Gulf Arab states to create regional police, navy
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, which is concerned about Shiite Iran's regional influence and the rise of Sunni extremist groups throughout the region, agreed on Tuesday to create a regional police force based out of the United Arab Emirates' capital of Abu Dhabi and a joint naval force based out of Bahrain.
The summit took place on the same day that the price of brent crude oil hit a five-year low of $65, with Kuwait's emir warning in his remarks that the slide in price is impacting development programs. Gulf monarchs rely on income from oil to sustain generous welfare programs used to appease the public.
