Publication

This paper analyzes the religious and nationalist background of the geopolitical antagonism between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The author argues that the antagonism between the two countries stems from rivalry over leadership of the Sunni Islamic World, with Turkey representing moderate Sunni Islam and Saudi Arabia representing radical Sunni Islam. According to the author, the Sunni-Shiite conflict in the Middle East is likely to increase the religious rivalry over Sunni leadership, which could in turn increase geopolitical tensions between Shiite Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia, and Sunni Turkey.