A Gulf Sheikh down coming?

[davidbfpo]

A new book 'After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies' by Christopher Davidson, a UK-based academic, is published this week and FP has an article that opens with:

At first glance the Gulf monarchies look stable, at least compared to the broader region. In reality, however, the political and economic structures that underpin these highly autocratic states are coming under increasing pressure, and broad swathes of citizens are making hitherto unimaginable challenges to the ruling elites.

Which ends with:

Finally, and most importantly, the vicious crackdowns and arbitrary detentions that have been taking place as regimes have sought to silence these voices are tragic, but are nonetheless helping to dispel the illusion that these unelected, unaccountable rulers have anything in common with the tribal, benevolent rulers of the pre-oil era.

Link:http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/pos...cy_in_question

A shorter summary:http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Sheikh.../dp/184904189X

If this was to come about, in one or more nations, the Arab Spring would take a very different form. SWC have discussed the Gulf states before, although in brief - except for Saudi Arabia.

There is a substantial thread on Bahrain's Unrest:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...t=12530&page=6