Why the Middle East is the World's Geopolitical Linchpin
The Heart of Conflict
Today, it’s impossible to understand events in Israel and Gaza without the knowledge that Zionism and the creation of Israel are centuries-old programs of Venetian Party British Imperialists.
This Venetian Thalassocracy — currently masquerading as the “Anglo-American Establishment” — must maintain its hegemony by ensuring complete geographical domination of the Middle East. Any excuses or other rationalizations or justifications regarding religion or oil are distractions from the geographical realities of water and land.
In 1904, Fabian Socialist Sir Halford Mackinder presented a paper on "The Geographical Pivot of History" at the Royal Geographical Society, an essay redefining how British Empire strategists view history and global politics.
Mackinder’s thesis argued that geography is a dynamic force that shapes civilizations, empires, and international relations. Among the regions Mackinder analyzed, the Middle East emerged as a focal point—one that he identifies as a crossroads of continents, a battleground of empires, and a strategic linchpin in global power struggles.
A Strategic Crossroads
Mackinder situates the Middle East within what he calls the "marginal lands" of Eurasia — a belt of territories surrounding the "pivot area" or "heartland" at the center of the continent. The heartland, inaccessible to maritime powers yet historically dominated by nomadic horse and camel riders, casts its influence over the surrounding regions. With its arid deserts, oases, and strategic waterways connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Middle East has been uniquely positioned as a critical geopolitical nexus.
As the "Land of the Five Seas" (Caspian, Black, Mediterranean, Red, and Persian), the Middle East has historically served as a hub for trade, cultural exchange, and imperial ambitions. Its location has allowed empires to harness both land and sea mobility, creating networks that spanned continents. Yet this centrality has also made it a target for conquest, invasion, and manipulation.
Mackinder also highlights the Isthmus of Suez as a key geographical feature in the Middle East’s strategic role. This narrow land bridge connecting Eurasia to Africa not only divides the eastern and western oceans but also serves as a critical chokepoint in global geopolitics. He observes that while the Mediterranean provided a natural pathway for cultural and commercial exchanges, the Sahara Desert to the south of the isthmus acted as a formidable barrier, isolating sub-Saharan Africa from Eurasian civilizations for much of history. The Suez region’s importance as a conduit between continents underscores the Middle East’s enduring role as a geographical and political pivot.
The Forces That Shaped a Region
Mackinder's analysis of the Middle East reveals a region shaped by opportunity and vulnerability, with its geography often dictating its role in global affairs.
Empires of Connectivity: From the Saracens to the Ottoman Empire, powers in the Middle East leveraged its geographic position to dominate both land and sea. The Saracens, for example, created a vast empire by controlling trade routes and mobilizing their fleets across the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.
Nomadic Invasions: The Middle East has historically been vulnerable to nomadic incursions from the Eurasian steppe. Seljuk Turks and Mongols swept through its open landscapes, reshaping political structures and destabilizing local powers.
Cultural and Religious Crucible: As the birthplace of major religions and civilizations, the Middle East has been a wellspring of cultural and ideological influence. However, its centrality has also subjected it to external pressures, from European Crusades to modern imperial ambitions.
Strategic Fragility: Mackinder identifies the Middle East as a "weak link" in the Eurasian marginal belt. Its deserts, fragmented political systems, and contested trade routes have made it a perennial flashpoint in the balance of power.
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A Region in the Balance
Historically, the Middle East has stood at the intersection of competing forces: land-based powers pushing outward from the heartland and maritime empires projecting influence inward. This dynamic has made it a key chessboard in the global game of power.
Mackinder argues that the Crusades exemplify how the Middle East has often catalyzed interactions between East and West, serving as both a battleground and a cultural bridge.
The Future of the Middle East
Mackinder prognosticates how the Middle East might evolve in an era of railways, industrialization, and modern geopolitics.
Economic Modernization: Mackinder suggests that infrastructure like railways could integrate the Middle East more closely with the Eurasian economic system, reducing its historical vulnerabilities while potentially transforming it into a hub of industrial and agricultural productivity.
Geopolitical Contestation: The Middle East’s geographic position ensures that it will remain a focal point of competition between land and sea powers. Mackinder warns that its vulnerabilities could be exploited in future conflicts, making it a linchpin in global strategies.
Population Growth and Power Shifts: As Mackinder notes, population growth in the Eurasian heartland and stagnation in maritime regions could shift the balance of power, with the Middle East serving as a critical zone of contention.
A Perpetual Pivot
For Mackinder, the Middle East is an enduring pivot in the balance of global power. Its geography has dictated its destiny as a crossroads of civilizations, a battleground for empires, and a key player in the interplay between land and sea powers. Mackinder’s ideas reinforce the idea that geography is not incidental to history; it is the force that propels it.
I must have been comatose during High School history classes to remember any of this.