Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Gulf Arab states provided a record year for U.S. arms exports. The Congressional Research Service said purchases by the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, provided the United States with its greatest arms export year. CRS said U.S. weapons sales for […]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Arab and Western countries have been providing help to the Sunni revolt in Syria, a report said. Chatam House, a leading British think tank, said a range of countries were quietly intervening in the war against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. In a report, Chatam cited both NATO […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Fariborz Saremi, FreePressers.com The so-called Arab Spring, a series of pro-democracy and anti-regime protests that in some cases has ended in regime change and revolution, has stoked the long running political rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The uprisings forced both countries to review their regional priorities in the aftermath of […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — Turkey, despite offers of Arab and U.S. support, has assessed that its military was unable to lead a war against neighboring Syria. Western diplomatic sources said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has concluded that Turkey, with the second largest army in NATO, could not afford a war with […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has been concerned over renewed instability in Egypt. GCC officials said the six Gulf Arab members were closely monitoring Egypt in wake of the new seizure of power by the military regime. The officials said the dissolution of parliament and return to martial law could […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — The Gulf Cooperation Council has adopted proposals to expand its regional force. Officials said the six GCC members agreed to significantly expand the Peninsula Shield Force. They said the military would be enlarged and assigned a range of operational tasks. “This is the first real effort to make Peninsula […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Persian Gulf states have opened a weapons line to Sunni rebels in Syria. Opposition sources said at least two Gulf Cooperation Council states were investing tens of millions of dollars per month to equip the rebels with weapons, munitions and basic supplies. The sources said the arms were flowing through such […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were expected to become the first Gulf Cooperation Council states to merge amid the threat from neighboring Iran. The Eurasia Group reported that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were working to formally join together in an effort to bolster the Sunni regime in Manama. Eurasia said […]
Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — NATO has reported a sharp drop in Gulf piracy in 2011. “NATO has been actively carrying out counter-piracy operations for more than four years, and we have been very successful,” Turkish Navy Rear Adm. Sinan Azmi Tosun said. “We have been able to bring down pirate activities by 60 […]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The Sunni rebel movement has urged foreign supporters for surface-to-air missiles in the war against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Free Syrian Army said the rebel force requires shoulder-fired air defense systems to counter Assad’s fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. FSA said it has not received significant weapons […]