politics
Gulf allies are quietly starting to break with Washington
Key takeaways
- For decades, Washington treated the Gulf monarchies as the immovable pillars of American power in the Middle East.
- These states hosted U.S. troops, bought American weapons and aligned themselves with Washington s regional priorities.
- That bargain is now fraying — and perhaps breaking.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
For decades, Washington treated the Gulf monarchies as the immovable pillars of American power in the Middle East. The U.S. military presence there evolved into a vast, interconnected web of bases and infrastructure stretching across Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
These states hosted U.S. troops, bought American weapons and aligned themselves with Washington s regional priorities. In return, they expected the ultimate prize: protection under the American security umbrella.
That bargain is now fraying — and perhaps breaking.
Article preview — originally published by The Hill. Full story at the source.
Read full story on The Hill →
More top stories
Also covered by
Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from The Hill alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place.
Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop