American Influence in Gulf - Research Paper Example

US-Gulf Relations Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Date 1.0 Introduction American foreign policy anywhere on the world focuses on protecting the interests of the American people. According to Russell (2010), the aim of American foreign policy in the present administration is to keep the American people safe and reestablish America as the global leader both economically and politically. The Gulf is one of the world’s wealthiest regions hosting over half of the World’s oil reserves and about a third of natural gas reserves (Russell 2010). The Gulf is therefore an important part of America’s strategic plan. In December 2011, America completed a withdrawal of all its troops in the gulf nations of Iraq, indicating a major policy shift in Gulf-US relations. The withdrawal may weaken the regions security since the troops had a stabilizing effect in the volatile region. However, the US support for the Israel Nation has been claimed to be one of the drivers of American foreign policy in the Gulf. The threat of terrorism is also seen as many as a determinant of the direction US foreign policy will take in the Gulf. Another factor, that has seen an increasing shift in foreign policy between Gulf countries and the US is the increasing security challenge posed by Iran. The US alleges that Iran is developing nuclear weapons that would threaten the global security were the project to succeed (Russell 2010). 2.0 Research Topic Topic: What can American do to strengthen her influence in the strategically crucial region of the Gulf and Stave off the security threat posed in the region by Iran. 3.0 Overview Strategic interests are supposed to be the main drivers of a country’s foreign policy. Indeed, the US has always placed the gulf region top of it foreign agenda as it realizes the importance of maintaining good relations with states in the Gulf. In 2008, the US consumed 2.8 million barrels per day source from oil field in the gulf (Bâli and Rana 2010). According to Degang (2010), 40% of the world’s oil passes through the strait of Hormuz where there is heavy presence of the Iranian navy. Reports say that the US is concerned about the growth in strength of the Iranian army and its probable future role if open hostilities were declared between the two countries (Indyk, Lieberthal and O'Hanlon 2012). The Iranian navy could dispatch its navy to choke off oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Another issue of concern to US strategic interest in the Gulf is rising regional tensions. The US policy is focused on ensuring the region remains stable to avoid interference with oil operations. Among the factors is the increasing competition for regional dominance between Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia. This situation is worsened by rivalry between two Islamic sects (the sunni and the Shiite) (Bâli and Rana 2010). In Saudi Arabia, a major ally of the United States the Sunni are the majority and dominant sect. In contrast, the Gulf nations of Iraq and Iran have a population of 60% Shiite, who are very vocal about regional issues (Yang 2007). Saudi Arabia and other US regional allies including Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman worry about the rising power of Shiites in Iraq and Iran and are willing to support armed uprising by the Sunni minority in the two countries. On the other hand, Iran is accused of buying more arms and developing nuclear weapons in what is an apparent arms race. This military and political rivalry greatly threatens American interest in the Gulf and has been the focus of foreign policy changes in the region. 4.0 Research Hypothesis This research hypothesis that the US will strengthen relations with members of the gulf co-operation council in order to stave off the threat of Iran to the security of the region. 5.0 Research Objectives The main objective of this research is to discover the main drivers of shifting American foreign policy in the gulf region. This main objective can be narrowed down into the following specific objectives: 1. How has the oil wealth in the Gulf affected the direction of American foreign policy in the region? 2. Why is the Gulf region always top of the US’s foreign agenda? 3. How does the regional tensions, the political and economic rivalry and sectarian animosity affect US foreign policy in the Gulf region 4. How does increasing militarization of Iran the only non US-aligned country in the region affected US policy in the region. 5. Is US foreign policy in the Gulf countries consistent with its principle of emphasizing good governance and respect for human rights? 6. How does US-Israel relations affect the attitudes of the Gulf residents to America. 7. What is the impact of the threat of terrorism on US foreign policy in the Gulf countries. 6.0 Research Methodology To pursue this research the literature review method of research was choosen. Literature review was the most suitable for this research as it makes use of secondary information written by other scholars on US-Gulf Relations. The sources of information to be considered include: Scholarly articles on US-Gulf relations and other related articles, news articles reporting various foreign relations development and other online sources of information. The research will only consider sources of information whose credibility is not in doubt. 7.0 Literature Review Strategic interests are supposed to be the main drivers of a country’s foreign policy. Indeed, the US has always placed the gulf region top of it foreign agenda as it realizes the importance of maintaining good relations with states in the Gulf. In 2008, the US consumed 2.8 million barrels per day source from oil field in the gulf (Bâli and Rana 2010). According to Degang (2010), 40% of the world’s oil passes through the strait of Hormuz where there is heavy presence of the Iranian navy. Reports say that the US is concerned about the growth in strength of the Iranian army and its probable future role if open hostilities were declared between the two countries (Indyk, Lieberthal and O'Hanlon 2012). The Iranian navy could dispatch its navy to choke off oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Another issue of concern to US strategic interest in the Gulf is rising regional tensions. The US policy is focused on ensuring the region remains stable to avoid interference with oil operations. Among the factors is the increasing competition for regional dominance between Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia. This situation is worsened by rivalry between two Islamic sects (the sunni and the Shiite) (Bâli and Rana 2010). In Saudi Arabia, a major ally of the United States the Sunni are the majority and dominant sect. In contrast, the Gulf nations of Iraq and Iran have a population of 60% Shiite, who are very vocal about regional issues (Yang 2007). Saudi Arabia and other US regional allies including Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman worry about the rising power of Shiites in Iraq and Iran and are willing to support armed uprising by the Sunni minority in the two countries. On the other hand, Iran is accused of buying more arms and developing nuclear weapons in what is an apparent arms race. This military and political rivalry greatly threatens American interest in the Gulf and has been the focus of foreign policy changes in the region. According to Barzegar (2010), one of the major failings of the US foreign policy in the gulf is its support for Israel. Bâli and Rana (2010) note that most residents of the Gulf States are sympathetic to the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of Israel. Anti-American sentiments in the Gulf States are mostly fueled by US support for Israel. Despite the fact that Israel owns nuclear weapons, the US has actively discouraged neighboring states from engaging in nuclear weapon development program. Most people in the gulf support the Iran nuclear program on the rationale it will help balance regional power in the Middle East (Leffler 2003). Terrorists have also used the US support for Israel to gather sympathizers and recruits throughout the Arab world including the gulf. The terrorist threat to US interests in the Middle East is quite profound and is recognized as one of the major drivers of US foreign policy in the Middle East. The World’s most notorious terrorist organizations has its origins in the Gulf nation of Saudi Arabia. 8.0 Conclusion Since, the departure of the US forces in Iraq, US foreign policy has increasingly moved towards containing the threat posed by the Iranian theocratic regime in the strategic gulf region. Iran seems to be militarizing as indicated by interest in developing nuclear weapons and it purchase of submarines and other naval crafts. As discussed the gulf is the source of 30 per cent of the world’s oil and hold more than half of the world’s oil reserve and is therefore of particular strategic interest to the US. The US foreign policy so far has succeeded in countering the rise of Iran as a regional power in the gulf. First, the American’s have established military pacts with six Gulf States allowing them to maintain military bases inside their territory. Secondly, the America runs a military assistance program with the Gulf States aimed at building their capacities to react to threats posed by Iran. On the downside, American foreign policy in the gulf has done little to ensure it gulf allies keep an impeccable human rights and good governance record. Secondly, the US has failed to gain popular support among the Muslim populace of the Gulf countries due to its continued support of Israel which is accused of persecuting the people of Palestine. References Bâli, A and Rana, A 2010, American overreach: strategic interests and millennial ambitions in the Middle East, Geopolitics, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 210-238. Barzegar, K 2010, Balance of Power in the Persian Gulf: An Iranian View, Middle East Policy, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 74-87. Degang, S 2010, The US Military Bases in the Gulf Cooperation Council States: Dynamics of Readjustment, Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (in Asia) Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 44 Indyk, MS, Lieberthal, KG & O'Hanlon, ME 2012, Scoring Obama's Foreign Policy: A Progressive Pragmatist Tries to Bend History. Foreign Aff., vol. 91,pp. 29. Knapp, P 2010, The Gulf States in the Shadow of Iran, Middle East Quarterly. Leffler, MP 2003, 9/11 and the past and future of American foreign policy, International Affairs, vol. 79, no. 5, pp. 1045-1063 Nuruzzaman, M 2013, Politics, Economics and Saudi Military Intervention in Bahrain, Journal of Contemporary Asia, (ahead-of-print), pp. 1-16. Russell, JA 2010, Extended Deterrence, Security Guarantees, and Nuclear Weapons: US Strategic and Policy Conundrums in the Gulf, Perspectives on Extended Deterrence. Yang, J 2007, Iraq-Iran Conundrums and US Strategic Options in the Gulf Region. Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies (in Asia) Vol 1, no. 1, pp. 20. Read More