Could the Gulf States Defend Themselves Without America?

For the all-rich nations of the Persian Gulf, the events of 2026 have been a rude awakening. Glitzy petro-states like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have come under relentless fire from Iran, and decades of security guarantees and arms transfers in Washington haven't been enough to stop the missiles and drones of the Revolutionary Guard.

Before this crisis erupted, the Gulf states' logic was clear.

They hosted American bases, they welcomed foreign protection, and they kept the supply of oil, natural gas, and other petrochemical products flowing out across the globe. In exchange, well, major conflict was supposed to be impossible. Now the Gulf states' entire geostrategic approach has been blown apart.