Tribalism in the Middle East
Tribes are have been misrepresented by mass media in the Middle East, where they are mostly
presented as nomads and pastoralists. Many tribes are present all over the various countries in the
Middle East, most of which have been present since many years, even before the formation of the very
first nations, and are further sub-divided into smaller clans. Some tribes are quite powerful enough to
dominate and influence politics like in Somalia, while some are leaderless, weak and uninterested in the
political platform. Tribal wars are for a fact, not a myth or rumored story, but are quite true, causing
bloodshed on either side that carry on for many years unless truce is called between the leaders of the
two rival tribes.
Tribal loyalty is a defining aspect of these tribes, who value lineage to their tribes and forefathers more
than anything. In practice and historically, however, many groups and tribes have been formed on a
more political base rather than on genealogy, where they chose to follow a successful leader to defense
of territory or conquest. Many tribes refuse to acknowledge the authority of the state, deeming them to
be refutable in comparison to their own tribal leaders. Many are witnessed purposely disobeying state
laws, because they do not deem them as their own leaders.
In most tribal societies, tribalism is not always what forms groups, but also many communities formed
on the basis of common aim, religious beliefs, enemies, old loyalties and feuds. Jack McGinnis believes,
contrary to the belief of others, that tribalism in Afghanistan has not broken and disappeared, but has
seem to become more flexible in its re-organization and formation.
Tribes, though residing mostly in remote villages, have the power to determine political and social
behavior of the people of the country. Any foreign invasion threat can easily be used by charismatic
leaders to mobilize and rally people to fight for a cause, as a united force disregarding tribal disputes. In
the 1960s, Iraq’s Kut province (now Wasit) consisted of one of the Shiite tribes of Rabiah which heavily
resisted and attacked the British forces for two years, until the British finally managed to capture the
territory.
Many of the tribes in the Middle East were annexed by the British, successfully winning over the tribes
through various means, yet they failed to unite all the tribes and integrate them together. Najdi Abdul-
Aziz Ibn Saud’s tribe was one expanding and most powerful tribal force at that time that managed to
take control over lots of land, including defeating the British in taking Shammar. Though he relinquished
the land, he granted the people Saudi nationality in return for allegiance with them. This earned them
years of loyalty even till today, even if the tribes are scattered all over Iraq and Syria.
Despite coming a long way, tribes are still existent today in various regions of the Middle East and have
been wrongly blamed for the violence and up heal in the Arab states. Iraq, for example, is believed to be
a state that is entirely consistent of tribalism. The secularising Iraqi state and the 1958 Revolution
pretended to create a new national identity for the Iraqis. Iraqis that rejected the cult of personality of
Tribes are have been misrepresented by mass media in the Middle East, where they are mostly
presented as nomads and pastoralists. Many tribes are present all over the various countries in the
Middle East, most of which have been present since many years, even before the formation of the very
first nations, and are further sub-divided into smaller clans. Some tribes are quite powerful enough to
dominate and influence politics like in Somalia, while some are leaderless, weak and uninterested in the
political platform. Tribal wars are for a fact, not a myth or rumored story, but are quite true, causing
bloodshed on either side that carry on for many years unless truce is called between the leaders of the
two rival tribes.
Tribal loyalty is a defining aspect of these tribes, who value lineage to their tribes and forefathers more
than anything. In practice and historically, however, many groups and tribes have been formed on a
more political base rather than on genealogy, where they chose to follow a successful leader to defense
of territory or conquest. Many tribes refuse to acknowledge the authority of the state, deeming them to
be refutable in comparison to their own tribal leaders. Many are witnessed purposely disobeying state
laws, because they do not deem them as their own leaders.
In most tribal societies, tribalism is not always what forms groups, but also many communities formed
on the basis of common aim, religious beliefs, enemies, old loyalties and feuds. Jack McGinnis believes,
contrary to the belief of others, that tribalism in Afghanistan has not broken and disappeared, but has
seem to become more flexible in its re-organization and formation.
Tribes, though residing mostly in remote villages, have the power to determine political and social
behavior of the people of the country. Any foreign invasion threat can easily be used by charismatic
leaders to mobilize and rally people to fight for a cause, as a united force disregarding tribal disputes. In
the 1960s, Iraq’s Kut province (now Wasit) consisted of one of the Shiite tribes of Rabiah which heavily
resisted and attacked the British forces for two years, until the British finally managed to capture the
territory.
Many of the tribes in the Middle East were annexed by the British, successfully winning over the tribes
through various means, yet they failed to unite all the tribes and integrate them together. Najdi Abdul-
Aziz Ibn Saud’s tribe was one expanding and most powerful tribal force at that time that managed to
take control over lots of land, including defeating the British in taking Shammar. Though he relinquished
the land, he granted the people Saudi nationality in return for allegiance with them. This earned them
years of loyalty even till today, even if the tribes are scattered all over Iraq and Syria.
Despite coming a long way, tribes are still existent today in various regions of the Middle East and have
been wrongly blamed for the violence and up heal in the Arab states. Iraq, for example, is believed to be
a state that is entirely consistent of tribalism. The secularising Iraqi state and the 1958 Revolution
pretended to create a new national identity for the Iraqis. Iraqis that rejected the cult of personality of
