The Arabian Peninsula, unique in geopolitical importance thanks to its oil fields and sea routes, is constituted from states that share cultural traits, tribal structures, and loyalties. These states have been connected by economic, foreign policy, and geostrategic concerns, thus forming an Arabian Gulf identity. Numerous common denominators among these countries have assisted them in forming their own coalition, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The purported foreign-policy pivot of the United States towards Asia has led to concerns in many GCC countries about a defence breach within the region, which could be taken advantage of by the GCC's rivals. Given the substantial purchases of military weapons in the region over the past few years, what are the possibilities of building a functional security community within the GCC? This article analyzes whether the common Khaleeji identity is enough to unite the GCC countries and enable a form of communitarian system to function, whether efficiently or otherwise. It also examines the GCC's challenges and scenarios that could lay the groundwork for a possible GCC regional defence arrangement, with the support of its common identity and norms.
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January 2017
Research Article|
March 01 2017
Communitarian Norms and Regional Security: The GCC as a Security Community
Mona Farag
Mona Farag
Zayed University, P.O. Box 144534, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
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The Arab World Geographer (2017) 20 (1): 1–16.
Citation
Mona Farag; Communitarian Norms and Regional Security: The GCC as a Security Community. The Arab World Geographer 1 March 2017; 20 (1): 1–16. doi: https://doi.org/10.5555/1480-6800.20.1.1
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