Author name: Fatemah

The Gulf Research Center and the National Council on US-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) held a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington DC entitled “What lies Ahead for America and the Gulf: Analyses and Prognosis.” GRC Chairman Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Senior Advisor and Head of the GRC Defense and Security Program Dr. Mustafa Alani, and Dr. Christian Koch, Director of the Gulf Research Center Foundation each gave short presentations on aspects on the US-Gulf relationship. The session was moderated by Dr. John Duke Anthony, President and CEO of NCUSAR. The speakers highlighted the deep unease about the loss of both credibility and capability of the United States in the Gulf region and argued that for a better and more comprehensive effort by the US to engage the GCC states at all different levels. What is clear so far is that while the Gulf is greatly concerned about current US policy, policy officials in Washington do not pay similar attention to what is happening in the strategic Gulf. As a result, there is a level of disconnect that is not in the interests of both sides. The meeting was attended by close to 100 people including members of Congress, congressional staff members, think tanks, the media and former government officials and diplomats. The video proceedings of the conference will be made available on the GRC website.

Gulf Research Center participates in RNSSC Meeting in Washington.The Gulf Research Center took part in the Network Directors Meeting of the Regional Network of Strategic Studies Centers(RNSSC) of the National Defense University in Washington DC on September 13. The RNSSC brings together 25 institutions from across the Middle East and South Asia in an effort to expand strategic dialogue and exchange views of common security challenges. Following a keynote address by Joe McMillan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and an address by Gary Samore of the US National Security Council on nuclear issues affecting the Middle East, Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the GRC, spoke on the impact of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ on the states of the Arabian Peninsula. From a US perspective, it was mentioned that the current change transforming the Arab world certainly represents an opportunity to align their national interests with values guiding their foreign policy. But there are also risks in terms of the possibility of ungoverned spaces resulting out of the present turmoil or in complicating relations with current allies where governments might no longer be so amendable to unquestioned cooperation with the United States. From a Gulf perspective, Dr. Sager countered the notion that Arab Gulf states are counter-revolutionary and are actively trying to undermine the course of events. In fact, these countries have undertaken a number of political reform steps thereby reflecting a more comprehensive understanding of the wider implications of events in the rest of the Arab world. The case of Libya, in which the GCC states took a leading political role, is an example. While for the GCC states there is a still a preference for an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary path towards political transition, there is thus also an acknowledgement of the significance of these recent events.

Dr. Abdulaziz Sager participated at the Emirati Swiss Friendship Platform in Lausanne.