The Gulf Cooperation Council between Unity and Discord towards the Arab Uprisings

Abstract

The Gulf Cooperation Council, founded in 1981 by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, does not focus on economic, political or military cooperation. Instead, the GCC was established as a symbolic organisation of unity against the ideational threat from antimonarchical Iranian and Iraqi ideologies. The Arab uprisings pose a new dire ideational threat: popular protests toppling authoritarian leaders. As I analyse in three case studies, the GCC does not reflect a united stance amongst its members and has become a symbol of discord.

Turkey-Uae Bilateral Relations: Interdependency in Causes of Conflict Reconciliation

“…The UAE, on the other hand, established the Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1982 along with other Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman) against the general threat of Iran. These countries, which previously had conflictual relations due to border issues, had to cooperate in facing the common threat of Iran (Berger, 2014).…”

The GCC in Crisis: Explorations of ‘Normlessness’ in Gulf Regionalism

“…Measured against a Charter and declarations that speak to their internal history, bonds, tribal solidarity and Islamic membership, the GCC states repeatedly appear to disregard their own norms. This created discord, even years before the blockade/crisis (Berger 2014).…”