Strategic Investigations of Water Conflicts in the Middle East

Comprehensive strategic analyses are carried out for three connected water conflicts that occurred along the Euphrates River in 1975, 1990, and 1998. The objective is to gain insight into the causes and resolutions of these disputes, and to learn how similar situations can be effectively managed in the future. All three conflicts involve Turkey, the upstream country of both the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, and one or both of Syria and Iraq, which lie downstream. The analysis will demonstrate the importance to conflict resolution of coalitions and of third-Party interventions.