The differences between Iraq, Iran,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the other states in Middle East will demonstrate that
most of the territorial disputes in the Arabian or Persian Gulf date back
to colonial times and the way in which the former colonial powers divided the
“territory” that was once sociologically integrated. These differences show too
that although the claiming parties achieve a settlement, domestic, regional and
international issues at stake may still turn the situation volatile and
regional guarantors are key in peacekeeping.
Similar to the cased in Africa, Asia,
and Latin America, former colonial powers left behind “artificially” created
divisions in what used to be a “territory” sociologically defined. The
assessment aims to show how European understanding in legal and political
sciences is not appropriate to comprehend the complexity of these
realities.
The following posts will assess
territorial disputes in the Persian Gulf. The analysis will centre on the
evaluation of domestic, regional and international issues at stake with
particular focus on religion, geopolitical importance and leaders’ prestige.
Background
The
Persian Gulf is a relatively constricted geographic area of great existing or
potential volatility. The smaller states of the gulf are particularly
vulnerable, having limited indigenous populations and, in most cases, armed forces
with little more than symbolic value to defend their countries against
aggression. All of them lack strategic depth, and their economies and oil
industries depend on access to the sea. Conflicts involving the air forces and
navies of the larger gulf powers inevitably endanger their critical
transportation links.
Before
the oil era, the gulf states made little effort to delineate their territories.
Members of Arab tribes felt loyalty to their tribe or shaykh and tended to roam
across the peninsula's desert areas according to the needs of their flocks.
Official
boundaries meant little, and the concept of allegiance to a distinct political
unit was absent. Organized authority was confined to ports and oases.
The
delineation of borders began with the signing of the first oil concessions in
the 1930s. The national boundaries had been defined by the British, but many of
these borders were never properly demarcated, leaving opportunities for
contention, especially in areas of the most valuable oil deposits.
Until
1971 British-led forces maintained peace and order in the gulf, and British
officials arbitrated local quarrels. After the withdrawal of these forces and
officials, old territorial claims and suppressed tribal animosities rose to the
surface. The concept of the modern state—introduced into the gulf region by the
European powers—and the sudden importance of boundaries to define ownership of
oil deposits kindled acute territorial disputes.
Persian Gulf States: Country Studies
(Library of the Congress)
Jorge Emilio Núñez
Twitter: @London1701
05th November 2018
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