Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Measures taken by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to diversify their economies are beginning to undermine pre-existing social contracts that hinge on the paterfamilias figure of the ruler, the tribal care of the state, and the preservation of cultural norms and citizen privileges.
The fruitless protracted blockade of Qatar not only failed to reform Doha’s “destabilizing behaviors,” but also strengthened Iranian-Qatari relations for the foreseeable future.
GCC countries are caught up in Chinese-U.S. competition over tech infrastructure. A failure to appease both powers risks endangering critical relationships.
Military training cooperation has become a distinctive feature of the UAE’s foreign policy and a major tool for expanding geopolitical leverage.
While the Egyptian and Ethiopian dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has high stakes for local stability, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are well-positioned to play a leading role in mediating the conflict.
The shifting relationships between armies and civil society are revealing new balances within defense structures.
A renewed NATO-Middle East cooperation can strengthen the security architecture of the Middle East.
Russia’s increased involvement in Libya marks a turning point in the conflict, making an Ankara-Kremlin rapprochement all the more likely.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are trying to downplay concerns about a rift over Yemen, despite their divergent military tactics and positions on South Yemeni independence.
Military infighting between secessionist groups and forces aligned with Hadi’s government in southern Yemen reflect the deep fissures in the country’s political and military landscapes.
Abu Dhabi and Riyadh see a natural partnership with Modi’s government, a cooperation that could change the dynamics of the South Asian-Gulf nexus.
The dramatic death of the former president of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, on June 17th, reignited debate about the future of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and political Islam across the region.
Wary of local inequalities that could spur dissent, Abu Dhabi is aiming to instill nationalist sentiment in northern emirates through cultivating a military ethos.
The Houthis’ recent advances into southern and central Yemen reflect the country’s changing political landscape and the Yemeni government’s growing rift with the UAE.
The repression of political dissidents such as Ahmed Mansoor belies the UAE’s attempts to brand itself as a promoter of tolerance.
The UAE’s focus on developing a local defense industry highlights its goals of becoming a global arms supplier for niche markets.
Gulf states are expanding the scope of their military education programs to build a new generation of decisionmakers capable of realizing their strategic ambitions.
Military expressions of national identity are helping Gulf countries boost loyalty to the state yet are likely to exacerbate regional polarization.
By mediating conflicts and combining their assets in the Horn of Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are slowly cementing an arc of political influence across the region.
The UAE’s growing investment in Yemen’s energy and security infrastructure is increasingly the driving force behind its counterterrorism involvement.