What’s behind all the Hate? The Truth about Arab/Islamic Antagonism towards the United States

Abstract

This paper is a critical analysis of potential Arab/Islamic anti-Americanism in Saudi Arabia. Particularly the significance of the Gulf War of 1990/1991 and the resulting stationing of US troops inside the Saudi kingdom for the Arab/Islamic anti-Americanism will be analyzed.

Hereby, this project seeks to investigate whether the reactions to the American presence in Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab/Islamic region are of anti-American nature or whether they reveal other proprieties.

With the help of various Arabic and American sources the research question is approached and compared from both sides. The inclusion of Arabic sources of Saudi opposition leaders allows this paper to examine which leitmotifs dominate the discourse on American soldiers in Saudi Arabia.

Overall, four main reactions are identified and discussed with the means of a qualitative analysis: Foreigners and disbelievers in Saudi Arabia, opposition to the Saudi royal family, an exploitation of anti-Americanism, and a liberal movement.

The resulting main themes lead to this paper’s thesis that an anti-American characterization of the reactions to the American troop presence during the Gulf War is a questionable simplification of the situation.