A French navy base in the United Arab Emirates is not just 500 sailors, a ship and a port. Any navy base consists of a wide range of Operational and support services necessary to maintain naval readiness and for the quality of life of the sailors and their families. The French military presence will increase, and in the next 5 years the 500 men well be 5000. Analysts say the new base will boost the French defense industry, whose regional sales include the Mirage 2000-9 jet fighter, Leclerc main battle tanks and a large variety of Eurocopter helicopters.
Motivation behind the decision of setting France’s first permanent military installation in the Gulf has to be seen from different angles, from the point view of France, Iran, USA and people of the Gulf.
As part of his effort to raise France’s international and diplomatic profile, Sarkozy described the move as a sign to all that France is participating in the stability of the Gulf. The French are driven by Sarkozy,s new political vision and their strategic interests. The new base underscores France’s claim as a global power capable of playing a role in this part of the world. French Defense Minister said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and the base will participate in the stabilization of the region. From the limited number of military personnel the main function of the base could not be military operations but providing logistical, communication, and monitoring support. Other analyses see that a French military base in Abu Dhabi as a strategic long-term investment and such an investment fits in with the state’s strategic vision to play a greater role in the Gulf in the future. Others think that France believes that a military base will improve its image and credibility as an important player in the international political arena and this, in turn, could bring it a greater political and economic role in the Gulf.
To Iran it seems that France became the new devil, because it is the only Western power other than the United States to have a permanent defense installation in the strategic Arabian Gulf region. Iran criticized France for adopting an unfriendly position with setting up a military base. Iran was against any kind of increase in the military presence of foreign forces in the region not from the western world only but from anywhere, even from its long time ally Syria. Iran was clearly against Damascus Declaration that was formed after Kuwait’s Liberation War in 1991 and consisted of the GCC states, plus Egypt and Syria .
The United States has strategic military bases in many parts of the GCC states among them are the Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Orefjan in Kuwait and Seeleah in Qatar, and with those bases the US has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. Taking into account the recent significant improvement in US-French relations, the U.S. agreed to the UAE-France deal. The U.Ss needed another potential ally to share responsibilities and ease the military burden. Some people think the new French move was intended to break the U.S. monopoly on security in the oil-rich region, but we have to understand that France became the only NATO member other than the US that is stationed in the Gulf, and a French military base in the UAE could also benefit NATO and benefit the US in its quest of seeking pressure on Iran to halt sensitive atomic work.
As member of NATO the new French-UAE deal would contribute to a better NATO-GCC understanding, and a sign that GCC states are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. And it is a way of bringing in other military partners in the Gulf security. It could bring more balance to the region and increase the deterrence of Arab Gulf countries against Iran and subsequently improve stability.
Some analysts say that the UAE feels vulnerable to outside threats and intimidation. Unlike its GCC partners, the government in Abu Dhabi does not think that the solution to its security concerns lies in inviting US troops to set up a military base. US military base would not be a wise idea and a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet than an American installation.
The French Connection was a scheme through which drugs was smuggled from the Middle East to France and then to the United States during 1960 and early 1970, and the French Navy base well benefit the U.S. ,and the foreign military bases in the Arabian Gulf is unquestionably a blow to the prestige of GCC self defense and collective security and will keep us addicted to the protection of the West.
Motivation behind the decision of setting France’s first permanent military installation in the Gulf has to be seen from different angles, from the point view of France, Iran, USA and people of the Gulf.
As part of his effort to raise France’s international and diplomatic profile, Sarkozy described the move as a sign to all that France is participating in the stability of the Gulf. The French are driven by Sarkozy,s new political vision and their strategic interests. The new base underscores France’s claim as a global power capable of playing a role in this part of the world. French Defense Minister said the base would help France to support warships it routinely sends to the Gulf and the base will participate in the stabilization of the region. From the limited number of military personnel the main function of the base could not be military operations but providing logistical, communication, and monitoring support. Other analyses see that a French military base in Abu Dhabi as a strategic long-term investment and such an investment fits in with the state’s strategic vision to play a greater role in the Gulf in the future. Others think that France believes that a military base will improve its image and credibility as an important player in the international political arena and this, in turn, could bring it a greater political and economic role in the Gulf.
To Iran it seems that France became the new devil, because it is the only Western power other than the United States to have a permanent defense installation in the strategic Arabian Gulf region. Iran criticized France for adopting an unfriendly position with setting up a military base. Iran was against any kind of increase in the military presence of foreign forces in the region not from the western world only but from anywhere, even from its long time ally Syria. Iran was clearly against Damascus Declaration that was formed after Kuwait’s Liberation War in 1991 and consisted of the GCC states, plus Egypt and Syria .
The United States has strategic military bases in many parts of the GCC states among them are the Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Orefjan in Kuwait and Seeleah in Qatar, and with those bases the US has been the dominant outside power in the Gulf since Britain closed its permanent bases in 1971. Taking into account the recent significant improvement in US-French relations, the U.S. agreed to the UAE-France deal. The U.Ss needed another potential ally to share responsibilities and ease the military burden. Some people think the new French move was intended to break the U.S. monopoly on security in the oil-rich region, but we have to understand that France became the only NATO member other than the US that is stationed in the Gulf, and a French military base in the UAE could also benefit NATO and benefit the US in its quest of seeking pressure on Iran to halt sensitive atomic work.
As member of NATO the new French-UAE deal would contribute to a better NATO-GCC understanding, and a sign that GCC states are expanding their commercial and military contacts to bolster security without appearing too dependent on the United States. And it is a way of bringing in other military partners in the Gulf security. It could bring more balance to the region and increase the deterrence of Arab Gulf countries against Iran and subsequently improve stability.
Some analysts say that the UAE feels vulnerable to outside threats and intimidation. Unlike its GCC partners, the government in Abu Dhabi does not think that the solution to its security concerns lies in inviting US troops to set up a military base. US military base would not be a wise idea and a French base would be a visible means of protection but in a less ostentatious manner, a little more discreet than an American installation.
The French Connection was a scheme through which drugs was smuggled from the Middle East to France and then to the United States during 1960 and early 1970, and the French Navy base well benefit the U.S. ,and the foreign military bases in the Arabian Gulf is unquestionably a blow to the prestige of GCC self defense and collective security and will keep us addicted to the protection of the West.
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هناك تعليق واحد:
Good Day,
I am writing you because of your interest in French politics and the
military base in Abu Dhabi. Tomorrow, The Issue (www.TheIssue.com)
will be running a feature piece on the French military base in the
UAE, as well as on the upcoming war games. As a reader of your blog, I
think that you and your readers will be particularly interested in the
feature, as it presents multiple perspectives on the occupation, as
well as a few opinions on the future of the situation. The feature
will go live at Midnight Eastern Standard Time.
Feel free to link back, respond to, or comment on The Issue.
Http://www.TheIssue.com
Cheers,
Mike McGregor
Editor
The Issue|www.TheIssue.com
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