Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have determined that their national security goes beyond their physical borders. It is just as important to shield their airspace, territorial waters, and even maritime trade routes.

Bashar al-Assad’s regime has used the drug partly as a means of ensuring that Syria is reintegrated into the Arab world, allowing its leadership to reinforce its position after years of isolation and conflict.

The United States has few partners more controversial than Saudi Arabia. Yet the country’s influence in the Middle East and over global oil supplies has made the kingdom a key emerging power for the United States, despite its repressive authoritarian regime and abhorrent human rights record.

The Gulf Cooperation Council has shifted its energy export focus to Asia, particularly India and China. This is part of a broader shift as GCC members look to expand their geopolitical alliances away from the West.

Late last year, over 50 African leaders gathered in Riyadh for the first ever Saudi-Africa summit. Their objective? To wangle a slice of the $40 billion Saudi Arabia plans to invest in Africa.