A Hostile Dependency: Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council

Abstract

The 2017 Qatari Crisis shattered Middle Eastern political norms and highlighted the differences between Qatar and its Gulfi neighbors. The history and recent catalysts leading to the dispute point to a significant difference in priorities. Qatar values influence. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain value stability. This difference is large enough to leave lasting impacts on the Arabian Gulf and imperil the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This dichotomy manifests itself in familial crises, differences with Iran, relationships with terrorism and the Muslim Brotherhood, and in the media landscape. These factors lead to the ultimate conclusion that the Gulf Cooperation Crisis is stuck in a purgatory. It will not be disbanded, but without a state compromising their sovereignty or their values there is no foreseeable end to the diplomatic dispute.