Saudi-Iranian relations since the fall of Saddam : rivalry, cooperation, and implications for U.S. policy / Frederic Wehrey ... [and others].

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Wehrey, Frederic M.

Rand Corporation. National Security Research Division.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

International relations.

Saudi Arabia--Foreign relations--Iran.

Saudi Arabia.

Iran--Foreign relations--Saudi Arabia.

Iran.

United States--Foreign relations--Persian Gulf States.

United States.

Persian Gulf States--Foreign relations--United States.

Persian Gulf States.

Physical Description:

xxv, 130 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, CA : Rand, 2009.

Summary:

The often tense relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been at the center of many of the major political shifts in the Middle East since the fall of Saddam Hussein. This report surveys Saudi-Iranian relations since 2003, focusing on the underlying sources of rivalry and how the two states have vied for influence in Iraq, the Persian Gulf, Lebanon, and Palestine.

Drawing extensively from field interviews in the region, the authors find that Shi'a-Sunni differences play less of a role in the policy calculus of each regime than is commonly assumed and that the two countries have a tendency to cooperate on areas of common interest. Leveraging the Saudi-Iranian relationship will be a critical part of U.S. efforts to ensure stability after the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and to manage the regional impact of Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Contents:

Introduction: Saudi Arabia and Iran: between confrontation and cooperation

Sectarianism and ideology in the Saudi-Iranian relationship

Relations in the "Core": conflict regulation in the Gulf and Iraq

Contention on the periphery: Saudi-Iranian relations and the conflicts in Lebanon and Palestine

Conclusion: key findings and implications for U.S. policy.

Notes:

"Sponsored by the Smith Richardson Foundation."

"MG-840-SRF"--P. [4] of cover.

"Rand National Security Research Division."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 107-130).

ISBN:

9780833046574

0833046578

OCLC:

311310261