We can sense growing suspicion in the asymmetric relationship between the US and the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states due to America's divergent view and position on GCC issues, which the member states - collectively and individually - deem as either unfriendly or interfering in their domestic affairs.
The GCC states are frustrated at Washington's lack of gratitude and appreciation for their invaluable contribution to stability and security in the region and for pursuing the path of moderation in the Middle East.
As part of the axis of moderation, the GCC plays a major role in Iraq, ensures energy security and generates sovereign wealth.
But it was all ignored by the US Congress when the US House of Representatives approved a legislation that would allow the United States to sue the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) under its antitrust laws.
New York Times columnist, Thomas Evan, too joined the fray and wrote an opinion article titled "Sue OPEC".
With the unprecedented increase in oil prices which is now hovering around $140 per barrel, only the GCC states can calm the world's fears of rising oil prices. Saudi Arabia took the initiative and increased its daily oil output by 200,000 barrels and also held a conference to address the significant relationship between the oil producing and oil consuming countries.
Furthermore, the GCC is a regional power house and this year's accumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to reach nearly $1 trillion, up from $800 billion last year.
The major clout that the GCC has is its dominant status of a soft power in terms of oil and gas output. In addition, their collective sovereign wealth makes the GCC states a global world player, compensating for their lack of size and lack of hard power.
As the Economist put it, "The Gulf added $215 billion to its stock of foreign assets in 2007, the IIF calculates. This hoard is divided between the region's central banks, its sovereign-wealth funds and its wealthy sovereigns.
It added up to $1.8 trillion by the end of last year, by the IIF's estimates, and more like $2.4 trillion, according to Brad Setser of the Council on Foreign Relations and Rachel Ziemba of RGE Monitor."
The US State Department's Eighth Annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) or modern day slavery, published in early June was deemed offensive by the GCC states.
The US insists that the report is "dedicated to ending human trafficking, a deeply dehumanising form of exploitation. In virtually every country around the world, including the United States, men, women and children are held in domestic servitude, exploited for commercial sex, coerced into work in factories and sweatshops. In some, children are forcibly recruited as soldiers".
Mark Lagon, the US State Department's senior adviser on human-trafficking elaborated: "For the last four years, the weak performance of several nations in the Gulf has been the matter of great concern and disappointment."
But he added that he was "happy to report that the UAE and Bahrain continued to make significant improvements, notably the UAE. It is a model in the region."
The report kept the other four GCC states in the blacklist with threat of sanctions against Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia because their governments have taken serious steps to deal with "trafficking in people".
Display of anger
The GCC countries dismissed the report as "unjustified" and their foreign ministers chastised the US in an unprecedented public display of anger. The statement by the foreign ministers said that they "deeply regret the wrong information on the GCC states contained in a US State Department report for 2008 on human trafficking".
In a serious tone, they added, "[This information] aims to practice unjustified pressure for political ends," and asked the US to "revise its unfriendly policy towards GCC countries".
The divide between the US and the GCC widened further when the US Treasury Department, not to be outdone by the State Department, froze the assets of a Kuwait-based charity organisation, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS).
It is one of the most respected charity organisations, managed by the Salafi group. The Salafis, along with their allies, won 10 seats or 20 per cent of the seats in Kuwait's parliament in the elections held last month. In the new Cabinet, there is also a senior minister belonging to this group.
Without providing any material evidence to support its claim, the US has accused the charity organisation of supporting and funding Al Qaida.
In his report, the US Treasury Department's Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, has alleged "RIHS of using charity and humanitarian assistance as covers to fund terrorist activity and harm innocent civilians, often in poor and impoverished regions".
Furthermore, the report accuses the senior leadership of RIHS of being "aware of both legitimate and illegitimate uses of RIHS funds".
RIHS offices have also been closed or raided by the governments of Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, and Russia over suspicion that the charity is allegedly linked with the funding of terrorism.
The decision by the US Treasury Department has raised many eye-brows in Kuwait and has led to official and public outcry. In a show of solidarity and support, the Emir of Kuwait, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, met with the leaders of RIHS and praised their charitable works in all parts of the Muslim world.
The Cabinet called the US allegations baseless and the parliament and its Speaker accused the US of interfering in Kuwait's sovereignty. They also reminded the US that it was living in a glass house and should not throw stones at others.
In reference to the dismal human rights record of the US, they stated that Washington has no moral authority to lecture other nations because it doesn't practice what it preaches.
The strategic partnership between the US, the dominant power, and the GCC, its junior partners, should be based on mutual trust and respect, and nurtured by mutual appreciation and gratitude as both sides need each other.
Even though such an unhealthy environment won't affect the strategic relationship between them, it will exacerbate unneeded tension and foster an unhealthy environment that won't benefit either side.
Dr Abdullah Al Shayji is a Professor of International Relations and the Head of the American Studies Unit- Kuwait University.
