The Arab Gulf States and reform in the Middle East

The Gulf states have unique characteristics. Their populations are limited, and they have small, unskilled armies. Nevertheless, they have been blessed with tremendous wealth. This book discusses Saudi Arabia and the smaller Gulf states, the threats with which they must contend, and the manner in which they are choosing to do so. While the focus of this analysis revolves around the relations of these Arab Gulf states with Iran, a country that has played a central role in their threat perception since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, this research also considers the states' relations with each other and with the U.S., and the effect of other regional events and forces, chief among them the Arab Upheavals.