Institute For Middle East Studies

In real estate, as in strategic planning on a nationaland international scale, three factors are critical: location, location, location… No region so vital to the world has seen as many wars and as much turmoil as the Persian Gulf. The media and the political universe often give attention to how the world sees that region; but little to how those who live there perceive the world.

What are the threats as they see them? Who can be trusted and who is untrustworthy? What issues loom large in their consciousness — rising radical Islam, falling oil  prices, domestic unrest, or uncertain alliances? Understanding their perceptions is essential in understanding the region and why they do not always share the same values and concerns as the U.S.