Abstract: The strategic relations between the United States and the GCC (the Gulf Cooperation Council) states commenced in the post World War II era and continued through the Cold War and post-Cold War periods. The American political, economic and strategic interests in the Gulf region have always occupied a top priority in the US foreign policy agenda. Precisely, oil has always been a key American interest in the region, particularly as Saudi Arabia alone possesses the largest oil reserves in the world. Moreover, American oil companies have had an exclusive role in developing the Saudi oil industry.

Notwithstanding the fact that the US interests in the GCC states have mainly been the flow of oil and the political stability of the region over the past five decades, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington DC marked a turning point as far as the US bilateral relations with the GCC states, the security issues in the Gulf region and the US policy towards Iraq are concerned. The United States expanded its presence and involvement in the Gulf region, declared war against terrorism and later against Iraq. This exacerbated the US concerns about the security of the Gulf region allowing the Bush administration to call upon the GCC states in various occasions, particularly Saudi Arabia, to accelerate their efforts to combat terrorism emphasizing that the September attacks were mainly perpetrated by Saudi citizens. Consequently, the bilateral relationships between the United States and the GCC states were affected either negatively, as it is the case with Saudi Arabia or positively as it is the case with Qatar.

The research on the GCC-US relations in an ever-changing world is vital. It deserves close attention and requires a constant assessment to provide quality understanding of the nature of these relations and prospective developments.