Switzerland of the Middle East
By Kevin Sullivan
September 23, 2015
The daily headlines readily remind us that the Middle East is falling apart, and that every actor -- be it Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey -- is selfishly working to splinter and stifle its rivals in the region. And since bombs and body counts typically garner the most attention, sincere and selfless acts sometimes go overlooked.
Such was the case this week, when it was reported that the Gulf sultanate of Oman helped negotiate the release of two American hostages -- in addition to three Saudis and one British citizen -- held for months by Shiite rebels in Yemen. Moreover, declining to join the Saudi-led coalition currently waging war against Yemen's Houthi rebels has allowed Muscat to lobby for the release of other hostages, and play an objective role in a war-torn country full of self-interested actors.
Muscat's work in Yemen, coupled with its vital role as host and backchannel during the Iran nuclear negotiations, has earned Oman a rather venerable reputation of neutrality and seriousness in a region often lacking in both. But don't confuse Muscat for a wholly disinterested Samaritan.
"Oman considers itself a vulnerable country because it's a small country which is in the middle of many issues, like Yemen to the south, Pakistan to the north, Iran to the north and Saudi Arabia," said Marc Valeri of Exeter University in an interview with the Associated Press. "This vulnerability means they want to be friendly with all the other parties around."
Oman also shares custody with Iran of the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Muscat has lured billions of dollars in foreign investment to upgrade its SOHAR Port and Freezone, a joint venture between the Omani government and the Port of Rotterdam. The sultanate has invested in air and rail at the facility in the hopes of turning the port into a multimodal transit and shipping hub in the region, and has worked to link the facility to other land, air, and sea routes in the country.
But much of that depends on there being tranquil waters in and around the Persian Gulf, making detente between Washington and Tehran more than mere yeoman's work, but a strategic and economic imperative.
Muscat's motivations cannot be entirely chalked up to commercial demands, however. In addition to its location and limited resources, others have also attributed Oman's conciliatory tone and tactics to its religious roots.
"Oman is the world's only Ibadi-majority country and while the sect has its followers in Zanzibar and the Maghreb, three-quarters of the world's Ibadi Muslims are Omani," writes Giorgio Cafiero, founder of Gulf State Analytics. "Ibadism is frequently described as a conservative yet tolerant sect that emphasizes the ‘rule of the just' and rejects violence as a means to political ends. As Ibadism constitutes a key pillar of Oman's national identity, the sultanate's foreign policy appears to reflect the sect's moderating influence on Omani society."
Whatever the reason, it's refreshing to see someone in the Middle East strive to play the role of Switzerland.
September 23, 2015
RCW
The daily headlines readily remind us that the Middle East is falling apart, and that every actor -- be it Iran, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey -- is selfishly working to splinter and stifle its rivals in the region. And since bombs and body counts typically garner the most attention, sincere and selfless acts sometimes go overlooked.
Such was the case this week, when it was reported that the Gulf sultanate of Oman helped negotiate the release of two American hostages -- in addition to three Saudis and one British citizen -- held for months by Shiite rebels in Yemen. Moreover, declining to join the Saudi-led coalition currently waging war against Yemen's Houthi rebels has allowed Muscat to lobby for the release of other hostages, and play an objective role in a war-torn country full of self-interested actors.
Muscat's work in Yemen, coupled with its vital role as host and backchannel during the Iran nuclear negotiations, has earned Oman a rather venerable reputation of neutrality and seriousness in a region often lacking in both. But don't confuse Muscat for a wholly disinterested Samaritan.
"Oman considers itself a vulnerable country because it's a small country which is in the middle of many issues, like Yemen to the south, Pakistan to the north, Iran to the north and Saudi Arabia," said Marc Valeri of Exeter University in an interview with the Associated Press. "This vulnerability means they want to be friendly with all the other parties around."
Oman also shares custody with Iran of the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Muscat has lured billions of dollars in foreign investment to upgrade its SOHAR Port and Freezone, a joint venture between the Omani government and the Port of Rotterdam. The sultanate has invested in air and rail at the facility in the hopes of turning the port into a multimodal transit and shipping hub in the region, and has worked to link the facility to other land, air, and sea routes in the country.
But much of that depends on there being tranquil waters in and around the Persian Gulf, making detente between Washington and Tehran more than mere yeoman's work, but a strategic and economic imperative.
Muscat's motivations cannot be entirely chalked up to commercial demands, however. In addition to its location and limited resources, others have also attributed Oman's conciliatory tone and tactics to its religious roots.
"Oman is the world's only Ibadi-majority country and while the sect has its followers in Zanzibar and the Maghreb, three-quarters of the world's Ibadi Muslims are Omani," writes Giorgio Cafiero, founder of Gulf State Analytics. "Ibadism is frequently described as a conservative yet tolerant sect that emphasizes the ‘rule of the just' and rejects violence as a means to political ends. As Ibadism constitutes a key pillar of Oman's national identity, the sultanate's foreign policy appears to reflect the sect's moderating influence on Omani society."
Whatever the reason, it's refreshing to see someone in the Middle East strive to play the role of Switzerland.
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