Peace in the Persian Gulf: The Shi'is Dimension

Since the 1950s, the Persian Gulf has emerged as a major oil producer. The region's significance in satisfying the world's growing appetite for oil is increasing, due to its immense proven reserves. Thus, the stability of the Gulf states has become an important concern to all major global powers. The Gulf War resulted in the liberation of Kuwait but it has not laid down the foundations for a durable peace. A long‐term peace requires, among other things, regional co‐operation and pluralistic political regimes. This study focuses on the cleavage separating the Shi'is from the Sunnis in three Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq. Shi'ism is examined less as a religious issue than as a socio‐economic pphenomenon.