The Arab Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain – face many challenges alongside opportunities, requiring them to rethink previous positions. In recent years, the Gulf has become, relatively speaking, the most stable arena in the Arab sphere and the most influential one on the inter-Arab agenda, one reason being the weakening of the Arab traditional political centers. However, the Sunni Arab royal households in the Gulf face several complex challenges, including the need to reduce dependence on oil and rewrite the ruler-subject “contract” at a time of uncertainty over Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and the question over the future of the US role in the region.
The Arab Gulf states have some unusual characteristics. They are relatively sparsely populated and have small, untrained armies; at the same time, they possess great wealth. The threats they face and the way they choose to face them form the core of the research of this research field. Their changing relations with Iran, with one another, and with the Arab sphere around them, as well as the impact on their stability, will be the focus of the research. The Gulf states and the Gulf arena in general are increasingly important influences vis-à-vis Israel’s national security, both because of their growing weight on the regional agenda and because of the overlapping interests – first and foremost Iran.
The Arab World amidst Great Power Competition