Dynamics of Arab Foreign Policy-Making in the Twenty-First Century

Hassan Hamdan al-Alkim was born in the UAE in 1958. He earned his PhD in Political Science from Exeter University, UK. He is Professor of International Relations at the UAE University, and the General Director of the RAK Economic Development Department. He has written widely on the politics and economics of the Arab world. The author holds a BA in Political Science from Seattle University, USA, and an MA and PhD in Political Science from the University of Exeter, UK. He was a visiting research fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Spring-Summer 1991, as part of the Fulbright Programme; at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK, 1992-3, and at the University of Reading, UK, 2008-10. His website is www.hhalkim.ae. Author location UAE

• Contents: List of Tables 6 List of Figures 7 List of Maps 8 Abbreviations 9 Prelude 11 Introduction 15 Part One: The Input Process 1. Political Aggregations and Political Articulations 23 2. The Socio-Economic Variables 62 3. The Changing World Order 93 4. The Regional Variable: Unstable Region 126 5. The Arab-Israeli Conflict 162 Part Two: The Output: Case Studies 6. Arab States' Policies towards the Middle East Peace Process 201 7. Desertification and Water Crisis in the Arab World 233 8. Food Insecurity in the Arab World 261 9. Determinants of Saudi Arabia's Foreign Policy-Making 294 Epilogue 335 Notes 341 Bibliography 379 Index 387 List of Tables: 1.1 Electoral Turnout in Eighteen Arab States (2003-2008) 32 2.1 Female Empowerment in the Arab World (2009) 80 2.2 Female Participation in Parliaments 80 2.3 Corruption in the Arab Countries (2008) 83 2.4 Inter-Arab Trade (2003-2007) 87 2.5 Trends of Arab Foreign Trade 88 2.6 Proven Arab Oil Reserves 90 2.7 Proven Arab Gas Reserves 91 3.1 Cash Reserves in Contemporary World Order (2009) 117 3.2 Defence Expenditures of World Leading Powers 120 4.1 Middle East Military Expenditures (2007) 131 7.1 Arab Population Census (1980-2030) 236 7.2 Fresh Water Availability in Selected Arab Countries (1990) 237 7.3 Water Consumption by Sector 240 7.4 Water Distributions 243 7.5 Peace Pipes Distribution 254 7.6 The Egyptian and Sudanese Damage as a Result of Israeli-Ethiopian Cooperation 256 8.1 Agricultural Sector Economic Indicators 264 8.2 Comparison of Crop Production 266 8.3 Arab Food Gap for Main Crops (2000-2006) 269 8.4 The Food Gap (1975-2000) 274 8.5 The Arab Food Gap for Major Food Commodities (2000-2006) 275 8.6 The Percentage of Change in the Food Gap Cost (2000-2006) 276 8.7 Arab Agricultural Exports and Imports (2000-2006) 277 8.8 Net Arab Agricultural Imports (2000-2006) 278 8.9 Arab Agricultural Exports and Imports 281 9.1 Saudi Arabia Population (1965-2009) 307 List of Maps: See seperate section 1 Saudi-Yemeni Border Agreement 2 Saudi Arabia-UAE Borders after the Agreement of 1974 3 UAE-Saudi Borders prior to 1974 Jeddah Agreement 4 Arab Territory of Ahwaz Occupied by Iran 5 Boundaries and Maritime Jurisdiction of Iran, Iraq and Kuwait 6 UAE Disputed Islands with Iran 7 UN Resolution 181 for the Partition of Palestine 8 The Aquifer of the West Bank 9 Conflicting Water Projects in the Jordan Basin 10 Sources of Euphrates and Tigris Rivers 11 Sources of the Nile River

Endorsements: 'Even a reader who does not agree with all of Hassan Al-Alkim's conclusions will recognize this book as an authentic critique by a committed Arab intellectual not only of the weakness of Arab states in the regional and international realms but also of the authoritarian regimes that dominate most of the Arab world.' Gregory Gause III, Department of Political Science, University of Vermont 'Hassan al-Alkim has written a wide ranging and thought provoking account of the challenging issues facing foreign policy makers in the Arab world.' Peter Woodward, Professor Emeritus, University of Reading