An artificial moral panic over the fate of Arab women runs the risk of reinstating gender and class markings in the Arab World. It’s therefore necessary to recognise the radical social shifts towards the genuine unorganised local groupings in these countries, to promote engagement with the global south.
Conflict over oil and gas reserves, sectarian rivalries between Shiites and Sunnis and foreign involvement interconnect as sources of instability in the Persian Gulf–Arabian Peninsula.
The author outlines the partnership between NATO and Wahhabi extremists, and how the West assisted in an armed Sunni movement, which has spread to many countries in West Asia. Consequently, the Shia population suffers from serious discrimination at the hands of Wahabbi.
The upcoming Kuwaiti elections will take place in the backdrop of a new wave of political reform, triggered by the Arab Spring. If Kuwait's Emir, Sabah Al-Sabah, proactively implements the debated changes, he can ensure that Kuwait remains in the vanguard of the Arab world.
Iran was delighted by the Arab Spring, thinking it could have a big influence on the new governments' implementation. But fundamentalist Iranian ambitions remain only partially fulfilled.
Technological innovations have allowed for more efficient and environmentally friendly tapping of unconventional oil sources such as shale and offshore deposits in the Americas. At the same time, unrest in the Middle East has slowed oil production.
India has handled the West Asia crisis with finesse so far and it should not be abandoned for a false sense of having to stand up to the West. We should strive for gradual and peaceful change with the necessary flexibility in our approach.
The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia has demonstrated that dictatorial regimes in Arab countries can indeed fall. Elliott Abrams, CFR’s Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, determines which of the autocrats from Algeria to Kuwait could be, on their way out.
India should practice "economic diplomacy" to engage GCC countries as potential sovereign wealth fund investors given the growing importance of Middle Eastern economies in global finance
