At the current stage, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are facing different strategic challenges and threats in terms of dimensions, effects and objectives, and the GCC countries succeeded in addressing some of these threats, as happened in brotherly Yemen, where the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia succeeded in stopping the Houthi crawl backed by militias of the ousted Ali Abdullah Saleh and Iran, which was aimed at controlling the Yemeni state to implement the Iranian will and plan to tighten the strategic control over the GCC countries.
The regional environment around us has witnessed, during the last few years and until now, what might be described as an impressive jostle of strategic threats. There is the risk of terrorist organizations and groups scattered in several countries around us, including Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen, and there are spots of geographic spread of terrorism that are expandable and capable of incursions in other important Arab countries, and there are clear expansive plans and projects on the part of regional powers such as Turkey and Iran, and there are unremitting efforts from Arab political and intellectual currents that consider with hostility the developmental experience of the GCC countries only because this experience does not raise the ideological slogans adopted by these historically extinct currents. The patrons of these currents in the world are rethinking their ideas and some of them abandoned them in the face of the tidal currents of globalization, which swept away supporters of philosophical theorizing schools that have spread during the past decades.
What is important is that some are trying to use these threats to put pressure on the GCC countries, and to incite the major powers against them, using issues such as foreign labor and others. I am surprised that they focus on the product of foreign labor efforts in the GCC countries, displaying their achievements, ignoring that we live in a small global village, and that “revenues” of the work of millions of foreign workers in the GCC are not limited to areas of development in these countries only, but affect the labor-exporting countries as well, and perhaps at rates higher in their positive impact than what is achieved in the GCC countries. The monthly remittances that amount to billions, injected into the arteries of the economies of countries that supply employment have become a fundamental and an indispensable pillar for these economies, so the final inventory reveals that there are common and mutual interests, and it is not logical that certain currents are trying to harm to the GCC countries, ignoring the role of these countries in absorbing surplus labor forces and huge human power in other countries!
I think that stirring ado about the stereotype of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries has become an undertaking that has recognizable media and political seasons, the best known among them are times that precede US- Gulf summits. I do not know why some people in our world believe that the decision of the Gulf comes from the US capital, Washington, despite the fact that the strategic coordination between the Gulf capitals and the American side does not exceed any strategic alliance relationship that exists between the United States and many other countries, in the forefront of which is the European Union.
It is true that there are strong alliance relations between the GCC and the United States, but this does not necessarily mean the absence of the independent decision of the Gulf, and perhaps the “firmness storm” operation in Yemen is the best proof of the ability of the GCC states to act unilaterally to defend their strategic interests. Washington was not to support this operation, which came at a sensitive time for US-Iranian relations. Recent years have seen ample water flowing into the channel of the Gulf-US relations. This water no longer flows at the same pace, as the Cooperation Council Countries are cautious of the US-Iranian rapprochement and its effects on their interests, and for this we have seen a strong reaction from Saudi Arabia, which amounted to a rejection of the Security Council seat, and Prince Bandar bin Sultan spoke before about a fundamental change in the relationship with Washington, despite Washington’s repeated assertion of its commitment to the security of the Gulf states.
If we take the UAE as a model for the targeting and abuse campaigns waged by terrorist groups and by an outdated intellectual and political Arab elite, we find that targeting in this case specifically is aimed at the unique development and civilization model which the UAE’s wise leadership succeeded in reaching its peak and maintaining its distinguished features amid a confrontational regional environment that only generates frustration and despair factors and that only produces development placebos not capable of cohesion and survival in the face of the accelerating challenges.
I do not think that political and media targeting upsets the UAE, specifically, as the elements, the pillars, the strengths and uniqueness that the Emirati development model owns give it a tremendous qualitative uniqueness that attracts admirers and supporters and dreamers much more than haters. Suffice it to refer to some scientific evidence, such as the seventh annual “Asda’a Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey”, which showed last year, for the fourth year in a row, that 20% of Arab youth want to live in the UAE, which occupied the top of a list of 16 countries, followed by the United States in second place with 13%, followed by each of Canada and Germany in third place with 10% each, while Qatar, Saudi Arabia and France came in fourth place with 8%. Also 22% from the Arab youth in the survey sample expressed their desire that their countries follow the example of the UAE as a model for growth and development.
In light of the foregoing, the UAE looks like a glimmer of light that gives hope in a wider Arab success, and in the ability of the Arab human being to translate his dreams into reality, and to find a stimulating positive environment for success, innovation and capabilities development and for taking advantage of the existing potential. Last year, 2015, was a year of innovation, since integrated plans were developed to convert innovation into a social culture and an institutional work, which has become a hope for Arab youth aspiring to a better life.
Targeting the “model” in the Gulf region has become the favorite game among certain organizations, currents, groups and countries, but the peoples remain conscious of what is happening around them and are looking forward to the best in a regional environment saturated with frustration. This is why the glamor of the “model” will continue to create hope and to illuminate the way for tens of millions in this area.
