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Gulf Cooperation Council–United States relations

Gulf Cooperation Council
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The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council have maintained close bilateral, economic, and military relations since the GCC was founded in 1981. This is due to the United States' close relationship with the six-member states of the GCC, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite the U.S. not having formal membership in or representation to the GCC, the United States has chaired formal meetings with the GCC and both sides have been brought closer due to mutual hostility with Iran since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

History

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Background

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After the end of colonialism in the Middle East, particularly the French and British Empires granting independence to its former Arab colonies, the United States filled the void by exerting its influence in the region since World War II. Although the interests of the U.S., such as expanding human rights and democracy across the world, don't align with the member states of the GCC, they have shared the same geopolitical interests since the Cold War which was to prevent the expansion of Communism by the Soviet Union and the newly installed anti-American regime in Iran following the Iranian Revolution. Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution and the first Supreme Leader of Iran, called for the overthrow of the American-backed monarchies in the Gulf amplifying the fears of the Arab regimes in the Gulf that they would meet a similar fate as Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. This added a sectarian element as they perceived the rise of a theocratic Iran after the 1979 revolution with a Shia leader would inspire Shia's in the predominantly Sunni Gulf Arab states would seek the removal of the Sunni leaders. Another culminating factor was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.[1]

In 1981, the Gulf Cooperation Council was founded to counter these events to unite Arab nations as according to the founding charter of the Council, "Having the conviction that coordination, cooperation, and integration between them serve the sublime objectives of the Arab nation.[1] And since then the United States and the GCC have formed a united front against Iran which continues to this very day.

Iran–Iraq War

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Barack Obama with Gulf Arab leaders after the Camp David summit on May 14, 2015.

Since the establishment of the GCC, the United States has worked closely with the GCC members in using diplomacy to help deescalate conflicts in the region. The GCC and the U.S. cooperated in support of Saddam Hussein of Iraq against Iran during the Iran–Iraq War.[2] The GCC member states heavily relied on the United States for arms support while maintaining relations with Iran, but opted to support Iraq.

Support for Iraq came in various ways. The United States provided Iraq several billion dollars worth of economic aid, the sale of dual-use technology, non-U.S. origin weaponry, military intelligence, and special operations training.[3][4] However, no direct arms support was given.[5] Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates provided mainly financial support to Iraq. Oman on the other hand remained neutral as it maintained relations with both Iran and Iraq calling for diplomacy and supported UN Security Council resolutions to end the conflict.[6] Although in 1980, one year prior to the establishment of the GCC, Oman considered allowing Iraq to use military bases in the country to attack Iran, but backed away after the U.S. objected.[7]


https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep11893?seq=11#metadata_info_tab_contents (November 2, 2021)

Reagan administration

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George H.W. Bush administration

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Gulf War

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After the end of the Iran–Iraq War, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia owned much of Iraq's debt. Saudi Arabia loaned somewhere between twenty to twenty-six billion while Kuwait had loaned $14 billion.[8] Saddam Hussein begged both countries to forgive the debt, but they refused. In response to their refusal, Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait prompting the launch of the Gulf War. Once again, the GCC relied on the United States for support to liberate Kuwait and restore order in the region. The Gulf War was launched on January 17, 1991, until February 28, which resulted in a resounding defeat for Saddam Hussein. One hundred hours after the ground campaign started, on 28 February, President George H. W. Bush declared a ceasefire, and he also declared that Kuwait had been liberated.[9]

Clinton administration

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  • [1] March 19, 2023
  • [2] March 19, 2023

George W. Bush administration

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  • Secretary of State/other meetings
    • November 11, 2001
    • April 21, 2008

Obama administration

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President Barack Obama, CIA Director John Brennan and King Salman of Saudi Arabia at the GCC–U.S. Summit in Riyadh on 21 April 2016.

U.S.-GCC Strategic Cooperation Forum

On May 14, 2015, President Barack Obama hosted a summit with the leaders of the GCC countries and the organization at Camp David. The day prior, the Gulf leaders were invited to the White House before visiting Camp David.[10] And during May 13, Obama held direct talks with then-Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, Muhammad bin Nayef, and then-Deputy Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.[11]

During the summit the Obama administration considered designating Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Qatar as Major non-Nato allies. A designation already granted to GCC members Bahrain and Kuwait by the George W. Bush administraion in 2002 and 2004 respectively.[12]

7 April 2016 and April 21

    • January 12, 2011
    • September 23, 2011
    • March 5, 2015
    • April 6, 2015 (Antony Blinken)
    • May 8, 2015
    • September 30, 2015
    • Janaury 23, 2016
    • April 21, 2016
    • July 18, 2016
    • September 11, 2014

Trump administration

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Secretary Mike Pompeo with the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)+2 Ministerial during the UN General Assembly on September 24, 2019.

Biden administration

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Antony Blinken meets with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nations during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City on September 23, 2021.

July 16/17, 2022

Economic relations

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On September 27, 2012, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced a deal was reached between the United States and the GCC called the Framework Agreement for Trade, Economic, Investment and Technical Cooperation between the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the Government of the United States of America. The agreement called for to supplement and build upon the existing individual trade agreements the member states have signed with the U.S.[13] The agreement was signed on September 25 during the Sixty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly.[14]

In April 2014, the U.S.-GCC Business Initiative was launched to further expand on the economic relations between the U.S. and the GCC.[15]

Military cooperation

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US-GCC defense minister forum

In December 2013, then-Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel announced that the United States would sell weapons to the GCC nations to strengthen collective defense capabilities with the aim of the organization to purchase American weapons as a collective than as individual states. The sale was to grow security cooperation in the region. Hagel described the sale as, "This is a natural next step in improving U.S.-GCC collaboration and it will enable the GCC to acquire critical military capabilities, including items for ballistic missile defense, maritime security and counterterrorism".[16]

On May 14, 2014, Hagel held talks with his GCC counterparts at the US-GCC defense minister forum in Riyadh. This was the first such forum since 2008. The meeting primarily revolved around reinforcing the capabilities of the GCC on missile defense, cyber security, and air and maritime security.[17] Hagel assured the GCC that a deal with Iran over its nuclear program wouldn't result in a decrease in military support.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Matthew D. Scott (2016). "Evolution of the Gulf, U.S.-Gulf Relations, and Prospects for the Future". Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Rubin, Bary (1989). "The Gulf States and the Iran-Iraq War". The Iran-Iraq War:Impact and Implications. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-48685-6.
  3. ^ Friedman, Alan. Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq, Bantam Books, 1993.
  4. ^ Timmerman, Kenneth R. The Death Lobby: How the West Armed Iraq. New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1991.
  5. ^ Byrne, Malcolm (2013). "Critical Oral History: A new approach to examining the United States' role in the war". The Iran-Iraq War: New International Perspectives. Routledge. ISBN 9780415685245.
  6. ^ Hiro, Dilip (1989). The Longest War: The Iran-Iraq Military Conflict. Routledge. ISBN 0415904072.
  7. ^ "September 27, 1980 Telegram from the American Embassy in Muscat to the secretary of State, 'Oman to give Iraq access to facilities for attack on Iran'" (PDF). Wilson Center Digital Archive. September 27, 1980. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "On this day in 1990: The world decides to stop Saddam Hussein's forces marauding around Kuwait". The Daily Telegraph. November 3, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "February 27, 1991: Address on the End of the Gulf War". Miller Center. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "President Obama Greets Gulf Cooperation Council Leaders". C-SPAN. May 13, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  11. ^ "Obama Hails US-Saudi Ties". Voice of America. May 13, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "U.S. may raise Arab states to 'major' ally status". Politico. May 14, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  13. ^ "U.S. & GCC sign Framework Agreement for Trade and Economic Cooperation in NYC". U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council. September 27, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  14. ^ "Framework Agreement for Trade, Economic, Investment and Technical Cooperation between the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and the Government of the United States of America" (PDF). Office of the United States Trade Representative. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  15. ^ "Overview". U.S.-GCC Business Initiative. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  16. ^ "Chuck Hagel: U.S. to Sell Weapons to the Gulf Cooperation Council as a Group". ExecutiveGov. December 9, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  17. ^ "Hagel's Meeting with GCC Defense Ministers: How to Measure Results". Atlantic Council. May 14, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  18. ^ "Hagel Assures Gulf Allies of Continued U.S. Military Presence". The Wall Street Journal. May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
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United States Category:Foreign relations of the United States Category:United States–Middle Eastern relations Category:Bahrain–United States relations Category:Kuwait–United States relations Category:Oman–United States relations Category:Saudi Arabia–United States relations Category:United Arab Emirates–United States relations Category:Iran–United States relations Category:Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

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