Water: Essential Element of United States Security Policy in the Middle East
Abstract
Water has remained a concern and a source of conflict in the Middle East since the dawn of civilization. Traditional sources of water have been taxed by the growth of populations in the area and their accompanying problems of pollution, waste, improper operation of water facilities, and poor cooperation between countries sharing common, but limited, water resources. With a population of nearly 170 million and growth rates between 1.6 and 3.8 percent (World-wide rate is 1.7 percent), the region has already experienced localized water shortages. Those countries bordering on the Nile, Jordan, and Tigris/Euphrates Rivers (and associated aquifers) are mutually dependent on limited renewable water sources that will be increasingly insufficient for their populations in the years ahead. An area of intense and violent conflict, cooperation to resolve regional problems in the past have proven nearly impossible. The role of the United States in the Middle East in the years ahead will require leadership in the resolution of major water issues if any stability in the region is to exist. A national policy that promotes the importance of renewable water programs to the area and its people must be a keystone of United States security policy. The complexity of the problem requires that the nations effected cooperate on the development of solutions. The United States can assist through technical assistance: diplomatic efforts to encourage cooperation and sharing of information between nations, encouragement of greater management and conservation efforts, assistance in the formulation of long-range planning and research, and encouragement of the necessary investments by the private sector in the absence of government financial assistance. Failure to address the complexities of the water resource problem will not only limit the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy programs, but will continue to fuel the fires of conflict in the Middle East.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 25, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA437591
Entities
People
- Lars E. Larson
Organizations
- National War College