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The Formative Moments That Shaped the Gulf Arab Militaries

The evolution of the Gulf Arab armies is best understood by highlighting some of their key formative moments and sociocultural foundations.

Zoltan Barany العربية switch to english
The Formative Moments That Shaped the Gulf Arab Militaries
Saudi security forces take part in a military parade in preparation for the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, September 17, 2015. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Executive Summary

The six monarchies of the Gulf region, though still somewhat marginalized in general studies on the Middle East and North Africa, have become arguably the most politically, economically, and strategically consequential countries in the Arab world in recent decades. The militaries of these states have continued to expand and some – especially those of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – have become active participants in regional conflicts.

The evolution of the Gulf Arab armies is best understood by highlighting some of their key formative moments and sociocultural foundations. This paper examines six of these – tribalism, King Abdulaziz al-Saud and the Ikhwan, the British legacy, the formation of the UAE and its United Defense Force, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and the Arab Spring uprisings – and
assesses their relevance for the present and future.

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Zoltan Barany

is the Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Centennial Professor of Government at the University of Texas and a (non-resident) senior associate of the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.

The views represented herein are the author’s or speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of AGSIW, its staff, or its board of directors.

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