| ID | 176542 |
| Title Proper | GCC Monarchies |
| Other Title Information | Perceptions of the Iranian Threat amid Shifting Geopolitics |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Bianco, Cinzia |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The systemic shift triggered by a progressive retrenchment of the United States (US) from the wider Middle East region has been a fundamental game changer in the security perceptions of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) monarchies. The retrenchment activated a security dilemma in US-GCC relations, especially in relation to their view of Iran. However, the impact was uneven. While the dilemma triggered fears of abandonment in the three more hawkish players – Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain –, it generated fears of entrapment in the three less hawkish players – Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. The key differences between these two camps lie on their threat perceptions. Seemingly shaped by state ideology and religion, narratives of identity, socio-political demography and, finally, leadership cognition, these fears interact with domestic factors such as structural vulnerabilities, to affect the perception of Iran as an existential or non-existential risk. |
| `In' analytical Note | International Spectator Vol. 55, No.2; Jun 2020: p.92-107 |
| Journal Source | International Spectator Vol: 55 No 2 |
| Key Words | GCC ; Iran ; Threat Perceptions ; US Geopolitics ; GCC Foreign Policy |