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The Gulf Region
"“I am very concerned that there is absolutely no way to de-escalate this,” said Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank in London. “I don’t see how a deal can be made at the current time unless something dramatic changes.” "
Arab Nations Demand Qatar Shut Al Jazeera, Cut Islamist Ties and Detail Funding
In The News, 23 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
"The suggestions are that, as before, this crisis will quickly pass. But the increased focus this spat has brought to the financing of terrorism and extremist ideology will endure and, however unreasonable it believes this to be, Doha can expect to remain the centre of intense suspicion. "
Why Qatar is the focus of terrorism claims
In The News, 13 June 2017 Tags: Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies, AML/CTF, The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
"That leaves it with one unpalatable solution. “The way out of this for Qatar is to expel the Muslim Brotherhood, close down Al Jazeera Arabic and end its support for the Muslim Brotherhood,” Stephens says. In the process, and with Trump’s support, Saudi Arabia may just succeed in altering the Gulf’s status quo forever. "
Saudis back Qatar into a corner
In The News, 9 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues
What is Behind Qatar–Gulf Tensions?
Multimedia, 8 June 2017
Why is Qatar facing censure and sanctions from its Gulf neighbours? RUSI Research Fellow Michael Stephens helps explain.
Tags: The Gulf Region
"But Trump’s comments have also thrown a wrench into his country’s foreign policy, since Qatar hosts U.S. military and aircraft. And the true reason for Saudi Arabia’s move appears to be a regional “power play” that was enabled in part by Trump’s visit, Middle East expert H.A. Hellyer said. Qatar is now left with two options, according to Hellyer: Tow the Saudi line and abandon support for the Muslim Brotherhood, or forge a closer alliance with Iran. "
Qatar in a bind
In The News, 7 June 2017 Tags: The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
"“It won’t happen immediately,” he said. “But the Saudi Islamic Arab coalition could fall apart and, maybe, if the situation continues we might see the first steps of replacing US protection in Qatar for Turkish protection.” "
Qatar crisis: Turkish parliament approves troop deployment
In The News, 7 June 2017 Tags: The Gulf Region, Middle East and North AfricaPages
Could Trump Usher in the Elusive GCC Missile Defence Shield?
Commentary, 8 March 2017Anthony Ricketts
Donald Trump’s demand that US allies pay more for their own defence may push the Gulf States towards more military cooperation.
The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
Peace Talks Still the Main Game in Town
Commentary, 14 May 2015Emily Winterbotham
While talks in Doha between the Taliban and Afghan government were downplayed and big hurdles remain, there were some small signs of progress, which could help kick start the Afghan peace process.
Afghanistan, The Gulf Region, Global Strategy and Commitments, International Security Studies, Global Security Issues, Central and South Asia, Middle East and North Africa
An Arab Army – The Rise of Interventionism in the Middle East
Commentary, 30 March 2015Tobias Borck
With Yemen in crisis, the announcement of a joint Arab military force indicates a new direction for Middle East regional security dynamics.
The Gulf Region, Global Strategy and Commitments, International Security Studies, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
The Emerging Military Dimension to the Qatari-Turkish Relationship
Commentary, 16 March 2015David Roberts
The latest military agreement between Qatar and Turkey has been a long-time in the making. It is also an expression of dated defence thinking in Gulf states that looks to military purchases and agreements with foreign powers rather than sustainable capacity building.
Turkey, Equipment and Acquisitions, The Gulf Region, Military Sciences, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, Europe, Middle East and North Africa
Britain and the Gulf States
Commentary, 7 November 2012Mohammed Shakeel
The UK Prime Minister’s visit to the Gulf region was dominated by the need to solidify defence ties and repair recently strained political relations.
The Gulf Region, UK Defence, Middle East and North AfricaPages
What is Behind Qatar–Gulf Tensions?
Multimedia, 8 June 2017Why is Qatar facing censure and sanctions from its Gulf neighbours? RUSI Research Fellow Michael Stephens helps explain.
Tags: The Gulf Region
The Conflict in Yemen: The Coalition Perspective
Multimedia, 21 March 2016Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Assiri, spokesman of the Arab coalition, gives a briefing on the current Saudi-led military operation in Yemen. Chaired by Sir Simon Mayall.
Tags: The Gulf Region
Defence Industry and the Reinvigorated UK-UAE Security Relationship
Occasional Papers, 11 June 2013John Louth, Pierre Bontems, Bouchra Carlier and Axel Pilotti
With talk of renewed vigour to the UK-UAE relationship, a new paper examines the potential defence-industrial implications
Defence, Industries and Society, Occasional Papers, The Gulf Region, Defence Policy, UK
The Language of Jihad: Narratives and Strategies of Al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula
Whitehall Reports, 6 January 2012Benedict Wilkinson and Jack Barclay
Despite recent setbacks for the terrorist organisation, AQAP's communications strategy suggests a new model for global jihadist mobilisation
Whitehall Reports, National Security and Resilience Studies, The Gulf Region, Terrorism
Gulf Security: Opportunities and Challenges for the New Generation (WHP 51)
Whitehall Papers, 3 January 2000Sean McKnight, Neil Partrick and Fransis Toase
Whitehall Papers, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
The Changing Military Balance in the Gulf (WHP 38)
Whitehall Papers, 7 January 1996Andrew Rathmell
The aim of this Whitehall Paper is to study the changing capabilities of the Gulf’s military forces and to assess what impact force building plans may have on the regional military balance.
Aerospace, Air Power and Technology, Whitehall Papers, Iran, The Gulf Region, Iraq, Land Operations, Defence Policy, Land Forces, Maritime Forces, Middle East and North Africa
Gulf Security: No Consensus (WHP 20)
Whitehall Papers, 4 January 1993Rosemary Hollis
It is only comparatively recently that the present configuration of independent states in the Gulf was established. This helps to explain the sensitivities of them all to the issue of external...
United States, Whitehall Papers, Iran, Americas, The Gulf Region, International Security Studies, Iraq, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North AfricaPages
Crises or opportunities? A reflection on the economic, political and security challenges to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Events, 16 May 2016A lecture by HRH Prince Turki al Faisal bin Abdulaziz al Saud on the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region.
The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
"“I am very concerned that there is absolutely no way to de-escalate this,” said Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank in London. “I don’t see how a deal can be made at the current time unless something dramatic changes.”"
Arab Nations Demand Qatar Shut Al Jazeera, Cut Islamist Ties and Detail Funding
In The News, 23 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
"The suggestions are that, as before, this crisis will quickly pass. But the increased focus this spat has brought to the financing of terrorism and extremist ideology will endure and, however unreasonable it believes this to be, Doha can expect to remain the centre of intense suspicion. "
Why Qatar is the focus of terrorism claims
In The News, 13 June 2017 Tags: Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies, AML/CTF, The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
"That leaves it with one unpalatable solution. “The way out of this for Qatar is to expel the Muslim Brotherhood, close down Al Jazeera Arabic and end its support for the Muslim Brotherhood,” Stephens says. In the process, and with Trump’s support, Saudi Arabia may just succeed in altering the Gulf’s status quo forever. "
Saudis back Qatar into a corner
In The News, 9 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues
"The closure of land borders and the disruption to air traffic will have serious consequences for the Qatari economy and its society that will quickly prove prohibitively expensive, even for a rich state like Qatar. And so, serious concessions will have to be made if relations in the GCC are to normalize to the usual levels of mutually suspicious friendship."
Why key Arab countries have cut ties with Qatar — and what Trump had to do with it
In The News, 7 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, United States, The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
"'Although the current situation is severe, the GCC will not emerge a fundamentally altered structure, nor will its collective deterrence be enhanced. More likely to emerge is the same slightly dysfunctional GCC structure, just with a quieter Qatar, more likely to play by the rules and tamp down its regional ambitions.'"
The GCC will ride out the storm
In The News, 7 June 2017 Tags: RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Global Security Issues
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