European Security Architecture: An Appropriate Model for Persian Gulf Security Arrangements?

The Middle East region is considered to be an Anglo-Saxon sphere of influence by Britain and America. Before the Iraq invasion the security challenge in the Persian Gulf region was transnational. However, after the occupation of Iraq in March 2003, it seemed that the security challenge presented to the Persian Gulf had become transregional and about the conflict between the values of the countries in the region and the values of the foreign invaders. Tony Blair has said that “the spread of our values makes us safer”. Bush too, says “I trust Blair's judgment and his wisdom”. Because of a lack of experience, US Middle East policy draws heavily upon British Middle East policy. Manipulation through Interdependency and Engagement is a new theory in international politics developed by the author which describes the approach of the British under US leadership. This paper explains the theory and applies it to the Persian Gulf region in an effort to better understand the geo-political dynamics of this important region.