How will a confederate system in the GCC serve as a tool of Term Paper

How will a confederate system in the GCC serve as a tool of self-defense against foreign powers - Term Paper Example â€Å"The GCC, founded in 1981 as an economic and political group, includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. They chose a confederation system† (Hawari). The confederate system in the GCC has many advantages and disadvantages. The threat from Iran is successfully blocked by the confederate system in the GCC. The political problems in the member country Bahrain is currently causing problems to the stability of GCC. United States is looking for an opportunity to interfere in Bahrain as they did in Iraq. The confederate system in the GCC can do many things to bring stability in Bahrain and to block United States from interfering in Bahrain. â€Å"At the conclusion of a two-day summit held in Riyadh on December 20, 2011, GCC leaders endorsed a proposal by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to transform the GCC into a union of member states† (Al-Jayousi). This paper analyses the advantages and disadvantages of confederate system in the GCC; How GCC would protect themselves from the threats of Iran; How it would help bring stability to Bahrain and How it would stop the United States from using Bahrain as a way of intervention etc. A confederation â€Å"Makes it possible for the several states to cooperate in matters of common concern and also retain their separate identities†(Advantages and disadvantages of federal, confederate and unitary systems of Government). Increased cooperation between different countries under a common label will always increase the bargaining power of the confederation. For example, majority of the GCC countries are major suppliers of oil in international market. They can control oil production based on the demand and thus control the oil prices in international market. It should be noted that if individual GCC countries implement their own policies with respect to oil production and supply, internal