Saudi Arabia and UAE Backstab Trump in Middle East

For the past two months, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have waited for some real push back for the Iranian attacks made upon both countrie's oil facilities from President Trump. Despite the glowing reports Trump tells us, it is partially fake news. When Trump decided not to attack the Iranian missile site, he sent a chilling message to two key US allies. It was not a message they wanted to hear, that Trump talks tough but is unwilling to take the next step, much like Obama did with his red line and Syria.

An official in Abu Dhabi commented this week: “If this [negotiations with Iran] is what Washington is after, we have no interest in participating in his maritime security coalition plan for the Gulf, since its deterrent power will be extremely limited.”

So, after six years of no diplomacy, the UAE met with Iran on July 30 to discuss navigation issues about those waters that impact both countries. The UAE, in good faith to Iran, withdrew its military forces from Yemen and handed over the islands in the mouth of Mandeb, and a section of the Saudi western shore to a Yemeni militia, associated with Iran. Saudi Arabia has shown interest in meeting with Iran also to discuss similar issues.

For Iran, it is an opening to reduce the impact of the Trump sanctions if Iran can reach trade agreements and puts notice to Trump that his lack of action in military retaliation against Iran is not acceptable to two key American allies in the region.

Granted, the Saudis have been at war with Iranian proxies for months in Yemen, and they have not yet pulled back any military efforts as the UAE has to show good faith to Iran. Still, the mere fact that the Saudis will meet with Iranian officials only shows that Arab allies are like the wind, they change directions if it suits them.

For Israel, with elections coming in September, the PM will have to explain why only Israel is willing to take on Iran militarily without the backing of the USA, Saudi Arabia or UAE, the key members of the allied front.

Trump is not happy that his Middle East plan's are evaporating due to his inaction two months ago.