How Has Oman's Foreign Policy Been Able to Achieve a Remarkable Success since 1970 - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal: An Analysis of the Successful Foreign Policy of the Sultanate of Oman since 1970. Problem, Hypothesis, or Question The area of study that comprises the subject of this research proposal is foreign policy and relations and the specific record of those by the nation of Oman since 1970. This proposal seeks to investigate the activities in foreign affairs by Oman and the role of the nation’s leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, in shaping this effective course. The research shall catalogue and analyse the foreign relations issues, related events, and actions and initiatives pursued by Oman from 1970 to the present time. It will then attempt to determine whether or not the success of these activities are entirely due to the efforts of the Sultan Qaboos, or if not, to what degree they were, and if the structure of Omani government and policy is designed to maintain this success. As necessary background to this investigation, the history, economy, and culture of Oman will be examined to reveal how these aspects have shaped modern Omani foreign policy. This research will also look at how foreign government influence in Oman and the surrounding region has affected the evolution of Oman’s foreign policy, and will investigate the same foreign policy issues affecting other countries in the Middle East are handled. On the basis of these areas of interest and relevant topics, the question raised by this research proposal can be stated quite simply as: ‘How has Oman’s foreign policy been able to achieve such remarkable success since 1970?’ Importance of the Question In 1970, the Sultan Qaboos bin Said replaced his father, Sultan Said bin Taimur, as the leader of Oman. Under the rule of Said bin Taimur, Oman had become a poor and isolated country, with virtually no infrastructure, educational system, or large-scale industry. Except for ties with Great Britain and India, Oman was largely isolated from the rest of the world, and the Arab world of the Middle East in particular. To make matters worse, Oman suffered from a series of serious internal conflicts, first among the tribes of the northern areas of the country in the 1950s, and then a Marxist-backed rebellion in the southern Dhufar region from 1964 that led to open warfare. The British-educated Qaboos had the support of moderate elements in Oman and Britain, but would he be able to successfully quell the violence and bring the country out of its long isolation? The answer is an unqualified yes. In the 38 years of Qaboos’ reign Oman has achieved a position of prominence, not only among the Arab world, but beyond as well. It has diplomatic relations with over 140 other nations, and is a member of at least 105 regional and international organisations, the most important being the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, the Arab League, and the Arab Gulf Co-Operative Council. (Omannet.om, 2007) Except for minor border confrontations with Yemen which were amicably resolved in the 1990s, and a brief, bloodless participation with the coalition of nations to force Iraq out of Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, Oman has enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity through some of the most contentious international crises in one of the most volatile regions on Earth. This has all been the apparent result of its uniquely successful, foreign policy under Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The principal problem that this research aims to solve is to what degree this is the legacy of a single wise and benevolent ruler, and to what degree it is due to Oman’s history, culture, economic resources, and the external foreign influences on the nation and the region. In a broader context, by comparing the foreign relations of Oman with those of other countries facing the same or similar issues, the research aims to reveal how one form of government – in Oman’s case, a hybrid form of hereditary monarchy – affects global relations. And by comparison, the effectiveness of different government structures in addressing the same issues can be illustrated. More importantly, the research also hopes to reveal clues as to what the future might hold for Oman, which is inevitably facing a significant change in government. Sultan Qaboos, while by all accounts a healthy and active individual, is 68 years old and has no heir. While he has reportedly left instructions concerning his succession, there is no clear heir apparent, and in an increasingly democratised world it is by no means guaranteed that the traditional system will survive him. How Oman’s foreign policy has evolved under Sultan Qaboos will be compared to how the foreign policies of other regional nations have evolved under strong leaders, such as Syria’s Hafez al-Assad and Jordan’s King Hussein, whose countries have both faced the same circumstances that will someday befall Oman. Oman will also have to face new challenges in foreign affairs and international commerce as its economy increasingly shifts away from a “traditional” Middle East oil economy to a more diversified portfolio. Oman has considerable wealth in oil resources, but the country’s natural reserves are smaller than those of neighbouring countries. Recognising the limitations this presents, Sultan Qaboos has made diversification a high priority. How this economic shift is managed from a foreign affairs standpoint will be critical to the country’s future success. The relevance of studying Oman’s prospects in this area is applicable to any country with an oil-based economy, as they will, at some future point, be facing a similar dilemma. In order to arrive at these conclusions, the research will follow a specific pattern to investigate key events and milestones in Oman’s history, and critical foreign policy issues the country has faced: The unique geography of Oman, and its strategic importance. The history of Oman, and its important place in Middle East affairs since ancient times. The culture of Oman, and the influence of Islam, and foreign interests in shaping Omani society. The economy and resources of Oman. The personal history of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and how he came to power. The basis of Omani foreign policy in the Dhufar War from 1970-1975. Oman’s entry into the international community – the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Arab Gulf Co-Operative Council. Oman’s successful management of Middle East crises, and establishing a role as a moderate, mediating authority in the region: The Camp David Accord, and Egyptian recognition of Israel The Iranian Revolution, and the Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988 The Persian Gulf War against Iraq in 1991 The U.S. wars against Afghanistan, Iraq, and Terrorism since 2001 Oman’s current foreign policy activity and future initiatives. Significant prior research Because this is largely a study of historical, cultural, and political perspectives, the research will involve an extensive survey and reading of various books, journal articles, and internet sources. To avoid bias in the research and develop the most objective point of view, a balance of sources will have to be found. Therefore, contemporary and historical works, and works from Omani sources and foreign sources will be surveyed as widely and evenly as possible, to give the clearest assessment of Omani foreign policy as a whole. Some works that are of particular importance and will be drawn upon heavily concentrate on some of the most significant cultural and political factors that have affected Oman throughout its history. The close involvement of the United States in the region and the relationship that country has with Oman indicate that several American sources are valuable for insight into the U.S. assessment of Oman. These include the work of Kenneth Katzman (2005), ‘Oman: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy’, writing for the Federation of American Scientists and the U.S. Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. The period covered by Katzman’s study is 2001 to 2005, a significant period which includes the start of U.S. operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. In a region, which is at least partially hostile to U.S. interests, the relationship between Oman and the U.S. is somewhat unusual, and perhaps exemplary of patterns of successful foreign relations in the post-9/11 world. Another earlier work used as reference for U.S. policy in the years immediately following the end of the Persian Gulf War is Persian Gulf States: Country Studies, edited by Helen Chapin Metz and published by the Federal Research Division (1993). This work is helpful in that it contains not only a detailed assessment of the history and policy of Oman, but of the neighbouring Gulf States as well. The book covers a long period of regional history from the earliest civilizations up to the end of the Persian Gulf War, and throughout goes to considerable lengths to highlight the similarities and differences between the countries which are discussed. Much of the history of the Oman and the Gulf region from the 16th to the mid-20th centuries was influenced by British interests in the area. For a British perspective on Oman’s development, the work of John Peterson (1978), Oman in the twentieth century : political foundations of an emerging state, will be helpful, particularly as it was written shortly after the difficult time period 1970-1975, when Sultan Qaboos was faced with the task of ending the rebellion known as the Dhufar War. A later work also originating in Britain and significant in being written just after the end of the Iran-Iraq War is Rosemary Said Zahlan’s The making of the modern Gulf states: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman (1989). The work of journalist Chris Kutschera, who travelled extensively throughout the Middle East during his career, provides contemporary insights into the state of Oman, particularly in articles written in 1970, just after Sultan Qaboos came to power, and in 1989, at the end of the Iran-Iraq War. While Kutschera’s work is written from a journalistic perspective and lacks much of the depth of academic works, he was writing in the midst of or shortly after some of the significant events in Omani history, and by comparing his “first impressions” with subsequent analytical works, some sense of the consistency and long-term value of Oman’s foreign policy can be gained. Additional comparative works which provide a frame of reference to assess Oman’s foreign policy against not only the rest of the Middle East, but globally as well will also be reviewed. These include Hinnebusch & Ehteshami’s The Foreign Policies of Middle East States, and Nonneman’s Analysing Middle Eastern Foreign Policies, which includes a chapter by Sayyid Badr. And finally, another important resource is the book Oman in Early Islamic History by Isam Al-Rawas, which reveals the roots of Oman’s Islamic culture and its particular favour of the Ibadi branch of Islam, an important cultural ingredient which helps shape not only Omani policy, but daily life as well. Partial Bibliography Al-Rawas, Isam. (2000) Oman in Early Islamic History. New York: Ithaca Press. Katzman, Kenneth. (2005) ‘Oman: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy’. CRS Report for Congress, RS21534, 28 June 2005. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Kechichian, Joseph A. (1995) Oman and the world: the emergence of an independent foreign policy. Santa Monica, Calif.: Rand. Kutschera, Chris. (1970) OMAN: The Death of the Last Feudal Arab State [Internet], 2002 reprint from Washington Post, 27 December 1970. Available from: Kutschera, Chris. (1989) OMAN: An Original Foreign Policy [Internet], 2002 reprint from The Middle East, May 1989. Available from: Oman. (2008) Central Intelligence Agency – The World Factbook [Internet]. Update 15 April 2008. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency. Available from: Peterson, John E. (1978) Oman in the twentieth century : political foundations of an emerging state. London: Croom Helm; New York: Barnes & Noble Book. Rigsbee, Wallace Lynn. (1991) American foreign policy toward the Sultanate of Oman, 1977-1987. Ann Arbor : UMI.  Metz, Helen Chapin. Ed. Persian Gulf States: Country Studies. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. Zahlan, Rosemarie Said. (1989) The making of the modern Gulf states: Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. London: Unwin Hyman.  Read More