Test 2

Question 1

constitutional monarchies

Answer 1

Monarchies where the power of the sovereign is restricted by a constitution. All of the Monarchies in the Middle East are dynastic

Question 2

dynastic monarchism

Answer 2

Monarchies where one family controls the country and determines the line of succession. For example, In Saudi Arabia the King in council with the royal family chooses the Crown Prince and deputy Crown Prince just in case the Crown Prince dies.

Question 3

the Eastern province

Answer 3

The largest province of Saudi Arabia that hosts the city of Riyadh. It is also the center of the Country’s oil production.

Question 4

expats and foreigners in the Gulf

Answer 4

Most of the inhabitants of Bahrain and Kuwait, are expats and Qatar and the UAE have expat populations exceeding 80%.

Question 5

the Fifth Fleet

Answer 5

US Naval fleet based out of Bahrain. Came about as a result of the Gulf War.

Question 6

the Green Movement

Answer 6

was a massive protest against the rigged 2009 Iranian elections. They were unsuccessful and did not spill over out of Iran since they aren’t Arab.

Question 7

the Guardian Council

Answer 7

Is an incredibly powerful branch of the Iranian government made up of six experts in Islamic Law and six jurists. It serves a similar function to the US supreme court and approves candidates to other offices

Question 8

the Gulf Cooperation Council

Answer 8

The GCC was formed in 1981 as a response to growing insecurity within the smaller Gulf Kingdoms caused by the Iranian Revolution. While the Kingdoms had long been resistant to Saudi influence preferring British and American protection they set aside their fears of Saudi Dominance and join with them in joint economic and security measures.

Question 9

the Hay’a

Answer 9

The religious police

Question 10

Iran’s nuclear program

Answer 10

Iran’s Nuclear program began in the 1950’s with US aid as part of our support for the Shah. After the Iranian revolution the US became opposed to the continued development of their domestic nuclear capabilities despite them never having a weapons program. The US and their allies placed heavy sanctions on them that were not lifted until 2015 when Iran agreed to a nuclear deal that granted significant oversight to the P5+1

Question 11

Iranian foreign policy

Answer 11

1

Question 12

the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

Answer 12

The Iran nuclear deal. Iran scaled back its uranium stockpiles and capabilities in return for the lifting of international sanctions

Question 13

jihad rehab

Answer 13

A program in Saudi Arabia that takes terrorists and trains them not to kill people without state permission. It often finds them employment and wives and is claimed to only have an attrition rate of 10%

Question 14

P5+1

Answer 14

All the Nations on the UN security council plus Germany that are members of the Iran Nuclear deal

Question 15

over the horizon

Answer 15

Refers to the Gulf Monarchies resistance to having an actual US military presence in their countries. With the wave of Anti-US Islamist sentiment sweeping the region after the Iranian revolution they were afraid to be seen as too close with the US. They preferred their security to be guaranteed by a US “Just over the horizon” This Later broke down during the Gulf War when a direct US military presence was necessary to counter Iraq.

Question 16

principalists

Answer 16

??Conservative Iranian political Movement that supports the Grand Ayatollah and the concept of guardianship.

Question 17

proxy wars

Answer 17

Wars fought by two countries by backing different sides in conflicts. They are preferable for countries since their own people don’t have to die.

Question 18

the Qatar crisis

Answer 18

In response to Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood and their closer ties with Iran Saudi Arabia cut off all ties with Qatar in June until they fulfilled 13 demands leveled in July including the closing of al-Jezeera, cutting ties with Iran and ending funding for “Terrorists” that would have essentially ended Qatari sovereignty. Qatar refused and the relationship is essentially as bad as possible this side of war. The conflict has put the US in a delicate position with the President supporting Saudi while at the same time relying on Qatar for the housing and support of al-Udaid air base.

Question 19

salafis, salafism

Answer 19

Fundamentalist Sunni Islam

Question 20

sanctions

Answer 20

Don’t work

Question 21

Saudi-foreign policy

Answer 21

Has become increasingly aggressive as the US has decreased its presence in the region and as the US has strengthened ties with Iran. They have been the primary aggressor in the Saudi-Iran cold war and is currently embroiled in a war with Iran backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. They have also unveiled plan 2030 which will seek foreign investment and increased integration of Saudi Arabia into the global market

Question 22

the Saudi-Iranian Cold War

Answer 22

Saudis’ and Iranians back opposite sides in every conflict. They are on the opposite sides of the Yemeni war, and the Civil war in Syria. It became prominent when Iran tried to export its revolution. The first proxy war was In Iraq when Saudi supported Iraq against the Iranian invasion. They also fought a proxy war in Iraq backing different militias after the US withdrawal from Iraq as well as numerous countries during the Arab Spring.

Question 23

Saudi-Iraqi relations

Answer 23

Saudi has had a difficult time finding a horse to back in the fight against ISIS in Iraq. Saudi did not want to back the Shia led government with its ties to Iran but also had a hard time finding salafi sunni groups that were not aligned with ISIS.

Question 24

Saudi-US relations

Answer 24

Saudi has been a traditional ally to the US and aligned itself along with other Gulf Monarchies with the US in the Cold War. President Trump has been a vocal fan of Saudi Leadership, in particular MBS, but Tillerson and Mattis have been more guarded in their support.

Question 25

Saudi-Qatari relations

Answer 25

In response to Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood and their closer ties with Iran Saudi Arabia cut off all ties with Qatar in June until they fulfilled 13 demands leveled in July including the closing of al-Jezeera, cutting ties with Iran and ending funding for “Terrorists” that would have essentially ended Qatari sovereignty. Qatar refused and the relationship is essentially as bad as possible this side of war. The conflict has put the US in a delicate position with the President supporting Saudi while at the same time relying on Qatar for the housing and support of al-Udaid air base.

Question 26

Saudi-Arabia and global salafism

Answer 26

Saudi seeks to be the single voice of Salafism. In this spirit they opposed ISIS and hate Iran for their claims of Islamic leadership. Saudi seeks to rehabilitate jihadi Salafists to realign their allegiance to the state.

Question 27

sectarianism

Answer 27

1

Question 28

Trump’s foreign policy in the region

Answer 28

lol

Question 29

al-Udaid base

Answer 29

Air base in Qatar

Question 30

women and driving in Saudi Arabia

Answer 30

Was not allowed in the cities which men had to be hired to drive women in the cities. This was recently changed even though women in rural areas had already been driving for years.

Question 31

Ali Khameini

Answer 31

The current Supreme leader of Iran. He was not originally an Ayatollah and was a compromise candidate upon the death of Khomeini. He was seen as someone who could be easily influenced but soon applied his own will. He is seen as less hardline than Khomeini was.

Question 32

Hassan Rouhani

Answer 32

President of Iran

Question 33

Muhammad bin Nayif

Answer 33

Former Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

Question 34

Muhammad bin Salman (MBS)

Answer 34

The current crown prince of Saudi Arabia. He came to power under shady circumstances deposing Muhammaad bin Nayef as Crown Prince and is the current defacto ruler of SA

Question 35

Muqtada al-Sadr

Answer 35

heir to a clerical dynasty that is influential with the poor in the Shia population. He heads a political party and led an anti-US militia during the Iraq war. He has recently and unexpectedly appeared in Saudi Arabia.

Question 36

Nimr al-Nimr

Answer 36

A Shia cleric who’s arrest and execution on very suspect terror charges last year led to an escalation of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Embassy in Tehran being ransacked and Khameini promising retribution

Question 37

Salman bin Abd al-Aziz

Answer 37

King Salman came to the throne in 2015. He was at the center of the succession dispute and is expected to abdicate in favor of MBS due to his alzheimer’s