Whither Inter-Sunni Relations in the Middle East?: Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council

Abstract:The essay analyzes relations between Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council since the early 2000s in order to determine whether it is possible to acknowledge the emergence of a Sunni bloc against the so-called Shiite Crescent in the Middle East. It argues that although positive relations among Sunni nations reached a historical peak after 2002, it is impossible to talk about a genuine alliance. Moreover, recent political tensions among Persian Gulf monarchies, and Turkey’s partiality in relation to them, clearly demonstrates that, although Sunni powers give an impression of union at some exceptional moments, disagreements among them are still significant.