Iran War Exposes The Risks of Being A U.S. Ally

Iranian attacks on US partners in the Gulf should make America’s allies in Asia rethink their security ties with Washington

The question is not whether Asia should stick out its neck. No one wants to get involved in this potentially catastrophic war. That includes America’s Nato allies, which have been making excuses, including denying or stalling US access to their military bases and airspace for transit operations.

Remember the Europeans are formal military allies with decades-long mutual security guarantees. China has no such commitment with anyone, with the possible exception of North Korea.

China prefers to trade with partners and help them build physical and telecommunications infrastructure. The US sells its allies and partners weapons to enrich its military-industrial complex and make them partners in crime to bomb America’s or Israel’s enemies. That is the real issue; as the quote widely attributed to Henry Kissinger goes, “To be an enemy of America is dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal.”

From Oman to Kuwait, virtually all the Gulf states have been dragged into the war and attacked by Iran almost as soon as the shooting started. As a tactical move, Tehran has apologised to its Arab neighbours, but they all knew they would be terribly exposed in any renewal of hostility between Iran and the US and Israel. That is the price you pay when you get too close to the axis of naked aggression.

During an episode of Amanpour and Company last week, host Christiane Amanpour asked Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former top Saudi official, about Arab Gulf states: “Is hosting American bases a long-term, viable situation any more, do you think? Can you all trust America and its defensive posture for you?”

Prince Turki, who previously served as Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief as well as an ambassador to the US and Britain, said in reply: “In the last Trump administration back in 2019, if you remember, we were bombed by Iranian missiles, and Mr Trump at the time did not offer any support. So it is no surprise for the kingdom that he is not coming to our help if you like, as far as I can see …

“The whole issue of more bloodshed and more destruction is anathema to the kingdom. The kingdom is on a course of social and industrial and commercial development. We want to continue on that route instead of having military conflicts in the area.”

After launching his latest war, Trump said that he found Iran attacking its Arab neighbours “the biggest surprise” because he considered them to be neutral. But Prince Turki countered that no one should be surprised since that was what Iran had warned it would do.

He said: “Respectfully, I would recall that the [Saudi] crown prince and other Gulf leaders have been urging America not to undertake military action against Iran because all of us believe that action will not remain confined to Iran, that Iran will retaliate against American presence in the area which is present in all of the Gulf states and as far away as Turkey apparently.”

Iranian and Axis Retaliatory Strikes in the Middle East

Amanpour also observed that, “for a long time Saudi leaders and other Arab leaders in the Gulf States have told their people that you’re hosting American bases because it’s in your interest, because it will protect you as well. Now you’re being attacked as Iran signalled you would be and I don’t see much defence coming to you all.”

The Gulf states are the latest US allies and partners to find that, far from enhancing their national security and protecting their peoples, security relations with Washington can also endanger them. With the exception of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, major wars in the past quarter-century involving European or Nato member states – such as in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza – were all American or Israeli wars. None of them directly threatened European interests.

Those are the real lessons for America’s allies in Asia and Australia. They need to ask themselves: does allying with the US protect or endanger their people? China is not Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria or Gaza.

In a war between two superpowers, do they really want to be involved, such as hosting US military bases and weapon systems to attack China? Wouldn’t it be wiser to keep some distance?