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Arab Gulf States and America: Making Friends

Simon Henderson, May 2004

The World Today, Volume 60, Number 5

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Despite the recent chaos in Iraq and the uncertain future of the country, it is clear that the post-Saddam Hussein Middle East is a very different place. There might not be peace - yet - between Israelis and Palestinians, but Libya's decision to give up weapons of mass destruction is an indication that surprising moves and big changes are possible. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Gulf where, instead of referring to the 'Saudi-led Arab Gulf states', one must increasingly use the phrase 'conservative Arab Gulf states apart from Saudi Arabia'.