The Saudis No Longer Trust Trump
Riyadh allegedly refused to provide the United States with support for its escort mission in the Strait of Hormuz. In the Gulf, the old security pacts are crumbling.
According to Donald Trump’s account, he suspended the U.S. escort mission for ships in the Strait of Hormuz because talks with Iran might be approaching an initial breakthrough. NBC, however, reported that disagreements between the U.S. and its most important Gulf partner, Saudi Arabia, led to that step, stating that the Saudis had denied the Americans permission to use their airspace and an air base.
Saudi Arabia apparently did not want to take part in an operation that could trigger a renewed outbreak of war in the Gulf. Riyadh is part of a new diplomatic “quartet” alongside Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan, with which it has a mutual defense pact. The Saudis are relying on new regional security frameworks. The departure from decades of exclusive alignment with Washington has been in motion for some time, but the new war has accelerated it. The fact that this is taking place in the era of Trump — formerly the Gulf Arabs’ favorite — is an irony of history.
Unity Is Collapsing
Meanwhile, unity among the Arab Gulf states is completely collapsing. The United Arab Emirates’ withdrawal from OPEC is an affront to Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi is following a very different course from that of Riyadh. The Iran war has strengthened Emirati security cooperation with Israel. Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi also share an aversion to Turkey, which is being courted by the Saudis.
According to Donald Trump’s account, he suspended the U.S. escort mission for ships in the Strait of Hormuz because talks with Iran might be approaching an initial breakthrough. NBC, however, reported that disagreements between the U.S. and its most important Gulf partner, Saudi Arabia, led to that step, stating that the Saudis had denied the Americans permission to use their airspace and an air base.
Saudi Arabia apparently did not want to take part in an operation that could trigger a renewed outbreak of war in the Gulf. Riyadh is part of a new diplomatic “quartet” alongside Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan, with which it has a mutual defense pact. The Saudis are relying on new regional security frameworks. The departure from decades of exclusive alignment with Washington has been in motion for some time, but the new war has accelerated it. The fact that this is taking place in the era of Trump — formerly the Gulf Arabs’ favorite — is an irony of history.
Unity Is Collapsing
Meanwhile, unity among the Arab Gulf states is completely collapsing. The United Arab Emirates’ withdrawal from OPEC is an affront to Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi is following a very different course from that of Riyadh. The Iran war has strengthened Emirati security cooperation with Israel. Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi also share an aversion to Turkey, which is being courted by the Saudis.
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