Focus Group Persian
Gulf:
Smaller Gulf States
United Arab Emirates, Quatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait.
More than 70% of the total world oil supply moves through the oil corridor
(shaded area in above picture) around the Persian
Gulf. The two most dangerous
perceived enemies of the West--Iraq and Iran--are in the exact center of it.
Virtually the entire area is Islamic, and battles between the West and the
Islamic world have been fought here since the Middle Ages. This thousand year
war between the Islamic world and the West is common knowledge in the Mideast
but almost unknown in the West. Right now this long struggle seems to
be centered in the Persian Gulf area.This part of the world is incredibly sensitive. Iran and Iraq fought a
war which involved shipping of almost all the countries of the Persian Gulf
area. The United States and its allies also fought
against Iraq in 1991 after Kuwait was invaded and occupied. Iraq, Iran,
and Saudi Arabia are the major countries of this region, but there are also
numerous smaller nations: the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Quatar, Bahrain, and
Oman. These nations must navigate among the larger more powerful
forces in the area, and they needs be careful.
Questions to keep in mind: How are these smaller
nations different or similar to Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Iraq? What kind of
Muslims live there? On what do their economies depend? What were
their stances during the Iraqi-U.S. war? How do they feel towards the
United States? Why is the area important to the United States
economically? What effects might a closure of the Persian Gulf due to war
have on the U.S. and West European economies?
RESEARCH LINKS:
Start here and read everything at: Yahoo
about your different countries. Also check out all the links at Open
Directory's UAE,
Qatar, Oman,
Bahrain, and Kuwait
sections. The CIA
World Factbook is a great place to begin your research -- start at this
page to look up the different countries. Range far  and
wide in search of information over the World Wide Web! These are also good
general links: Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE,
Oman, and Kuwait.
Check out this excellent summation of the Gulf
War that involved almost all the countries in the area, as is this
one. And check out
The Arab
Persepective on Suddam Hussein and how he and the conflict are viewed be
neighboring countries. Iraq
and Islam, Continuing
Standoff in Iraq, Definace in the
Desert.
Be sure and talk much about the Gulf War and the sensitive
politics and economics of the Persian Gulf area.
September 5, 1996 -- Over
a Barrel Two-thirds of the world's oil is in the Middle East. Though the US
buys relatively little, an interdependent world economy means the Iraqi conflict
could hurt us. A Charles
Krause backgrounder precedes a discussion with Elizabeth Farnsworth and
strategic experts.
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