Opinion Editorials, January 2008
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Arab Gulf Region And The Giant Powers, Part IX: Western Settlers And The Singapore Paradigm
By Ali Al-Hail
ccun.org, January 7, 2008
I. Summary Of Part VIII:
In part VIII, I addressed and analyzed why China might be a potential alternative to the US-led-Western powers in the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region. Since the US-led-Western states' credibility has long, been facing a serious crisis or even crises in the region mainly, because of its partiality, prejudice and bias in favor of Israel, the search for an alternative has become a strategic necessity to the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region. However, the US-led-Western powers have been attempting since the GCC states 'official' independence to block any chance for non-Western powers to possibly, replace them. The long term goal is –the statement to the obvious- to dominate and monopolize the proclaimed richest region in oil, gas and other sustainable sources. Having said that, China, being aware of this reality, had begun to follow an intelligent quiet diplomacy to gradually, become a trustworthy partner to the GCC states and hopefully, an alterative to the US-led-West, whose presence in the region has forcefully, been inflicted upon the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region apparently, because of an observable absence of an alternative. To an extent, China has succeeded to bridge the divide with the GCC states albeit, US-led-Western propaganda, moral judgment and stereotypes related to geo-theological and ideological differences. The equation has been diagnosed by many analysts as follows; China is looking for a sustainable energy security which the GCC states can provide, while the GCC states need China's good but low-priced goods and products that, China is able to reciprocate. In this part, the US-led-West's arm sales to the GCC states as a means of generating cash, the Western settlements in the Arab Gulf region and the Singapore paradigm presumably, planned for he region will be discussed.
II. Costly Sacrifices:
Despite its pubic rhetoric, the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region have increasingly, been at odds with the US-led-West's policies, both over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and on the need for avoiding a possible air strike against Iran. On both issues, the GCC states have assuredly, been firm that, the US-led-Western powers tend to conduct a double standard policy in favor of Israel.
Apparently, from this perspective, the State of Qatar, invited in an unprecedented initiative, Mahmoud Ahmadi Njad, the Iranian president to participate at the GCC annual conference in Doha, earlier last month. Further, the State of Bahrain, invited more than 30 states, including the USA and Iran for a security conference during late November last year.
The conference called on all concerned to halt activities which could lead to threatening security and stability in the GCC states of the Arab Gulf Region. This conference has widely, been observed as another slam to the Bush Administration after the US intelligence report, had testified that Iran gave up its nuclear bomb in 2003.
Despite the report, the US defense Secretary, Robert Gates' claim that, Iran not Israel which poses a potential threat to GCC security, was perceived in the region as hilarious. Many understood the US assertion as an attempt to sell a several hundred billions dollar missile network to the GCC states.
This conference which was held under the banner of 'Manama Dialogue', came after perceivably, a successful head of state visit by Ahmadi Nejad, the Iranian president to Bahrain. During his visit, he satisfied the Bahraini authorities that, Iran had no intention to manufacture a nuclear bomb. Ahmadi Nejad also, maintained that unlike Israel, Iran's nuclear program is utilized for peaceful means. As such, Iran is no threat to the region. On the contrary, President Nejad offered his country's nuclear services to the region.
Additionally, the US intelligence report about the Iranian nuclear program inspired King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to invite Ahmadi Nejad to Saudi Arabia for performing pilgrimage. Many argue that, this invitation reinforces the credibility crisis the US policies suffers in the Middle East.
Basically, because of its double standard policy in favor to Israel. Long, US policies accumulated notions of bitter and acrimonious sentiments amongst Arabs and Muslims.
Whether or whether not, the US intelligence report, was authorized by the Bush administration as a kind of roles division, had been highly, allegeable.
However, according to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat that, "there is no doubt our international reputation has suffered and been stained". His statement was in a reference to the Bush Administration's policy of double standard and other practices such as, those methods of interrogations pertaining to 'Muslim' detainees.
The latter emerged in the news as a huge embarrassment to the Bush administration. The CIA's destroying of interrogation videos have as said by US Democrats and others, profoundly, bruised the US name abroad (BBC Online, December 14th, 2007).
As indicated by Senator Hoyer and many more others that, the usage of drowning simulation, electrocution, water boarding, sensory deprivation, mock execution, the use of attack dogs, the induction of hypothermia and the withholding of food, water or medical care, are paradoxical to Geneva conventions. According to Hoyer that, the Bush administration had blurred the line "between legitimate, sanctioned interrogation tactics and torture".
More significantly, these illegal interrogation methods are absolutely, found in contradiction with the US declared principles about human rights, freedom and democracy. Hence, the Bush administration found itself in a huge credibility threatening dilemma.
Yet, once more again, the latter was clearly, reinforced by the Bush administration, just hours after Annapolis Mideast conference. In a blatant manifestation of partiality, the Bush administration drew its draft resolution from the Security Council, pertaining to compel Israel to a timetable. According to many analysts that, such an action would lead to the outcomes of Annapolis' conference to collapse.
Had it been so, it would have encouraged the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region to look for an alternative. As, their tolerance with the US-led-Western powers, already appears to hang in the balance. China, for the reasons discussed in the preceding part, could potentially, be an alternative.
According to a Singaporean-Chinese originated-Doha-based- Businessman, China has already done its steps towards being an alternative to the West. Tay Khoosong, believes that, in thirty years (30) from now China is expected to have made its breakthrough in the Arab Gulf region.
Chinese language of Main land China, the Mandarin, according to him would be amongst the spoken languages in the Arab Gulf region. Tay Khoonong has referred to Chinese attempts to offer scholarships to young generations of the Arab Gulf region to learn Chinese in China during summer vacations (Tay Khoonong, November 26th, 2007, Private).
Therefore, the current standoff between the US-led-Western powers and Iran over its 'alleged' nuclear program, has highlighted the GCC states of the Arab Gulf region's unease at their continued military dependence on Western powers. It has also, began to alert the GCC states to look for other alternatives upon which they could depend militarily. Arguably, this is the price, Arab Gulf region has to pay because they are small (with the exception of Saudi Arabia), and oil-rich while almost militarily, powerless.
Though, the US-led-West 'customarily', provides persistently, the ultimate security umbrella for the Arab Gulf region evidently, for their own strategic motives, in the obvious absence of other alternatives, this security has never been without sacrifices on almost entirely, every aspect of life in the Arab Gulf region. As a matter of fact, the sacrifices have been costly and observably, never-ending.
On one hand, the US-led-Western powers profit hugely, from the bulk of regional arm sales, that are made under the US-led-West's brainwashing propaganda machine that, the war with Iran is imminent while on the other, the US in particular, keeps military basis in most of the GCC states which is, extremely, a sensitive issue. Despite the two trillion or so dollar weapons worth, the GCC states are thought to have purchased from the US-led-Western powers since as early, as 'independence' (most people think this 'independence' is merely, superficial) in the beginning of the 1970's, believably, for only, parading and frightening their own people, yet, during November, the US announced that, it will sell more than $20 billion worth of weaponries to the GCC states.
Many perceive the resources of the Arab Gulf region especially, the oil and gas as tools of securing US-led-Western powers' economies and guarantors to its estimated 25 million employees at its arms industry. One presumes, as do many that, the US attempts to makeup through this new declared arm sales and the recent ones for (as a counterbalance) the $1.5 trillion, the two wars on Afghanistan and Iraq slashed its already deficit budget.
III. Western Settlers:
Additionally, most of the Arab Gulf region is seen to have become Western settlements, in which thousands of Westerners live in free hold newly, built elegant tall towers, and luxury compounds. These settlements have, for some time now been a focus of resentment by locals, whose houses and standard of living generally, are underdeveloped by comparison.
What worsens the resentment is that, these cultural Western exodus bring, amongst other things with them their detailed cultures e.g., the regionally conceived 'indecent' 'dress code' and their other ways of life in mostly, conservative muscular Muslim societies. According to Dr. Abdullah Al-nofaisi, these settlements aren't random, but rather planed by the US-led-West and imposed upon the GCC states (an interview with Al Jazeera TV, November 15h).
Further, the foreign most notably, Asian work force in the Arab Gulf region that is presumably, encouraged by the US-led-West, has seriously, been giving the GCC states an incentive to be most concerned. As, apparently, nowadays, the ratio of Arab Gulf region( including indigenous) citizens to non Arab Gulf is 1-8, according to Dubai-based research center.
IV. The Singapore Paradigm:
As Dr. Al-nofaisi said it in his Al Jazeera interview, these settlers could create another Singapore paradigm in the Arab Gulf region. As, Singapore was a part of the Muslim Malaya (the old name of Malaysia), the English colonizers shipped millions of Chinese settlers who were told by the English since they were a majority and the Malayans (the indigenous) were a minority to call for separating Singapore.
And that precisely, what happened. Al-nofaisi, warned against such a scenario. Al-nofaisi believes that, some of Arab Gulf region states (he specified Dubai), has almost entirely, the same situation as was Singapore. He refers apparently, to the observation that, the ratio of Dubai indigenous population to non Dubaians is estimated at 1-10.
V. Israel's Proposal To Occupy The Oil Wells:
Dr. Al-nofaisi asked if Israel decides to occupy the oil wells now, who will be able to stop it? He made a reference to a work paper of 1975 (32 years ago) presented by Israel to the US to occupy the oil wells in the Arab Gulf region. The US then didn't approve of it as the time wasn't suitable. The Israeli proposal came after late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia cutoff oil supply to the US-led-West.
Many Argue that, Israel is a synonymous to the US-led-Western powers. As a result, whenever a reference is made of the US-led-Western powers in the Arab Gulf region, this necessarily, includes Israel despite denial, confusion and manipulation. Hence, it's observed that, if the aim of the US-led-Western powers in the Arab Gulf region is not for serving the Israeli purposes, it is certainly, one of the fundamental aims.
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Professor, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication, Twice Fulbright
Award Winner, Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Vice-President Of Qatar Fulbright Group, and Board Member of AUSACE, ASC, IABD, NEBAA, BEA, IMDA and EAJMC American Associations.
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