Gulf Arab row rattles Trump's anti-Iran axis

Author

02 June, 2017

Kayhan, a newspaper closely associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday the rift reflected Saudi Arabia's inability to "form an alliance against Tehran".

The Arab show of unity with President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia had just ended when a spat erupted between energy-rich USA allies he met - and praised - during his visit to the kingdom. The country has an elected president and parliament.

Meanwhile, other confrontations have followed Trump's visit. On the contrary, the primary focus was on the establishment of a grand alliance under the auspices of the USA, with the latter tacitly taking responsibility for providing what Trump called "lots of handsome military equipment". In it the praised President Trump's trip as a show of strength. "It's not in the interests of anyone for this to grow into a clash beyond a media campaign - but sometimes these things take on a life of their own", he said.

Otaibi, who faces charges in Saudi Arabia for setting up an independent organisation and sending tweets deemed "offensive" to the kingdom, was arrested at Doha airport on May 24 and returned hours later to Saudi Arabia, an Amnesty statement said.

Deals worth US$15 billion are for that very goal, involving a number of American companies including General Electric and Boeing. Saudi Arabia is going to improve its transportation capabilities; therefore it's planning to buy new airliners for Saudi Airlines from Boeing. "We are loyal to our country, not subjects of Iran and the Brotherhood".

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are incensed by Qatar's conciliatory line on Iran, their regional archrival, and its support for Islamist groups, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, which they regard as a risky political enemy. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are emerging as the two spearheads around which USA regional policies are realigning, including a set of hawkish defense and security interests; the joint raid conducted by US and UAE Special Forces in Yemen in January may well be only the first of numerous joint initiatives across regional conflict zones in the months and years ahead. Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, where every position of power is appointed by either the king or other members of the Al Saud royal family from which the nation derives its name. Iran and Saudi Arabia back opposing militant movements in Syria and Yemen, as well as adversarial political movements throughout the Middle East.

"When Trump gave fulsome support in Riyadh and said, "let's isolate Iran" that sent a signal to the UAE and Saudi, which felt emboldened and said: let's let loose everything we have on Qatar", said Gerd Nonneman, professor of International Relations and Gulf Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar. Both Mohammed bin Zayed and Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were high-profile visitors to Washington in the run-up to the Riyadh summit with Arab and Islamic leaders. The unwritten promise to sell Saudi Arabia, over a period, US$5 trillion in advanced arms, previously denied to any foreign government, speaks volumes about the immediate success of Saudi in having the United States fully on its side.

Salman Rafi Sheikh is an independent journalist and a research analyst of global relations and Pakistan affairs.


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