This book is an analysis of the boundary treaties between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, starting with the Treaty of Taif in 1934 and concluding with the Treaty of Jeddah in 2000. It discusses the legal arguments of both sides in this long-running boundary dispute, and contains the translated texts of the treaties concerned. Territorial control and cession of territory; occupations, crises; contestation of sovereignty and wars; cross-border movement for pasturage and tribal opposition; unilateral termination of treaties and revocation of privileges of Yemeni nationals in Saudi Arabia, negotiations and breakthroughs; violations of the treaties and acquiescence; arguments about the position of boundary markers and the status of treaties: all these dimensions are discussed in this study.
Written by a female Middle East expert, Bradt’s Saudi Arabia is the first English-language travel guide from a mainstream publisher that focuses exclusively on the Kingdom, which has now opened for general tourism as part of rapid political, economic and social reforms. With detailed advice on what to see and do, listings for accommodation and restaurants, guidance on cultural etiquette and advice for women and other diverse travellers, this book provides the practical information adventurous tourists need to explore this new, exciting destination. Saudi Arabia will appeal to adventure travellers, offering activities ranging from pristine, world-class scuba diving to mountain-trekking. With dramatic scenery including a desert that stretches for hundreds of kilometres (where you can camp like a Bedouin) and several accessible nature reserves, visitors looking for undisturbed landscapes are spoilt for choice. Culture vultures will appreciate pre-Islamic rock art, Nabatean heritage, Mada’in Saleh (the sister city to Jordan’s Petra in Jordan) and six UNESCO World Heritage Sites rarely visited by international tourists. Particularly after sundown, when Saudi Arabia truly comes alive, urbanites can explore the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, where shopping opportunities range from traditional souqs to top-end malls where the wealthy go to see and be seen. Gastronomists can enjoy varied cuisine, from fine dining worthy of a Michelin star to traditional meals served on the floor, shared by all and eaten by hand. This guide dispels misinformation by providing an unbiased, up-to-date and comprehensive resource that accurately reflects what Saudi Arabia now offers visitors from all backgrounds. Most outsiders know little about the Kingdom other than from typically negative media coverage, so may be pleasantly surprised at its rich history and youthful population eager to extend hospitality to guests respecting their culture and traditions. A comprehensive guide combining detailed travel information about the entire Kingdom (from the Northern Borders to Asir, and from Hejaz to Eastern Province) with a chapter explaining some of the main practices of and reasons for the hajj and umrah pilgrimages, plus contextual insights covering cultural etiquette, reforms and women travellers, Bradt’s Saudi Arabia is the perfect companion for people who thrive on off-the-beaten-path travel.
For much of the contemporary history of the Middle East, the Persian Gulf has stood at the center of the region’s strategic significance. At the same time, the Gulf has been wracked by political instability and tension. As far back as the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Britain zeroed in on the Persian Gulf as a critical passageway to its crown jewel, India, and entered into protectorate agreements with local ruling families, thus bestowing on them international legitimacy and, eventually, the resources and support necessary to ascend to kingships. Today, the region is undergoing profound changes that range from rapid economic and infrastructural development to tumultuous social and cultural transformations. Far from eroding the area’s political significance, these changes have only accentuated rivalries and tensions and have brought to the forefront new challenges to international security and stability. Together, the essays in this volume present a comprehensive, detailed, and accessible account of the international politics of the region. Focusing on the key factors that give the Persian Gulf its strategic significance, contributors look at the influence of vast deposits of oil and natural gas on international politics, the impact of the competing centers of power of Iran and Saudi Arabia, the nature of relationships among countries within the Persian Gulf, and the evolving interaction between Islam and politics. Throughout the collection, issues of internal and international security are shown to be central. Drawing on the comprehensive knowledge and experience of experts in the region, The International Politics of the Persian Gulf shines a bright light on this area, offering insights and thoughtful analyses on the critical importance of this troubled region to global politics.
The Huthi rebels in Yemen are a resistance movement going back decades. Their coup against Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in 2015 - and the subsequent Yemeni civil war and the intervention of the Arab coalition in support of Hadi - has brought absolute devastation to the country. But who are the Huthis and how can we understand the group away from armed conflict and war? What has motivated their social movement to fundamentally re-shape Yemen, and what are the group's local and regional ambitions? This book provides the first comprehensive critical analysis dedicated to the Huthis. Across four parts and 17 chapters, the book examines how the movement is challenging traditional religious authority, re-shaping tribal values and roles in Yemen, constructing new collective memories and identities, and infusing Yemen's mediascape with their ideological creed. In examining the movement's specific ways of thinking and beliefs, the book also highlights its foreign policy within a regional policy of resistance to the United States, and it points towards what its impact on both Yemen and the security of the Arab Gulf region will be. The book brings together the leading experts on Yemen from diverse disciplines to provide readers with a nuanced and multi-layered approach to understanding the Huthi movement.
Jack Coughlin, the Marine Corps' top-ranked sniper and author of New York Times bestseller Shooter, follows Gunnery Sgt. Kyle Swanson's action-packed top secret missions in the Middle East in the Kyle Swanson Sniper Series, Books 1-3. In Kill Zone, Kyle Swanson receives orders to mount a top secret mission to rescue an American general captured in the Middle East by terrorists who threaten to behead him. In Dead Shot, Swanson faces his most deadly enemy yet, a legendary enemy sniper working with a fringe Islamic organization that has created a terrifying new weapon of mass destruction. In Clean Kill, an attempt at a new peace in the Middle East is shattered by an unknown attacker, and only Swanson can find out who's responsible.
Before judging, you must know the facts and background of the accused and his alleged wrongdoing. This book takes the reader on a journey back in time, walking the path he lived. The journey transcends country and cultural boundaries and includes mixing with Saudi royalty in the 1950s, a new life in the US in the late1960s and the UK from the 1970s. Senior career progression is impeded by invisible racial disharmony. Huge hills of fear and jealousy by others have to be navigated to achieve success, wealth and an enviable lifestyle. A return to England marked the start of unexpected and unforeseen degradation and conflict, which finally came to an end in 2009; but, at what cost? Once you have walked this path with him, you may be in a position to "Judge me if you can."
