Gulf

3 briefs

conflict 2026-05-10

The Price of Playing Both Sides

Pakistan tried to mediate between the US and Iran. The UAE responded by expelling hundreds of thousands of Pakistani workers. That is what it costs to be indispensable.

power 2026-05-09

Saudi Arabia Shut Down Project Freedom. Then Reopened the Bases. Neither Act Was What It Looked Like.

Riyadh blocked US forces from using Prince Sultan Air Base for the Hormuz operation, forcing Trump to pause it after 36 hours. The bases reopened days later. What Saudi Arabia demonstrated is that it can veto American military operations from within the alliance.

power 2026-04-20

The Gulf States Just Watched the US Go to War Next Door. Now They're Reconsidering.

The Iran war exposed a fault line the Gulf states had managed for decades: the US security guarantee requires hosting a war you didn't choose. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are quietly hedging.