ABSTRACT
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) survived the Gulf crisis relatively unscathed, and at the conclusion of the crisis was able to see Iraq’s military might eroded. With the danger of regional havoc removed, the UAE could well anticipate a calmer, secure region. The country now readopted a pragmatic line of decision making on crucial matters. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was a bitter blow for the UAE, which was still in the process of developing an atmosphere of stability and economic confidence in the aftermath of the Iraqi-Iranian War. The UAE took a share in the military burden, albeit on a much smaller scale. The Gulf crisis influenced the UAE’s behavior in the Arab arena. The only voice heard throughout the war to mirror the UAE’s attitude came from Abu Dhabi, the capital. The postwar era allowed the UAE to enter into a process of carving out a more prominent economic role for itself in the region.
