the regional rivals. Being a common platform for Muslim-majority countries like OIC, it can bring KSA and Iran closer to addressing their mutual distrust and working on a common agenda to fight extremism and other issues. The confidence-building measures (CBMs) are a must, with a member like Pakistan playing the role of a significant mediator among them.
- Effects on Conflicts in the Region:
The credibility and efficiency of IMCTC will be influenced by its commitment to conflicts in its area of influence, such as the war in Yemen. This aspect of IMCTC’s work affects its credibility and effectiveness, as the UN Human Rights Council quoted. The way people see the legality within the joint military they may take part in can have an effect that would bear on global opinion about them; this is particularly true when considering their role within regional peace and stability. Besides, human rights issues and humanitarian costs associated with warfare can cause national and international critiques, damaging the coalition’s broader aims and rendering it incapable of receiving help from other states or institutions responsible for world affairs.
- Military Capacity Building
Among the critical objectives of IMCTC is to boost member states’ military and operational capacities via training and joint exercises. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) opines that such capacity-building measures can enhance regional forces’ readiness and performance against extremist elements. Thus, IMCTC aims to establish a more robust, cohesive military alliance by conducting joint drills, exchanging best practices, and promoting interoperability among member states’ troops. It is meant to deal with multiple and intricate security problems affecting member countries, rendering their response to threats effective and efficient.
- Economic and Political Influence
The IMCTC might cause changes in economic and political alignments in the Muslim world. Research from the Gulf Research Center notes that member states may adjust their trade relations, political alliances and diplomatic relationships by collaborating on security issues. This will likely significantly impact regional economic dynamics and alter power balances within the Muslim world. The coalition’s moves and strategic choices will affect trade agreements, economic partnerships and political alliances, indicating broader geopolitical implications for its formation.
- Global Security Contributions:
It would be a significant development if the IMCTC’s move to cybersecurity and removing terrorists and extremist threats could help the world’s technological development. Around the World, the Global Center on Cooperative Security (GCSE) has pointed out that more regional military coalitions that manage to stop terrorism can, as a result, make the world a more stable place by solving the problems at the place where they are born and therefore not bothering other countries with their interventions. With attention to cooperation and regional commitment, which the IMCTC recommends, the global antidote to terrorism can be expedited. Also, the time will turn with better security on a worldwide scale. However, the principle of its development in this matter will rely on how it addresses challenges that way, to be one and uniformly approachable in its several states instead of being arranged.
Pakistan’s role in the Islamic Military Alliance and its dilemma
Pakistan takes a monumental place in the Islamic Military Alliance as a key member, a nuclear state, significantly contributing military expertise and strategic support to the alliance. The country’s involvement ranges from participating in coalition operations and sharing intelligence to working on counter-terrorism initiatives. Through its strategic location and military capabilities, Pakistan has significantly strengthened the alliance’s operational reach and effectiveness, thus demonstrating its dedication to the cause of stability and extremism containment within the broader Muslim world context. However, Islamabad’s apprehensions that Iran may tag Pakistan’s participation in the IMCTC as a security risk and thus reassuring Tehran is a significant concern. During the first summit of the IMCTC in November 2017, General Raheel Sharif, the first chief of IMCTC, recalled that the International Military Counterattack Against Terrorism is “not opposed to any one country or any one sect”.
A cursory glance at a way forward to make this alliance more practical for the Muslim World
A few significant steps should be taken to increase the efficiency and enforceability of the Islamic Military Alliance. Centralizing coordination channels through a solid command structure and regular communication channels will ace intelligence sharing and tactical planning, as the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) illustrates. Moreover, fostering inclusivity and equal representation could eliminate internal sectarian tensions and thus decrease the level of external regional conflict, the International Crisis Group (ICG) advises. Furthermore, it is crucial to conduct joint training programs and operational exercises to improve military capacities, as the Global Center on Cooperative Security (GCCS) recommends. Additionally, the Gulf Research Center states that diplomats should approach non-member nations and international organizations to help create an atmosphere of resistance. Moreover, the regeneration of human rights issues and civilians’ suffering in the battle zones will enhance the coalition’s credibility and commitment to ethical standards, according to the UN Human Rights Council’s report 2019. These methods will make the IMCTC a more effective and unified force in dealing with regional and global security challenges.
Critical Analysis
Islamic Military Alliance, although it has pledged to fight terrorism and to make the Middle East region more peaceful, is faced with significant challenges. The main success factor here is the removal of sectarianism and the establishment of strong and inclusive cooperation between the respective member states. The actions of the alliance may undermine the alliance’s impact due to the geopolitical rivalries with Iran, and the credibility of the humanitarian issues in the war zone might be at stake. Still, the results of the combined military exercises and training programs rely on a continuous flow of all partners’ efforts. Regarding this, while the IMCTC has potential, the operational success of the coalition will rest on mobilizing its power and the guts to unify.
Conclusion
The potential success of the Islamic Military Alliance in the region is mainly based on strengthening regional security and countering terrorism by keeping aside petty interests and rivalries. On the other hand, despite what others say, internal divide, lack of coordination, sectarian issues, and humanitarian concerns should be addressed adequately. The core elements that should be focused on are forming a model of an effective cooperation system and the commitment of all the members involved, as the cooperation and commitment of each member are the keys to its success and continued credibility.
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