When Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil facilities came under attack, calls quickly emerged urging Riyadh to end its alliance with the United States. A similar chorus was heard after the Israeli strike on Doha, with voices demanding that Qatar reconsider its relationship with Washington. Yet in both cases, the response was the same: instead of pulling away, Riyadh and Doha chose the opposite path, deepening and reinforcing their ties with America.
So why do Gulf states consistently opt for this course? And why do some insist they should cut ties with Washington?
From the Gulf perspective, the reasoning is straightforward. A partnership with the United States - the world’s foremost military and economic power - is strategic and non-negotiable, even if differences or missteps arise along the way. This is exactly how America’s other allies behave, from Europe to South Korea and Japan.
Take Europe: despite bitter disagreements with President Donald Trump over Ukraine and his overtures to Vladimir Putin, European governments never walked away from Washington. Instead, they doubled down, recognizing that their prosperity and security remain tied to the US. Even with Europe’s strength, NATO without US leadership would be a hollow shell, an alliance without teeth.
South Korea offers a second example. Trump’s public gestures toward Kim Jong Un infuriated Seoul, whose territory is the first target for Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal. And yet, even when Trump threatened to withdraw US forces, South Korea resisted populist slogans like “relying on America leaves you exposed.” Instead, it chose to strengthen its alliance, just as Riyadh and Doha did.
Japan provides a third case. Despite serious disputes with Washington over trade and US military bases, Tokyo never wavered on the fundamentals of its strategic partnership. Japan knows its national security depends on the US alliance, especially in the face of Chinese and North Korean threats. The same logic applies to India today: relations may be strained, but the partnership remains deep and strategic.
Even the tensions between Gulf states and Barack Obama’s administration - particularly over his Iran policy - did not shatter ties. Relations improved before he left office. Earlier still, Saudi Arabia had opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq, but the partnership endured. Under President Joe Biden, ties were strained at first, but later stabilized and even strengthened.
The Gulf’s political mindset is defined by strategic realism, not emotional or populist impulses. The US alliance saved Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s invasion, helped in the defeat of al-Qaeda and other extremist groups, and continues to provide a deterrent against regional threats, in a region where economic growth ranks as the top priority.
So why the persistent calls for the Gulf to abandon its strategic ally?
First, because some regional powers seek to dominate. They view a reduced US presence as a chance to expand their influence. We saw this dynamic unfold when militias flourished as Obama scaled back America’s security role and shifted focus toward Asia.
Second, because of inflated rhetoric around the idea of an “Arab army.” While proposals for a unified Arab military surface occasionally, they remain theoretical and detached from reality. Civil wars ravage multiple Arab states, others struggle with fragility, and deep divisions persist over the very definition of “Arab security.” Even Europe - with its superior military power and integrated economies - has failed to build a unified army. Yet Europeans have never abandoned their alliance with the US. That relationship may falter at times, but it never collapses.
Ultimately, the Gulf-US alliance is not a matter of sentiment; it is a strategic necessity. It safeguards security, underpins stability, and protects vital economic interests. Whatever crises or disagreements may arise, national interest dictates only one course: to strengthen the alliance, not to abandon it.
