Soviet Policies in the Middle East: Cold War Effects
TITLE
"Assess how far Soviet policies affected the conflict in the Middle East during the Cold War."
ESSAY
The policies of the Soviet Union had a significant impact on the conflict in the Middle East during the Cold War. The USSR aimed to achieve parity with the United States by establishing naval and military bases in the region. They also sought to encourage communist movements and support regional conflicts, which would provide a pretext for intervention and disrupt the flow of Arab petroleum to the West.
The Soviets exploited Arab nationalism in Egypt and Syria, as well as the Arab-Israeli enmity. They supplied arms to both countries and supported Nasser's stance in the Suez crisis, which resulted in the acquisition of naval and air facilities. By acquiring bases in Syria and Egypt, the USSR was able to rival the United States and enhance its nuclear deterrent capability with strategic bomber bases within range of US European allies. This allowed the Soviets to limit American influence and gain access to the Mediterranean.
The USSR made use of anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment in the region for its own advantage. After the Arab defeat in the Six-Day War in 1967, the Soviets increased their support to Egypt, supplying them with more arms and deploying a significant number of air and naval personnel. This move appeared as if the USSR was protecting the Arab countries from Israel and the West. The Soviets sought to maintain tensions as a distraction for the West and used the provision of arms and aid as a means to gain influence in the region.
However, the Soviet Union faced limitations in areas where there was little anti-American sentiment, such as in Iran under the Shah. They were unable to spread their communist ideology or generate a successful communist revolutionary movement in the Middle East. Moreover, in 1972, they faced a dilemma between supporting détente and maintaining their arms commitment to the Arab countries. President Sadat of Egypt, determined to secure victory against Israel, expelled Soviet military advisers when they refused to provide him with arms. Although the Soviets eventually supported Egypt in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, both the USSR and the United States demanded a ceasefire.
The situation began to change with the peace negotiations led by Henry Kissinger, culminating in a series of agreements in 1974-1975. These agreements included Israel's withdrawal from the Suez Canal area and part of the Golan Heights, allowing Egypt to reopen the canal in 1975. President Carter later negotiated the Camp David Agreements of 1978, securing a bilateral treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979. The United States responded to Soviet influence in the Middle East by using economic sanctions to influence the Arab world.
The USSR's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 further diminished its popularity and credibility in the Arab world. Moscow's policies, such as their attempt to protect Iraq's political stability while Tehran aimed to expand its revolution to Iraq, created conflicts of interest. The Iran-Iraq war in 1980 highlighted the disagreement between Moscow and Tehran, with the USSR supplying Iraq with arms. This dissension continued until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In conclusion, Soviet policies significantly affected the conflict in the Middle East during the Cold War. They aimed to achieve parity with the United States by establishing bases and supporting regional conflicts. The USSR exploited anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment but faced limitations in areas with little animosity towards the United States. The peace negotiations led to significant changes in the region, and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan further eroded its influence. Ultimately, Moscow lost diplomatic trust through its policies, and the demise of the USSR marked the end of its significant impact on the Middle East.
SUBJECT
HISTORY
PAPER
A Level
NOTES
Assess how far Soviet policies affected the conflict in the Middle East
during the Cold War.
Soviet policies were designed to ensure that they could achieve parity with
the United States by establishing naval and military bases throughout the
Middle East. The USSR also wanted to encourage local communist
movements as well as support regional conflict providing it with a pretext for
intervention and slow the flow of Arab petroleum to the West. The USSR
exploited Arab nationalism in both Egypt and Syria as well as the Arab Israel enmity. In 1955 it supplied arms to both Egypt and Syria and
supported Nasser’s stance in the Suez crisis. This led to Soviet acquisition
of naval and air facilities. Its main objective was to ensure US advantage in
the area was not achieved but also avoid war with it. Its acquisition of bases
in Syria and Egypt enabled it to rival the United States and, with access to
strategic bomber bases within range of US European allies, its nuclear
deterrent capability was enhanced. The Soviets also acquired the use of
Alexandria, Port Said and Latakia providing them with access to the
Mediterranean and enabling them to begin a naval build-up in the area and
to limit the influence of the United States. The USSR, therefore, made use
of anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiment for its own ends. In 1967, the
year of the Six-Day war with Israel, Nasser accepted the presence of Soviet
forces in the Mediterranean. After the Arab defeat, the Soviets supplied the
Egyptians with more arms and based about 20 000 air and naval personnel
in Egypt. It seemed that the USSR was protecting the Arab countries from
Israel and the West. The Soviets aimed to maintain tensions as a distraction
to the West. The provision of arms and aid in exchange for influence was
the sole method of enticing Arab clients to favour the Soviets. Before 1973
this strategy served them well.
However, they made limited progress in areas where there was little anti American sentiment such as in Iran under the Shah. The Soviets were also
unable to spread their communist ideology and were unable to produce a
communist revolutionary movement in the Middle East. In 1972 at the
Moscow Summit, the Soviets had the dilemma of opposing war and
supporting détente or continuing their arms commitment to the Arabs.
President Sadat was determined to secure a victory against the Israelis and
when the Soviets refused him arms, he expelled their military advisers from
Egypt. However, they did agree to support him in the Yom Kippur War of
1973, but both the Soviets and the United States demanded a ceasefire
which was supported by the UN. It was Henry Kissinger who secured a
series of agreements in 1974–5. Israel agreed to withdraw forces from the
Suez Canal area and part of the Golan Heights. Egypt was able to reopen
the canal in 1975. Sadat was keen for there to be a Middle East Treaty and
it was President Carter who negotiated the Camp David Agreements of
1978 leading to a bilateral treaty between Egypt and Israel in 1979. The
United States responded to Soviet influence in the Middle East after the
Camp David Accords by using economic sanctions to influence the Arab
world. The Soviets' invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 severely reduced their
popularity and credibility in the Arab world. Although Moscow initially reaped
rewards from its involvement in the Arab world, it lost diplomatic trust
through its policies. For example, Moscow wanted to protect Iraq’s political stability while Tehran
aimed to expand its revolution to Iraq. The Iran-Iraq war in 1980 further
emphasised Tehran’s and Moscow’s conflict of interest in Iraq. During the
war, the USSR supplied Iraq with the most arms. This dissension over Iraq
continued until the demise of the USSR in 1991.