Crown-Belfer Middle East Project Lunch Seminar on Developments in the Gulf. GRC Chairman Abdulaziz Sager spoke in the framework of the Crown-Belfer Middle East Project at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University on the recent political development in the Middle East and its impact specifically on the Gulf region. He covered the issues of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Bahrain and outlined the Saudi and GCC positions on this front. He clearly stated that the Gulf is not immune from the political change impacting the region and ruling families need to understand the challenges posed to them. For now, ruling families retain their legitimacy and their favorable economic positions have allowed the rulers to react quickly. In the end, however, economic handouts will not silence political demands and one result will likely be an increase in the number of petitions presented by sections of the population to the governments. Dr. Sager further focused on regional challenges including the Iranian nuclear program, the unfinished business in Iraq and the implications of a possible US veto at the UN on the Palestinian statehood resolution. He pointed out the deep disappointment in the region concerning US policy, having left many issues unfinished and not following through on their own principles and policies. On Iran, the GCC states will not live in the shadow of an Iranian nuclear program, neither will a US defense umbrella be sufficient. Overall, he argued that the US insurance policy for the Gulf states is not running out of credibility. Moreover, the US will have to deal with different governments in the region with public opinion and democratic government changing the equation from relations as they have existed in the past.
