Military and Non Military Threats to the Gulf Cooperation Countries

The international strategic importance of Gulf oil resources, the intense political and economic attention to the Gulf Countries affairs by nations beyond the region, necessitate looking at the impact on Gulf security of geopolitics beyond the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) . From a geopolitical standpoint, satisfying Western Nations interests are crucial to maintaining Gulf security because the United States and Europe's provision of military capabilities and management of a military coalition against Iraq. With non-Gulf Arab participation, this coalition was decisive in creating collective actions both diplomatic and military that won victory in Iraq. The driving force behind the US decision to commit resources to the region is the vital importance of the free flow of oil resources to the world, especially through the straits of Hormuz. Member states of the European Union share concerns over the free flow of oil but cannot match the military weight of the United States in the Gulf. Thus, the Europeans have played a supportive, as opposed to a primary offensive military role as witnessed in the Europeans contribution to the coalition that liberated Kuwait.