Download or read book Geostrategic Solutions to Oil Vulnerabilities in the Gulf Region written by Ahmad Shikara and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2013-07-11 with total page 11 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the foreseeable future, oil and gas will continue to be major determining geostrategic factors in the process of maintaining security and stability in the Arabian Gulf region. Oil vulnerabilities will continue to be a source of concern both in the region and abroad as long as fossil fuel sources occupy the largest share of the global energy mix. What is apparent, however, is that the largest international consumer of oil (the United States) has yet to devise a comprehensive solution to these vulnerabilities, and other countries are facing their own challenges in finding viable alternative options. This paper intends to explore new models of global governance in producer–consumer relations to ameliorate the adverse effects of oil vulnerabilities such as supply disruptions or “peak oil” scenarios. The paper will also seek to answer some vital questions regarding energy security, encompassing oil resource availability, reliability, affordability, and sustainability. In particular, it seeks to address the following questions, issues and concerns: • Is there a clear strategic vision for overcoming oil vulnerabilities in the Arab Gulf? And if not, is there a need for one? • How might major oil vulnerabilities involving transportation ‘choke points’ and critical infra-structure be overcome (i.e. operational mechanisms)? • To what extent do current geo-political strategies or alternative energy options represent realistic propositions? This requires a cost–benefit analysis: if fossil fuel sources are affordable, will there be viable long-term opportunities to achieve the energy diversification called for in strategic planning? • What innovative strategies may be employed to overcome oil vulnerabilities in the region? Such strategies should be based on global governance and a well-structured protocol of inter-dependent partnerships between producers and consumers. Owing to the unpredictability of geopolitical events in general, and in the Middle East in particular, it is difficult to envision the creation of a sustainable energy security strategy to suit both producers and consumers. Nonetheless, it is vital that a dynamic and pragmatic strategy be formulated to avert or mitigate oil vulnerabilities—be it on a multilateral, bilateral or national level.
Download or read book The Civic Orientations of Arab Publics written by Mark Tessler and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2014-06-23 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper uses public opinion data collected as part of the Arab Barometer Survey Project to report on the political and social conceptions and preferences held by ordinary citizens in the Arab world. The findings provide a broad and generally representative overview of the civic orientations held by ordinary men and women in the Arab world. The paper covers a wide range of issues that are highly relevant to the Arab world at the present time, and frequently offers brief assessments of the reasons and/or implications associated with particular findings; in this way it encourages further reflection and future research on the part of others. Finally it calls attention to the availability of the unique resource that Arab Barometer data represent. Both through the Barometer’s website and through the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan, interested parties may acquire the AB data in SPSS format. Plans for the fourth wave of AB surveys are in the planning stage. Depending on local conditions and the availability of adequate funding, the fourth wave will continue to expand the number and geographic scope of the countries that are surveyed. Among the priorities for this wave, for which some funding has already been obtained, will be the inclusion of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Download or read book The Restoration of Legitimacy in Yemen and Its Role in Strengthening Arab National Security written by Prof. Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi and published by ZAWYAT ALMAARFEH. This book was released on with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Arab military intervention in Yemen restored trust in the Arab national security system with its Gulf leadership and also revealed the level of Arab world awareness in terms of addressing regional and international shifts independently. Therefore, the effect of this step – regaining lost balance and taking the initiative after years of passivity and defensiveness – goes beyond Yemen to affect the entire region. The lecture concluded that the Saudi-led Arab military intervention to restore legitimacy in Yemen is indeed a historic opportunity—an opportunity that must be harnessed in a way that builds an Arab military force capable of defending Arab security in the face of imminent threats. This is especially important considering the increasing conflicts and competition between several regional and international powers in the Arab world as well as the shifts in Middle East foreign policies of certain major powers, such as the United States of America. These changes highlight the fact that the region needs to rely on itself to defend its interests. The Iran nuclear deal – signed by Iran and major powers in July 2015 – has created a new reality in the region. This is especially the case with regard to Tehran’s relations with international powers, particularly the United States of America. Iran’s position within the policies toward the region and its interests is something that the Arabs must deal with from a position of both strength and initiative.
Download or read book The Future of Political Religious Groups written by Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi and published by Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a supplemental analysis to The Mirage, the comprehensive scholarly review of political religious groups in the Arab world, this paper sheds light upon the illusory tactics of political religious groups following the so-called “Arab Spring” in 2011. With particular emphasis on the Muslim Brotherhood, the methodologies of these political groups are laid bare and their true intentions exposed.
Download or read book Democratic Vulnerability and Autocratic Meddling written by Mika Aaltola and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-08-28 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates complex regressive dynamics in contemporary Western democracies. They include not only severe polarization in domestic politics, but also efforts by external autocratic powers to co-opt the increasingly digitalized political processes in the West. The discussion on democratic vulnerability and regression has rarely been historically and theoretically reflective. The aim is to fill this relative void by drawing on classical sources to inform about the political anxieties and agitations of our present time as the Western world moves towards new critical elections. The key concept of the analysis, a Thucydidean brink, refers to a critical point where the attraction felt towards an outside geopolitical competitor becomes stronger than the political affinity felt towards one’s domestic political opponent. As political polarization, societal decomposition and the collusive tendencies grow in strength, political factions and political candidates in western societies can be(come) drawn to autocratic actors. Perhaps most alarmingly, the resulting nexus between democracies and autocracies can further intensify mutual regression and form downwards-sloping spirals that are not ultimately under any strategic control. This book draws from the experiences of recent elections in major Western democracies to illustrate the widening and deepening underlying regressive tendency.
Download or read book The Geopolitics of the Middle East written by International Institute for Strategic Studies and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Complete set Since 1961 the Adelphi Papers have provided some of the most informed accounts of international and strategic relations. Produced by the world renowned International Institute of Strategic Studies, each paper provides a short account of a subject of topical interest by a leading military figure, policy maker or academic. The project reprints the first forty years of papers, arranged into thematic sets. The collection as a whole provides a rich and insightful account of international affairs during a period which spans the second half of the Cold War, the fall of the communist bloc and the emergence of a new regime with the United States as the sole superpower. There is a wealth of global coverage: Four volumes on east and southeast Asia as well as individual volumes on China, Japan and Korea Particular attention is given to the Middle East, with volumes addressing internal sources of instability; geo-politics and the role of the superpowers; the Israel-Palestine conflict; and the Iran-Iraq War and the first Gulf War. There is also a volume on oil and insecurity There are also two volumes on Africa, the site of most of the world's wars during the period. The IISS has obviously made a particular contribution to the understanding of military strategy, and this is reflected with material on topics such as urban and guerrilla warfare, nuclear deterrence and the role of information in modern warfare. Volumes on military strategy are complemented by approaches from other disciplines, such as defence economics. Key selling points: Early papers were only distributed by the IISS and will have achieved limited penetration of the academic market A host of major authors on a range of different subjects (eg Gerald Segal on China, Michael Leifer on Southeast Asia, Sir Lawrence Freidman on the revolution in military affairs, Raymond Vernon on multinationals and defence economics) Individual volumes will have a strong appeal to different markets (eg the volume on defence economics for economists, various volumes for Asian Studies etc)
Download or read book The Grand Chessboard written by Zbigniew Brzezinski and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author and eminent foreign policy scholar Zbigniew Brzezinski's classic book on American's strategic mission in the modern world. In The Grand Chessboard, renowned geostrategist Zbigniew Brzezinski delivers a brutally honest and provocative vision for American preeminence in the twenty-first century. The task facing the United States, he argues, is to become the sole political arbiter in Eurasian lands and to prevent the emergence of any rival power threatening our material and diplomatic interests. The Eurasian landmass, home to the greatest part of the globe's population, natural resources, and economic activity, is the "grand chessboard" on which America's supremacy will be ratified and challenged in the years to come. In this landmark work of public policy and political science, Brzezinski outlines a groundbreaking and powerful blueprint for America's vital interests in the modern world. In this revised edition, Brzezinski addresses recent global developments including the war in Ukraine, the re-emergence of Russia, and the rise of China.
Download or read book The Geopolitics of Renewables written by Daniel Scholten and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-01-11 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Renewables are a game changer for interstate energy relations. Their abundance and intermittency, possibilities for decentral generation and use of rare earth materials, and generally electric nature of transportation make them very different from fossil fuels. What do these geographic and technical characteristics of renewable energy systems imply for infrastructure topology and operations, business models, and energy markets? What are the consequences for the strategic realities and policy considerations of producer, consumer, and transit countries and energy-related patterns of cooperation and conflict between them? Who are the winners and losers? The Geopolitics of Renewables is the first in-depth exploration of the implications for interstate energy relations of a transition towards renewable energy. Fifteen international scholars combine insights from several disciplines - international relations, geopolitics, energy security, renewable energy technology, economics, sustainability transitions, and energy policy - to establish a comprehensive overview and understanding of the emerging energy game. Focus is on contemporary developments and how they may shape the coming decades on three levels of analysis: · The emerging global energy game; winners and losers · Regional and bilateral energy relations of established and rising powers · Infrastructure developments and governance responses The book is recommended for academics and policy makers. It offers a novel analytical framework that moves from geography and technology to economics and politics to investigate the geopolitical implications of renewable energy and provides practical illustrations and policy recommendations related to specific countries and regions such as the US, EU, China, India, OPEC, and Russia
Download or read book Energy and Geopolitics written by Per Högselius and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-10-09 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The idea that energy shapes and is shaped by geopolitics is firmly rooted in the popular imagination – and not without reason. Very few countries have the means to secure their energy needs through locally available supplies; instead, enduring dependencies upon other countries have developed. Given energy’s strategic significance, supply systems for fuels and electricity are now seamlessly interwoven with foreign policy and global politics. Energy and Geopolitics enables students to enhance their understanding and sharpen their analytical skills with respect to the complex relations between energy supply, energy markets and international politics. Per Högselius guides us through the complexities of world energy and international energy relations, examining a wide spectrum of fossil fuels, alongside nuclear and renewable energies. Uniquely, the book also shows how the geopolitics of energy is not merely a matter for the great powers and reveals how actors in the world’s smaller nations are as active in their quest for power and control. Encouraging students to apply a number of central concepts and theoretical ideas to different energy sources within a multitude of geographical, political and historical contexts, this book will be a vital resource to students and scholars of geopolitics, energy security and international environmental policy and politics.
Download or read book Small State Security Dilemma Kuwait after 1991 written by Radhika Lakshminarayanan and published by Notion Press. This book was released on 2019-12-31 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Arabian Gulf region is a vulnerable flashpoint. Small states in this region try to leverage their core interests against big power domination. This book narrates the problematique of Kuwait, whose geostrategic weakness was exposed in 1990, forcing her to trade resource strength for security guarantees. In recent years, challenged by regional rivalries, environmental impacts, falling oil prices and the dangers of terrorist insurgency, Kuwait faces an escalating security dilemma. With the imminent disengagement of the U.S. from Middle Eastern entanglements, should Kuwait resort to hedging partnerships with emerging multipolar giants like China, Russia or India? Can Kuwait survive domestic challenges of a youth bulge, a huge expatriate population, budgetary deficits, increasing public welfare and costs of desalination? What would be the main security options for Kuwait in a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous?
Download or read book When Can Oil Economies Be Deemed Sustainable written by Giacomo Luciani and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book questions the stereotype depicting all Gulf (GCC) economies as not sustainable, and starts a critical discussion of what these economies and polities should do to guarantee themselves a relatively stable future. Volatile international oil markets and the acceleration of the energy transition has challenged the notion that oil revenues are sufficient to sustain oil economies in the near to medium term. But what is the meaning of economic sustainability? The book discusses the multiple dimensions of the concept: economic diversification, continuing value of resources, taxation and fiscal development, labor market sustainability, sustainable income distribution, environmental sustainability, political order (democracy or authoritarianism) and sustainability, regional integration. The overarching message in this book is that we should move on from the simplistic branding of the Gulf economies as unsustainable and tackle the details of which adaptations they might need to undertake.
Download or read book The MENA Region a great power competition written by AA.VV and published by Ledizioni. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume deals with competition among regional and external players for the redistribution of power and international status in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on Russia’s renewed role and the implications for US interests. Over the last few years, a crisis of legitimacy has beset the liberal international order. In this context, the configuration of regional orders has come into question, as in the extreme case of the current collapse in the Middle East. The idea of a “Russian resurgence” in the Middle East set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination. This volume, a joint publication by ISPI and the Atlantic Council, gathers analysis on Washington’s and Moscow’s policy choices in the MENA region and develops case studies of the two powers’ engagament in the countries beset by major crises.
Download or read book Windfall written by Meghan L. O'Sullivan and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-09-12 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Windfall is the boldest profile of the world’s energy resources since Daniel Yergin’s The Quest, asserting that the new energy abundance—due to oil and gas resources once deemed too expensive—is transforming the geo-political order and is boosting American power. “Riveting and comprehensive...a smart, deeply researched primer on the subject.” —The New York Times Book Review As a new administration focuses on driving American energy production, O’Sullivan’s “refreshing and illuminating” (Foreign Policy) Windfall describes how new energy realities have profoundly affected the world of international relations and security. New technologies led to oversupplied oil markets and an emerging natural gas glut. This did more than drive down prices—it changed the structure of markets and altered the way many countries wield power and influence. America’s new energy prowess has global implications. It transforms politics in Russia, Europe, China, and the Middle East. O’Sullivan considers the landscape, offering insights and presenting consequences for each region’s domestic stability as energy abundance upends traditional partnerships, creating opportunities for cooperation. The advantages of this new abundance are greater than its downside for the US: it strengthens American hard and soft power. This is “a powerful argument for how America should capitalise on the ‘New Energy Abundance’” (The Financial Times) and an explanation of how new energy realities create a strategic environment to America’s advantage.
Download or read book The Security of the Caspian Sea Region written by Gennadiĭ Illarionovich Chufrin and published by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This book was released on 2001 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published in association with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Download or read book Cultural Perspectives Geopolitics Energy Security of Eurasia written by Mahir Ibrahimov and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Future Security Environment in the Middle East written by Nora Bensahel and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2004-03-12 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report identifies several important trends that are shaping regional security. It examines traditional security concerns, such as energy security and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as newer challenges posed by political reform, economic reform, civil-military relations, leadership change, and the information revolution. The report concludes by identifying the implications of these trends for U.S. foreign policy.
Download or read book China s Relations with the Gulf Monarchies written by Jonathan Fulton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-08-06 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As China’s international political role grows, its relations with states outside of its traditional sphere of interests is evolving. This is certainly the case of the Arab Gulf monarchies of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, which together comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). China’s levels of interdependence with these states has increased dramatically in recent years, spanning a wide range of interests. What motivating factors explain the Chinese leadership’s decision to forge closer ties to the GCC? Why have GCC leaders developed closer ties to China, and what kind of role can China be expected to play in the region as levels of interdependence intensify? This book uses neoclassical realism to analyse the evolution of Sino-GCC relations. Examining the pressures that shaped China’s policy toward the Arab Gulf monarchies, it demonstrates that systemic considerations have been predominant since 1949, yet domestic political considerations were also always an important consideration. Relations are examined across diplomatic and political interactions, trade and investment, infrastructure and construction projects, people-to-people exchanges, and military and security cooperation. This book will appeal to scholars in the fields of International Relations and International Political Economy, as well as area specialists on China, the Persian Gulf, the Arab Gulf Monarchies, and those working on foreign policy issues.
