"Bahrain is ready from this day for the declaration of the union, to assert our firm will and our solid determination," King Hamad
...King of Bahrain (since 14 February 2002), having previously been its emir (from 6 March 1999). He is a Sunni, while the rest of Bahrain is predominantly Shiite...
said in an address on the occasion of the kingdom's national day.
"We look forward to the call for a special Summit in Riyadh to announce the establishment of this union," he added.
The six conservative Arab members of the GCC -- which includes Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman -- sit on 40 percent of the world's oil and a quarter of its natural gas.
The proposal to upgrade the bloc from a coordination council to a union was put forward by
King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands Abdullah... Fifth out of 37 sons of King Abdulaziz to ascend to the throne. He is, after his half-brothers Bandar and Musa'id, the third eldest of the living sons of Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. Abdullah's mother is from the Rashid clan, longtime rivals of the Saud. He has 6 sons and 15 daughters and about $20 billion. His youngest son is just seven years old...
in 2011.
Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, which at the time was grappling with Arab Spring-inspired protests by its Shiite majority, strongly supported the proposal.
But other Gulf states have shown less enthusiasm, with Oman threatening last week to quit the loose alliance if the union proposal is pursued.