New Military Strategies in the Gulf: The Mirage of Autonomy in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar

Rulers in Gulf regimes have sought greater strategic autonomy and distance from the West, leading to the militarization of Gulf societies, the erosion of multilateral initiatives, and the Gulf's perilous involvement in the war in Yemen. This book examines the military dimensions of these shifts, focusing on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

In recent years, the rulers of Gulf regimes have sought to increase their strategic autonomy and distance from the West, a trend often referred to as the "Gulf moment" by local commentators. This regional shift reflects a redistribution of power in the Arab world. This groundbreaking book is the first to examine the military dimensions of these changes. Gulf military strategy has prioritized the improvement of local armed forces and the diversification of defense partnerships toward countries such as Russia, Turkey, and China. However, this book reveals how this has led to the militarization of Gulf societies, the further erosion of multilateral initiatives, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Gulf's perilous involvement in the war in Yemen.

Furthermore, the book highlights the enduring reliance on the West, with each chapter covering a critical aspect of defense policy, including governance of armed forces, military education, power projection capabilities, regional security cooperation, and lessons from warfighting experiences. Extensive fieldwork and interviews with key decision-makers, officials, and diplomatic and military representatives have been conducted to provide a comprehensive analysis. Additionally, recently declassified official documents have been used to gain rare insight into the intentions of Gulf countries for their defense policies.

The Gulf region has experienced significant geopolitical changes in recent years, driven by the pursuit of greater strategic autonomy and distance from the West. This trend reflects a redistribution of power in the Arab world and has significant military implications. The book examines the military dimensions of these shifts, highlighting the militarization of Gulf societies, the erosion of multilateral initiatives, and the Gulf's perilous involvement in the war in Yemen. It also emphasizes the enduring reliance on the West, with each chapter covering a critical aspect of defense policy, including governance of armed forces, military education, power projection capabilities, regional security cooperation, and lessons from warfighting experiences. The research is based on extensive fieldwork and interviews with key decision-makers, officials, and diplomatic and military representatives, and utilizes recently declassified official documents to gain rare insight into the intentions of Gulf countries for their defense policies.

Weight: 358g
Dimension: 138 x 216 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780755650712