The Obama administration is attempting to reassure the United States’ Gulf Arab allies, who fear the consequences of a potential nuclear deal with Iran. The New York Times reported Friday that the White House, State Department, and Pentagon have been “scrambling” to find a way to allay the Arab countries’ anxieties at a Camp David summit later this month. According to the Times, the discussions include “everything from joint training missions for American and Arab militaries…to additional weapons sales to a loose defense pact that could signal that the United States would back those allies if they come under attack from Iran.” In the words of a Middle East expert who had dinner with Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter two weeks ago, Carter wanted advice from regional specialists, asking them “how do you make clear to the G.C.C. [Gulf Cooperation Council] that America isn’t going to hand the house keys of the Persian Gulf over to Iran and then pivot to Asia?”
On April 20, the visiting crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, urged President Obama to enter into a defense pact with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The administration is reportedly discussing making Saudi Arabia and the UAE major non-NATO allies, which would provide for the easier facilitation of weapons to those countries, but fall short of a formal defense agreement. Kuwait and Bahrain already have this status. According to Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Gulf countries would prefer a formal security pact, as lobbied for by Crown Prince al-Nahyan; however, the Times suggests this would be difficult to achieve due to possible Congressional opposition.
The Gulf countries have sought assistance from other nations as well. The French, who have been reported to be the toughest negotiators with Iran, agreed on Thursday to sell Rafale fighter jets to Qatar in a deal worth $7 billion. French President Francois Hollande will travel to Doha to ink the deal this coming Monday and then travel to Riyadh to attend a summit of the GCC heads of state. His visit to the summit will be the first such visit by a Western leader. A senior French diplomat was quoted as saying, “It’s important for us because it shows the appreciation of Gulf countries in our strategic choices with regard to Iran, Syria and the fight against Islamic State. We’ve shown we’re a reliable partner that doesn’t shirk its responsibilities in the region.”
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