Regional Regimes in the Arab World-The Gulf Cooperation Regime As A Model

This thesis had dealt with the regional organization in the Arab World. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been taken as a model of this organization. The study has also tackled the Gulf Cooperative Council since its establishment until the year of 2011. The study has been divided into five main chapters along with a conclusion in which the results of the study were included. The significance of the study lies in the consideration of the region of the Arabian Gulf as the main source of petrol in the world. This region includes the largest reserves of petrol and gas in the world. The Arab Gulf is a geographical region that is located in the middle of the world and considered to be as the linking point between the East and West. It overlooks on the most important straits in the world, The Strait of Hurmoz and The Strait of Bab Al-Mandeb. The study aims at knowing the extent of the Gulf Cooperation Council success of achieving and reaching its goals for which it has been established. In addition, knowing the ability of the Gulf Cooperation Council of facing the internal and external challenges that hinder its process and development as well as recognizing the extent of success of the Gulf Cooperation Council in moving from the cooperation stage to the integration stage on all levels and aspects. The study also aims at knowing the ability of the Gulf Cooperation Council in forming and establishing a foreign policy for all regional and international parties as well as uniting their positions and stands towards the Arab and international cases The research problem of the study was based on the extent of success for the Gulf Cooperation Council in building a successful regional system that is able to achieve and accomplish its aims as well as facing the internal and external challenges through the process of moving from the stage of cooperation to the stage of integration that include uniting the defensive and foreign policy for the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and ending the standing conflicts between the countries of the council. The study has also tried to assure its hypothesis that political, economical, cultural, and linguistic characteristics are able to lead the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council to move from the stage of cooperation to the stage of integration. For this purpose, the researcher has utilized using the theory of cooperation and integration within the regional system for the purpose of interpreting and explaining it. The researcher have reached a group of results among which are, the failure of the Gulf Cooperation Council in moving from the cooperation stage to the integration stage, as well as the failure of the Gulf Cooperation Council in achieving its results despite the lapse of 30 years from the date of its establishment. Among the results of the study was, the failure of the Gulf Cooperation Council in mapping a special foreign policy regarding the regional issues and the relationships with the neighboring countries. In addition to the inability of the council of facing the challenges and the issues – especially the internal issues – due to the absence of collective coordinatio