Who Can Secure Shipping Lines in the Gulf? | Inside Story

'Sabotaged and significantly damaged'. Saudi Arabia says two of its oil tankers have been attacked off the coast of the UAE. Riyadh has also called on the international community to protect maritime navigation.

The incidents happened off the coast of Fujairah. The Emirate denied reports of explosions at its port on Sunday. But the Emirati government later said four commercial ships flagged under several nationalities had been hit - although there were no injuries or deaths. The attack was condemned by several countries, including Iran.

What does it mean for global oil supplies?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan | Guests: Mahjoob Zweiri, Director of the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University; Manouchehr Takin, Senior Analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies; Elias Farhat, retired military general and defence analyst

Inside Story: Trying to End the Gulf Dispute

It was their first phone call since diplomatic relations were cut and a land, sea and air blockade imposed more than three months ago.

The Emir of Qatar and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia talked by phone on Friday. But hopes of a breakthrough were quickly put on hold, along with more talks, apparently because of a dispute about protocol.

The setback followed Donald Trump's offer to help end the crisis. What went wrong?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Abdullah Baabood - Director Gulf Study Center, Qatar University; Mohammed Jaham Abdulaziz Al Kuwari - Qatar's Ambassador to Spain; Andreas Krieg, Assistant Professor, Defence Studies Department, King's College London.

Inside Story - What's Behind the Diplomatic Breakdown in the Gulf?

What's behind the diplomatic breakdown in the Gulf? – Inside Story This time it's more than just recalling ambassadors. Land and sea borders have been closed. On top of that, major airlines are cancelling flights to and from Doha. And Qatar residents have two weeks to leave the Gulf states in question.

Qatari leaders say they’re astonished at what they call the unjustified decision by seven countries to cut diplomatic relations. A cabinet statement said the aim is to strip Qatar of its sovereign decisions. The Foreign Ministry said: 'The aim is clear and it is to impose guardianship on the state. This by itself is a violation of Qatar's sovereignty as a state. So, how far will this crisis go? And what will mean for the Gulf Cooperation Council? | Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria | Guests: Abdulaziz Alhorr, Academic, researcher and contributor to the book: 'Policy-making in transformative state: The Case of Qatar'; Mahjoob Zweiri, Associate Professor in contemporary history of the Middle East, Qatar University; David Hearst, Editor in chief of Middle East Eye

British Prime Minister Seeks GCC Trade Deals

Britain's prime minister, Theresa May, is in Saudi Arabia for a two-day visit.

As Britain leaves the European Union, her trip is aiming to strengthen trade and security ties in the Gulf,

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra reports.

Iran's Advances Create Alarm in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

THE GUARDIAN: Arabs believe Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and Sana’a are in effect under Iranian control – and power may shift further if US sanctions are eased

The commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been working overtime recently, flaunting their achievements across the Middle East and flexing muscles as international negotiations over the country’s nuclear programme enter their critical and perhaps final phase.

On Wednesday it was the turn of Major-General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the IRGC’s most senior officer. “The Islamic revolution is advancing with good speed, its example being the ever-increasing export of the revolution,” he declared. “Not only Palestine and Lebanon acknowledge the influential role of the Islamic Republic but so do the people of Iraq and Syria. They appreciate the nation of Iran.”

Last month a similarly boastful message was delivered by General Qassem Suleimani, who leads the IRGC’s elite Quds force — and who is regularly photographed leading the fightback of Iraqi Shia miltias against the Sunni jihadis of the Islamic State (Isis) as well as against western and Arab-backed rebels fighting Bashar al-Assad in southern Syria. “Imperialists and Zionists have admitted defeat at the hands of the Islamic Republic and the resistance movement,” Suleimani said.

Iran’s advances are fuelling alarm in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, where Tehran has been a strategic rival since the days of the Shah, and which now, it is said with dismay, in effect controls four Arab capitals – Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut and in the last month Sana’a in Yemen – which is uncomfortably close to home. » | Ian Black Middle East editor | Additional reporting by Saeed Kamali Dheghan | Friday, March 13, 2015

Britain's Ambitions in the Gulf Suffer Blow as UAE Rejects Typhoon Deal

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Doubts over Britain's resolve to project power in the Middle East mean that all the 'family silver' on offer fails to land the contract - with France the likely winner

David Cameron’s ambition to revive Britain’s ties with the Gulf, involving 230 ministerial visits to the region since 2010, was in disarray yesterday after the United Arab Emirates decided against a multi-billion pound deal to buy Typhoon fighters.

The blow came despite a sustained diplomatic effort, including two visits to the UAE by Mr Cameron, a State Visit from the Queen and an agreement to waive visas for any UAE citizens entering Britain from Jan 1.

In addition, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, the president of the UAE, paid a State Visit to Britain in April.

“We put out the family silver for them and we still failed,” said Jonathan Eyal, the international director of the Royal United Services Institute.

Reviving Britain’s historic relationship with the Gulf has been a central priority for Mr Cameron. » | David Blair, Chief Foreign Correspondent | Friday, December 20, 2013

My comment:

Is this a case of BAE Systems getting its comeuppance for the sh***y way they have dealt with many of their employees over the years? They have ridden rough shod over many, I am sorry to say. – © Mark

We Must Look After Our Allies East of Suez

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain should act to stop Russia replacing the US in the affections of the Arab world

It is now more than 40 years since Denis Healey, the Labour defence secretary at the time, ordered the withdrawal of British forces located east of the Suez Canal in a futile attempt to balance the government’s books.

If few could dispute the economic imperative that necessitated a dramatic reduction in Britain’s global presence, the decision came as a particularly cruel blow to the Gulf Arabs, most of whom cherished their long-standing ties with Britain which, in many cases, dated back to the early 19th century.

With London no longer able to protect them, the Americans quickly filled the void, and the arrival of the US 5th Fleet – which today has more warships than the entire Royal Navy – to take over the Bahrain naval base vacated by British forces in 1971 aptly symbolised our humiliating retreat from empire. Until recently, the Pax Americana has admirably served the Gulf region’s interests, whether protecting it from the threat posed by the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein or the more sinister designs of the ayatollahs menacing the Arab regimes from the opposite shores of the Gulf.

But, thanks to the Obama administration’s woeful disregard for the concerns of its erstwhile allies, the entire future of the Western alliance’s relationship with the Gulf region is now under threat. Read on and comment » | Con Coughlin | Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Engulfed by Weapons: Germany Under Fire as Arm Exports to Gulf Nations Triple

Germany recently came under an avalanche of criticism over a multi-billion dollar arms deals it sealed with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations who also have a questionable human rights record. Activists also claim German-made small arms, ammunition and military vehicles were commonly used by Middle Eastern and North African regimes to suppress peaceful demonstrations. Adam Coogle from Human Rights Watch says that Germany should give up its business ambitions in the Gulf.

Inside Story: Crossing the Gulf's Red Lines?
As dissenting voices are silenced in the region, we ask if this is suppression of speech or the legitimate use of law.

David Cameron Defends Arms Deals with Gulf States
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is "legitimate and right" as autocratic countries have a right to self defence, David Cameron has said.

The Prime Minister defended military deals with Gulf states, as he launched a major push to equip them with British-made Typhoon fighter jets on a three day visit to the region.
Mr Cameron's candid stance on arms sales - which is un[u]sual for Prime Ministers - was criticised by human rights campaigners. Amnesty International UK's head of policy and government affairs Allan Hogarth said: "Selling arms to countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE should only be considered if there are absolutely watertight guarantees over them not being used to commit human rights violations.

"Saudi Arabia has been the recipient of record-breaking arms deals involving the UK, yet these have been highly secretive and there's been little or no follow-up over how the weaponry was used."

Amnesty said that in 2009 the Saudi air force used "UK-supplied Tornado fighter-bombers in attacks in Yemen which killed hundreds -possibly thousands - of civilians".

But speaking in Dubai before later visits to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Mr Cameron said: "We have one of the strictest regimes anywhere in the world for sales of defence equipment but we do believe that countries have a right to self-defence.

“We do believe countries have a right to defend themselves. And we do believe Britain has important defence industries that employ over 300,000 people and so that sort of business is completely legitimate and right." » | Monday, November 05, 2012

David Cameron Heads to Gulf in Bid to Sell Typhoon Fighter Jets

THE GUARDIAN: Low-key mission will also attempt to patch up relations with leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

David Cameron will embark on a low-key arms trip to the Gulf on Monday in an attempt to persuade regional powers upset by Britain's response to the Arab spring to buy more than 100 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. The deals could be worth more than £6bn to Britain.

The prime minister will fly to a major UAE military airbase on a mission to patch up relations with leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where major British businesses such as BP and BAE have important interests.

Cameron will join forces with senior political and military figures from the UAE to inspect Typhoons at Al Minhad airbase, which is used as an air bridge for British forces flying between the UK and Afghanistan. Britain hopes to persuade Gulf leaders to buy 100 Typhoons on top of the 72 bought by Saudi Arabia.

The looming confrontation between Iran and its regional adversaries will also feature heavily in Cameron's talks with leaders in the Sunni-dominated Gulf countries. Britain could base Typhoons, built by a European consortium that includes BAE Systems, in the UAE if relations with Tehran deteriorate.

The prime minister, who is irritated by claims that he uses his overseas trips to sell defence equipment to countries with questionable human rights records, has made arrangements to minimise the media coverage of the trip. » | Nicholas Watt and Ian Black | Monday, November 05, 2012

New Dark Age Alert! Destroy All Churches in the Arabian Peninsula – Saudi Grand Mufti

RT.COM: The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has said that all churches in the Arabian Peninsula must be destroyed. The statement prompted anger and dismay from Christians throughout the Middle East.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah made the controversial statement in a response to a question from a Kuwaiti NGO delegation. A Kuwaiti parliamentarian had called for a ban on the construction of new churches in February, but so far the initiative has not been passed into law. The NGO, called the Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage, asked the Sheikh to clarify what Islamic law says on the matter.

The Grand Mufti, who is the highest official of religious law in Saudi Arabia, as well as the head of the Supreme Council of Islamic Scholars, cited the Prophet Mohammed, who said the Arabian Peninsula is to exist under only one religion.

The Sheikh went on to conclude that it was therefore necessary for Kuwait, being a part of the Arabian Peninsula, to destroy all churches on its territory.

In February, Kuwaiti MP Osama al-Munawar announced on Twitter that he was planning to submit legislation that would remove all churches in the country. However, he later clarified that existing churches should remain, while the construction of new non-Islamic places of worship would be banned.

Another MP, Mohamemd Hayef, backed al-Munawar, saying the number of churches in the country was already disproportionate to the number of Christians.
As for Saudi Arabia, all religions other than Islam are banned and there are no churches, although a small minority of Christians is theoretically allowed to practice their religion in the privacy of their own home.

The Grand Mufti’s words have caused a heated response from Christians living in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and other countries throughout the Middle East. A number of bloggers also wrote on the issue. » | Friday, March 16, 2012

Does this give us carte blanche to destroy all the mosques in the West too? Think before you speak, you idiot!– © Mark

Con Coughlin: From Arab Spring to Boiling-hot Summer
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran is ruthlessly exploiting the pro-democracy movement for its own ends.

When the term “Arab Spring” entered the collective vocabulary this year, it was meant to encapsulate the youthful exuberance of the pro-democracy movements that had sprung up throughout the Middle East. After enduring decades of stultifying and repressive rule by the ancien re[é]gime, this was the moment that the region’s poor and dispossessed at last laid claim to certain basic rights, such as the freedom to express their political opinions, and to a more equal share of their nations’ wealth.

Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution quickly led to the overthrow of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, while in Egypt, mass protests forced the resignation of Hosni Mubarak.

Within weeks, the contagion was wreaking havoc throughout the region, threatening the ruling elites in such disparate countries as Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

Four months later, however, the worldwide enthusiasm that greeted this seemingly spontaneous outpouring of democratic fervour has been replaced by mounting concern at the way these protests have developed. In Egypt and Bahrain, as well as Libya and Syria, the hopes they inspired have been nipped firmly in the bud. Continue reading and comment » | Con Coughlin | Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Inside Story - The GCC's Rôle in Regional Conflicts
A Gulf mediation plan to resolve the Yemeni crisis raises concerns about the GCC's role in regional conflicts. Has the GCC lost credibility and could its regional role backfire?

Saudi Concerned by Regional Strife
The Sunni Muslim monarchy of Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and major US ally sits in the center of a region of turmoil

Bahrain: We Must Speak Out about Brutality in the Gulf
THE OBSERVER – EDITORIAL: To have different levels of tolerance for different despots raises awkward questions

One obvious lesson for the west from recent upheaval in the Middle East is that propping up authoritarian regimes on the grounds that they make stable allies is a terrible policy.

The stability procured by despotism is an illusion. Brittle police states can contain, but never satisfy, a captive people's appetite for better lives. Eventually, they shatter and the more rigid the apparatus of repression, the more explosive the change when it comes.

That has been demonstrated clearly enough in North Africa and yet the west struggles to apply the lesson to the Arabian Peninsula. The contagious spirit of democratic springtime that provoked protests in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya also reached Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia. But there the west has been markedly less inclined to cheer it on.

The Observer carries the chilling testimony of a young Bahraini caught up in the small Gulf kingdom's brutal crackdown on civil dissent. It is a story that struggles to be heard as foreign media are increasingly denied access to the country and the local press is muzzled.

As many as 30 people are thought to have been killed as anti-government demonstrations have been violently suppressed. Hundreds of protesters have been detained and employees have been dismissed from state-owned enterprises in a move to purge dissent.

As our report makes clear, the unrest is increasingly sectarian in character. The Khalifa royal family and ruling elite are Sunni, while the majority of the population is Shia. That religious, cultural and economic division was politicised before the current crackdown, with the main parliamentary opposition coming from Shia parties. The government has flirted with a plan to ban those groups on the grounds of "disrespect for constitutional institutions". There has been widespread intimidation and abuse of Shia communities, carried out in part by security forces "invited" from neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

It would be unfair to say that the violence carried out by Bahraini authorities has passed entirely without comment from the UK. There have been pained expressions of discomfort and urgings of restraint on all sides.

Elsewhere in the region, those noises were precursors to more robust language. But in the Gulf there is a subtle difference of tone. In a statement to Parliament, William Hague, foreign secretary, was keen to recognise "important political reforms" which he welcomed in the context of "the long friendship between Bahrain and the UK". » | Editorial | Sunday, April 17, 2011

Arab Spring Clearing Path for Iranians?
Apr 8, 2011 – How is Iran taking advantage of unrest?

Inside Story: Tensions in the Gulf
Internal unrest through the Arabian gulf.
 


But the country being painted as the aggressor is just 300 kilometres across the famous stretch of water - Iran.



The unrest is being billed as one between the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) nations and their Persian neighbour.



The foreign ministers of the six nations - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recently met in Riyadh. 



They released a statement criticising what they called Iran's blatant interference in internal affairs, particularly in Bahrain and Kuwait.

This comes after Iran's objection to Saudi Arabia sending in troops to Bahrain during the uprising there.
 


In return, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday the GCC statement was issued under the pressure of the US government and its allies.



This episode of Inside Story discusses what 'Iranian meddling' may or may not amount to, and just what the GCC and indeed Iran are achieving by ratcheting up the rhetoric at this time.



Inside Story, with presenter Kamahl Santamaria, discusses with guests: Hussein Shobokshi, a columnist for Asharq Alaw-sat newspaper; Ghanbar Naderi, a political commentator and jounalist; and Fahad Shulemi, a security analyst and a former colonel in the Kuwaiti army. 



This episode of Inside Story aired on Tuesday, April 5, 2011.

The Uprisings: Islam and the Arab Revolutions
THE ECONOMIST: Religion is a growing force in the Arab awakening. Westerners should hold their nerve and trust democracy

THE sight of corrupt old Arab tyrants being toppled at the behest of a new generation of young idealists, inspired by democracy, united by Facebook and excited by the notion of opening up to a wider world, has thrilled observers everywhere. Those revolutions are still in full swing, albeit at different points in the cycle. In Tunisia and Egypt they are going the right way, with a hopeful new mood prevailing and free elections in the offing. In Libya, Syria and Yemen dictators are clinging on to power, with varying degrees of success. And in the Gulf monarchs are struggling to fend off demands for democracy with oil-funded largesse topped by modest and grudging political concessions.

So far these revolts have appeared to be largely secular in character. Westerners have been quietly relieved by that. Not that they are all against religion. Many—Americans in particular—are devout. But by and large, they prefer their own variety to anybody else’s, and since September 11th 2001, they have been especially nervous about Islam.

Now, however, there are signs that Islam is a growing force in the Arab revolutions (see article). That makes secular-minded and liberal people, both Arabs and Westerners, queasy. They fear that the Arab awakening might be hijacked by the sort of Islamists who reject a pluralist version of democracy, oppress women and fly the flag of jihad against Christians and Jews. They worry that the murderous militancy that has killed 30,000 over the past four years in Pakistan (see article) may emerge in the Arab world too. Islam on the rise » | Leaders | Thursday, March 31, 2011

Al Qaeda to Obama: Thanks
THE WASHINGTON TIMES – EDITORIAL: Toppling Arab governments feeds Islamist revolution

President Obama’s advisers give him credit for energizing the Arab revolts and saving the Libyan rebels. For al Qaeda’s leadership, this is all a gift from Allah.

Al Qaeda central’s views are detailed in the latest issue of their English-language propaganda magazine Inspire, which features a special section on “The Revolution.” American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki writes in an essay entitled “The Tsunami of Change” that, “Our mujahideen brothers in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and the rest of the Muslim world will get a chance to breathe again after three decades of suffocation. For the scholars and activists of Egypt to be able to speak again freely, it would represent a great leap forward for the mujahideen.”

Al Qaeda has always recognized that the greatest obstacles to jihadist progress in the Middle East were what they call the “apostate regimes,” the generally pro-Western kings and authoritarian rulers who have kept a lid on violent extremists like al Qaeda and other groups. As these regimes totter and fall, the conditions are being created for the kind of radical change the Islamists have been working towards for decades. » | Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Related articles here and here