Gulf Soldier as His People Know Him

Dr. Zafer M. Alajmi

The martyrdom of two Apache pilots, a Saudi brigadier General, 45 soldiers from UAE force, 5 soldiers from Bahrain, and 10 Saudis are valuable particles of Gulf military glory preceded by many examples. However, most of the writings about the Gulf military corporation content with monitoring without profound analysis about the soldier or about the relationship between the Gulf military corporation and its surroundings, and the momentum of martyrs defending religion and the homeland. Although the high cost of the armed forces considered as a reflection for the growing political role of the military in countries, and although Gulf armies are more costly than its counterparts in the third world countries, however this does not apply to the armed forces men in the Gulf. The military has intervened in political life in most of the Arab countries for several reasons, including the pursuit by the developing States to modernity, and that the militaries are best suited to take the lead, and that they are most qualified technically, organizationally, and educationally. For example Hafez Al- Assad was knew about Avionics , Aerodynamics , mechanics , and electricity more than most of the Syrian people know at the end of 1960s  because he was  a pilot , similar to Abdel Naser and Kaddafi who graduated from Britain . This educational excellence of the military wasn’t existing in the Gulf, because education opportunities are equal for all, as our military education was not developed only in the 1980s. Militaries justified their leap on power by the strong national charge they have. Readiness to fight the external enemy on a daily basis gave the homeland a priority exceeding the classes' lines. Then the role of militaries has declined as leaders and politicians, because access to power became expensive. As professionalism has increased, and the military institution is led by civil leadership as a democratic request.  A balance was created between the units of the armed forces to prevent unilateral leap on power. In his book titled "Inflation of Arabic State" Dr. Nazeeh Al- Ayobi says that the poor record of achievements of military and humiliating defeats were major reasons for military abstain of seizing power because of the decline of their popularity. In the Arabic Gulf, military extended martyrs, their history is void of power seizure attempt for the absence of the up mentioned justifications. None of our heritage in the Gulf to militarize the streets and cities, no emergency laws was declared, and no military governor appointed in a Gulf country, but only in Kuwait for one month after liberation, and was preceded by one symbolic case when 1967 war broke against Zionists. Yet we are proud of participation of armies in all Arabic confrontations against Zionists and their successful gathering against the evil of Iraqi – Iranian war on the coasts and islands, and their pledge to defeat whoever exceeds "King Fahd line" that drew in the middle of the Gulf from Kuwait to Oman. We are also proud of Peninsula Shield Force, the sole Arabic military formation which is the most modern, powerful, and permanent military alliance based outside of NATO in terms of training and equipping. It is also of our pride to see our men in the fair side with the UN in Somalia, Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria, so by this wonderful record we will obtain victory in Yemen. The Gulf soldier who dies as a martyr defending rightness will obtain victory because he didn’t humiliated his people.