Gulf StatesChristina Durano, Alex Lasky, Amera Ratliff,

and Gabe Steinmeyer12/4/12

Executive Summary• Saudi Arabia:

– Women will be permitted in the Saudi Arabian government next year separated by a screen• Legislative branch (Shura): Consultative Council • Unsure how many would be permitted

• Qatar– Financing of Terrorist Organizations in the Middle East

• Bahrain– Experiencing Anti-Regime Protests

• UAE– A UAE Islamist group, Al-Islah, denies it has an armed wing.

Saudi ArabiaHistory:

– Separation of men and women is based on Sharia (Islamic law) from the Qur’an and hadith

– If the topic is not discussed in the Qur’an, many assume it is forbidden • Such as women driving

– Princess Adila is a supporter of women driving and women’s rights– Current King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is a reformer

• Allows women to go to US to study – Causes educated women to return to Saudi with no job

• High unemployment for women– Will allow women to vote in the 2015 municipal elections (announced in 2011)– Electronic tracking on women crossing borders: SMS sent to male guardians

Projection:– Women will continue to have reforms under King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud– Successor of King Abdulaziz is Mutaib bin Abdullah who is looking to reform

SANG (Saudi Arabian National Guard) to allow women soldiers– Constant battle between what is part of culture and what is part of religion

• Whether women having specific positions is permitted

Qatar• Financing of Terrorism

• Hamas – annual budget est. $70 million• Al Qaeda – annual budget est. $30 million Sources of Funding for Terrorist Organizations• Funding from Arab supporters• Contributions through Islamic charities (est. 50%)• Criminal Activity

• Projections• Continued aid to Gaza and attempts to shape Arab and public opinion both publically and privately• Strained relations with the United States if visible support of Hamas continues• Possible negotiating role in talks between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority*Qatar GDP: $170.7 billion (2011 est.)

BahrainHistory:- Began as apart of the “Arab Spring” protests.- Movement initially called for greater political freedom and equality for the

majority Shia population.- Now calls for an end to the Al Khalifa Dynasty, end of discrimination,

establishment of justice and a democratically-elected government as well as freedom of detained protesters.

- On October 30th the Bahraini government imposed a ban on all protest gatherings.- The Persian Gulf Cooperation Council has provided police and military aid to King

Hamad- As of 11/26 the Government has revoked citizenship from 31 activists.

- Saeed al-Shehabi, Ali Mushaima, Jawad and Jalal Fairooz , as well as clerics, human rights lawyers and other activists.

- Dozens of people have been killed, hundreds are still missing, and thousands of protesters have been injured so far.

Projections:- Expect the protests to continue and clashes against protesters to intensify.- The Government has shown willingness to quell the protests.- Don’t expect open revolt as of yet.

Shia’s comprise 70% of Bahrain’s 525,000 or 367,500

March 9th, 2012 protest was attended by over 100,000 citizens

United Arab EmiratesCurrent Issue: The UAE and the Jordanian Joint Committee held their first meeting November 19. The two states discussed UAE support in Jordan.

Background: • UAE is responding to protests in Jordan over 53% increase in fuel

prices.• Price increase due to pipeline attacks from Egypt to Jordan.• Egypt makes up approximately 80% of Jordan’s power generation.• December 2011: 2-day summit to Riyadh, GCC (Gulf Cooperation

Council) voted $5 billion fund over 5 years for Jordan and Morocco• Saudi Arabia refused to repeat $1.4 billion cash injection to Jordan.

Projections: The UAE will offer the bulk of support to Jordan. This will help make Jordan less reliant on Egypt which will strengthen the Western-backed kingdom. By maintaining Jordan’s kingdom, emirates will retain close ties with other Arab kingdoms in order to contain pro-democratic states in the Arab world.

Sources• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabias-women-allowed-to-join-

countrys-main-advisory-body-but-must-be-separated-from-men-by-a-screen-8294615.html• http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/world/saudi-arabia-struggles-to-employ-its-most-educated-

women-662581/• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/world/middleeast/women-to-vote-in-saudi-arabia-king-

says.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0• http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/world/saudi-woman-sues-ministry-over-driving-ban/555884• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html• http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-shura-insists-on-photo-id-for-women-1.1098453• http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/11/qatar-worst-on-counterterroism-in-the-

middle-east/67166/#• http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL31718.pdf• http://www.cfr.org/terrorist-organizations/al-qaeda-k-al-qaida-al-qaida/p9126• http://www.cfr.org/north-africa/al-qaeda-islamic-maghreb-aqim/p12717• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/world/middleeast/pledging-400-million-qatari-emir-makes-

historic-visit-to-gaza-strip.html?_r=0• http://www.drtomoconnor.com/3440/3440lect03asecure.htm• http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/testimony/15.pdf• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/10/2012103093735935103.html• http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9107119922• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-files/bahrain-wikileaks-cables/8334600/BAHRAINS-SHIA-

POLITICAL-LEADERS-VISIT-IRAQ.html• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011214925802473.html