ABSTRACT
Saudi Arabia and the small, newly established Arab monarchies built their own Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1981, which was to create a regional order, but the operational capacity of the GCC as a provider of stability remained limited. Perceptions matter: whereas the Barack Obama administration occasionally expressed its frustration regarding the lack of Gulf investment in strategic affairs, the members of the GCC grew anxious about the US’s intention to leave the Middle East to pivot itself towards Asia. The narrative, finding great popularity in business circles, exaggerates the current scope of the emerging ties while understating the enduring Western presence in the Gulf. The narrative, finding great popularity in business circles, exaggerates the scope of the emerging ties while understating the enduring Western presence in the Gulf. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
