Abraham’s Fortress: Strengthening Middle East Defenses Against Iran
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Introduction
The Iranian regime’s several thousand attacks on Gulf countries tried to get those nations to balk at the war and pressure Washington to end it, and compel Gulf countries to move away from the United States and Israel. Instead, the opposite happened. “We need a conclusive outcome that addresses Iran’s full range of threats,” wrote the Emirati ambassador to Washington, in a top American newspaper, at the height of the war in March. His firm words mirrored Gulf leaders’ private messaging to the United States. Moreover, the Gulf countries jointly threatened to retaliate against the Iranian regime—including countries like Qatar that had moved closer into Iran’s orbit in recent years.
The Gulf states conveyed these sentiments in more than just words. Two of those nations reportedly did strike Iran at least once each; several granted basing, access and overflight rights to U.S. forces in the war; and at least one permitted the United States to conduct strikes against Iran from inside its territory.
There is now an unprecedented window to boost U.S. regional defense cooperation by taking steps to advance an integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) and empower Gulf states to defend against Iran well into the future. This opportunity is ripe for the taking, and the United States is beginning to seize it. Yet there is far more that can and should be done. Washington should reach for even higher rungs on the ladder and work ambitiously to enhance a U.S.-led regional security architecture that deepens, and sustains, the Iranian regime’s present weakness.
This is an objective that should appeal to all people, regardless of their views on the conflict, or their views on whether America should or should not retain a large military presence in the region. In fact, it should be particularly appealing for those who wish to reduce the U.S. footprint in the Middle East down the road, since emboldening America’s Gulf partners, and boosting their ties with each other and Israel, helps with burden-sharing while still advancing U.S. security interests.
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