Unravelling the Roots of State Failure: Syria, Libya and Yemen

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 14 Sayı: 1, 34 - 51, 28.03.2025

Ayfer Erdogan

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1585083

Öz

The collapse of state authority in Syria, Libya, Yemen following the Arab Spring has brought renewed attention to the dynamics of state failure. This article investigates three key factors contributing to state failure and civil war escalation in Libya, Yemen, and Syria: non-professional and non-institutionalized militaries, the absence of a shared national identity and external interventions by regional and global actors. In each of these countries, the failure of the military to act as a neutral and professional institution, combined with deep-seated identity divisions, created an environment conducive to internal strife. In addition, the absence of unifying national identity leads to increased competition among various groups vying for power and undermines the legitimacy of state institutions. Finally, external interventions, often driven by regional and global powers seeking to advance their own interests and supporting competing factions in these conflicts, further weakened the state’s capacity to maintain control and fueled prolonged violence. External interventions also exacerbated internal divisions, turning domestic conflicts into proxy wars. By examining the cases of Syria, Libya and Yemen, this article underscores the critical role that lack of professional military and national identity along with external intervention play in state failure and civil war.

Anahtar Kelimeler

State Failure, Civil War, Libya, Syria, Yemen

Devletin Çöküşünün Temel Nedenleri: Suriye, Libya ve Yemen Örnekleri

Öz

Arap Baharı’nın ardından Suriye, Libya ve Yemen’de devlet otoritesinin çöküşü, çökmüş devletlerin dinamiklerini yeniden gündeme getirmiştir. Bu makale, söz konusu üç ülkede devletin çöküşüne ve iç savaşların derinleşmesine yol açan üç temel faktörü analiz etmektedir: profesyonel ve kurumsallaşmış orduların eksikliği, ortak bir ulusal kimliğin bulunmaması ve bölgesel ile küresel aktörlerin dış müdahaleleri. Bu ülkelerde orduların tarafsız, profesyonel ve ulusal bir kurum olarak işlev görememesi, mevcut kimlik ayrılıklarıyla birleşerek iç çatışmaların zeminini hazırlamıştır. Birleştirici bir ulusal kimliğin eksikliği ise farklı gruplar arasındaki iktidar mücadelesini körükleyerek devlet kurumlarının meşruiyetini daha da zayıflatmıştır. Üçüncü olarak, bölgesel ve küresel aktörlerin kendi çıkarlarına uygun şekilde çatışmalardaki rakip grupları destekleyen müdahaleleri, devletlerin kontrol kapasitesini zayıflatmış ve şiddetin uzun süre devam etmesine neden olmuştur. Bu dış müdahaleler, aynı zamanda toplumdaki hizipleşmeleri derinleştirerek çatışmaları vekalet savaşlarına dönüştürmüştür. Bu makale, Suriye, Libya ve Yemen örneklerinden hareketle, dış müdahalelerin, profesyonel ordu ve ulusal kimlik eksikliğinin devlet otoritesinin çöküşünü ve iç savaşları nasıl tetiklediğini kapsamlı bir şekilde analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Çökmüş Devletler, İç Savaş, Libya, Suriye, Yemen.

Kaynakça

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