GCC’s historic turning point

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit taking place in Doha, Qatar, is one of the most crucial in its 33-year history, coming as it does in the wake of unprecedented tension and upheaval in the region.
The summit is important for the critical topics on the agenda, but also because it is the start of a new phase of Gulf solidarity. In an important step that is likely to have far-reaching consequences, the Gulf countries have decided to bury the hatchet and work toward common goals.
The next stage is unity. The Gulf states have many enemies envious of their oil wealth. There are entities and states in the region eagerly looking to exploit chinks in the GCC’s armor.
To their credit, the leaders here have realized that they share a common destiny, and that history would judge those harshly who decide to go it alone. There would be a heavy price paid for grandstanding and posturing at this critical juncture.
The GCC members had last month overcome arguably their most divisive period. It was Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, known as one of the world’s most respected elder statesmen and unifying leaders, who managed to smooth relations with Qatar at an extraordinary GCC meeting in Riyadh.
This resulted in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain sending their ambassadors back to Doha. Another important development was the visit to Doha of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Having achieved this, there is now space and opportunity to look at other challenges, which include joint security and defense measures. Only a unified and secure GCC can play a powerful role in the international arena.
The world is in flux: The US has shifted its priorities toward the Pacific area; Russia and China are increasingly flexing their muscles regionally and on the global stage; there are worries over Iran’s nuclear ambitions; and Turkey is increasingly expanding its influence in the region.
In addition, the Arab world as a whole is fragmented, which has left the Gulf in a vulnerable position. Under these circumstances, the Gulf states have no option but to stand together on the political, economic and military fronts.
Within this context, a unified military leadership structure would lead to a joint defense system to assure security in the GCC, serve the unity project, send a reassuring message to citizens, and a warning to those who dare interfere.
The changes in the Arab world over the past three years have again highlighted the dangers posed by power-hungry extremist groups, particularly in influencing the uneducated, young and gullible. These groups have harnessed the power of the Internet to spark religious differences and sectarian wars that threaten the stability of communities and countries.
This is clearly not a time for overzealous national fervor. Those who are opposed to the GCC unity initiative because it might impact on national sovereignty, should study the example of the European Union, which despite its flaws have achieved a working system for disparate states.
There were inevitable sacrifices of some sovereignty for the common good in the EU, based on a great deal of political maturity. It involved making tough decisions that would ultimately benefit the group. It is this same level of understanding that is currently being displayed by GCC leaders.
There is undoubtedly a move in the GCC to make the difficult transition to real unity that would benefit, protect and empower it in the region and the world. The Doha summit marks this historic turning point.
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