It does not make sense to invest more Arab resources in a US alliance

For decades, Gulf states operated under the assumption that their most important strategic partner was the United States. They built an extensive and multidimensional partnership with Washington, one that spanned security, energy, finance, and diplomacy. In launching its war alongside Israel against Iran, however, the US sidelined its Gulf partners, ignoring their appeals and concerns. Now, as the Trump administration attempts to negotiate with Iran, it again appears to have the interests of Israel as its top priority; the concerns of its Arab allies are once again overlooked. No matter how much these countries have done or how much more they are willing to offer, their interests will remain expendable in Washington whenever they collide with those of Israel. Few alliances in modern history have been as deep or as mutually reinforcing as the one between the Gulf and the US, with with Gulf countries effectively opening their territory to a near-unconditional American military presence. Trade between the two sides exceeded $120bn in 2024, underpinned by Gulf investments in the US economy. This has been matched by a significant US presence in Gulf markets across technology, energy and infrastructure. The scale of this interdependence was further underscored at the 2025 Riyadh summit, which yielded trade and investment agreements surpassing $2 trillion. In the same year, Gulf sovereign wealth funds channelled nearly $70bn into US assets. Beyond headline figures, the Gulf has