PNN – Amid the crisis facing Trump regarding a potential war with Iran, Arab and Western officials have reported growing anger in the region over U.S. actions.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; Arab and Western officials speaking to The Washington Post emphasized that dissatisfaction with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is mounting in the Persian Gulf region.
The report notes that this situation has arisen as Washington’s allies worry that the U.S. administration may be unable to manage the political path required to end a conflict with Iran and secure an agreement that guarantees regional stability and security.
The Washington Post reported that, according to three U.S. officials and a former diplomat, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain now share a sense of dissatisfaction with the Trump administration following months of conflict and ongoing missile and drone attacks by Iran against U.S. positions and those of its allies.
This situation has unfolded against a backdrop of Trump repeatedly threatening new attacks on Iran in recent weeks, only to subsequently back down from those threats by claiming progress in negotiations. This approach has heightened concerns among Gulf States regarding the lack of a clear strategy and consistency in the U.S. stance.
Citing an official from a Persian Gulf Arab state, The Washington Post reported: Trump started this war, and we are paying the price. Anger and dissatisfaction with the United States have reached their highest levels since the strike on Iran in February.
The report notes that despite the continued reliance of Persian Gulf Arab states on the U.S. as a primary security partner and major arms supplier, some of these nations are evaluating the effectiveness of U.S. military bases on their soil. Mindful of the direct consequences of the war in the region, these countries have raised doubts regarding the continued U.S. military presence.
Analysts believe that U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf feel they have been drawn into a war that did not align with their interests—one that the Trump administration is currently struggling to bring to an end.
Citing Firas Maksad, Director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Eurasia Group, The Washington Post reported that Trump’s policy toward Iran is volatile and unpredictable.
Anna Jacobs of the Gulf International Forum in Washington also stated that trust in the United States has declined since the war began, and Washington’s allies now believe that U.S. behavior in the region undermines their security.
The stance of Arab nations has shifted following the realization that the war has not—and will not—rapidly lead to the collapse of the Iranian regime or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.