Across the Middle East, 2016 was a year of instability. From the war in Yemen to the Syrian crisis, conflict and chaos defined this region. For the countries of the Arabian Gulf, this instability has been underlined by the uncomfortable feeling that Barack Obama’s America was less attuned to our concerns and fears than previous administrations. This was primarily borne out by the president’s pivot towards Iran and the lifting of sanctions on the country after a deal was reach on Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme. The spectre of Iranian influence extends far beyond nuclear weapons development. In every conflict tearing this region apart, Tehran’s meddling is clearly visible and often driving the instability.
As The National reported yesterday, relations between the United States and the entire Arab world will have to be rebuilt to a certain extent under Donald Trump, who will assume power on January 20. Given Mr Trump’s verbose rhetoric against the Obama administration’s handling of the Iran crisis, there is a substantial amount of hope that relations will be reset in 2017. The underlying issue on the minds of many leaders in the Arab world is not so much Iran’s nuclear weapons programme – although this is a serious concern – but rather Tehran’s involvement in the conflicts engulfing Yemen, Iraq and Syria.
The US-Gulf relationship will only be part of the story in 2017. With a new American president who understands Iran’s meddling, the Arab world will have to focus on its own unity efforts. Take the recent wave of extremist attacks in Turkey as a starting point. From bombings outside football stadiums to the horrific New Year’s Eve shooting attack in Istanbul, Turkey is on the front line of the global war against extremism. As we have argued several times, Ankara can’t fight and win this war on its own and yet it continues to forge a solo path. It is up to Turkey’s allies, especially those in the Middle East, to step forward and help the country return to stability. Turkey should join constructive unity measures with the Gulf and stop any support it may be lending to extremist organisations.
Turkey’s recent pivot towards Russia over the Syria crisis and the fight against ISIL underscores the need for the Arab world to work closely with Turkey. We are facing the same challenges and we seek similar outcomes. As the region prepares for the Trump administration, unity is perhaps the most prudent manner of re-energising the United States to pay better attention to our concerns.