From Syria to Iraq: Federalize or Perish

Nov 8, 2016 | Norman Ricklefs and Hadi Fathallah
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Federalism is the natural solution to the crisis gripping Syria and the Sunni regions of Iraq. Unfortunately, calls for federalism are often viewed in the Middle East as a conspiracy against regime stability and sovereignty and as a gateway to a new Sykes-Picot carving up national borders. But federalism can work. For instance, the United Arab Emirates is a thriving multi-cultural, religiously and ethnically tolerant federation. Historically, the various Islamic empires in the Middle East governed in a largely federal manner, as did pre-Islamic empires as far back as Alexander the Great’s successor states. In many parts of the Middle East, especially Iraq and Syria, federalism should be a key part of the solution to political, social, and economic challenges.