Hydropolitics and Water Conflicts in the Basin of the Tigris and Euphrates Between (1950 -2018)

Since the establishment of the three countries of Turkey, Syria and Iraq, the Tigris and Euphrates river basins have been consistently experiencing various water tensions. Besides, the implementation of several water projects by these countries (particularly Turkey) has exacerbated these tensions. The completion of the GAP projects along with the extensive climate change and subsequently the water disputers resulting from a severe reduction in the water resources can provide the ground for the rise of political tensions among Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Considering this hypothesis, this study is aimed at investigating the impact of this problem on the political relations among the countries situated in this basin. The authors investigate the water status in these three countries as well as their domestic and regional water tensions. Then, adopting the theories of the Copenhagen School, the water tensions and disputes among the three countries are analyzed in terms of five dimensions of security including military, political, economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The findings of the research show that the issue of water disputes in this basin, due to its impacts on agriculture, increased unemployment rate, poverty, migration, drying of the wetlands and rivers, formation of the dust phenomenon, and legitimacy crisis, has posed serious risks to four dimensions of security (including political, economic, social, and environmental). However, regarding the military weakness of Iraq and Syria besides the high capacity of the Turkish army compared to those two countries, the military security threats seem to be unlikely in the near future.