Israel’s strike on Qatar — a country that hosts the largest U.S. base in the Middle East — has shaken more than Doha’s sense of security. Across the Gulf, leaders in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are asking the same chilling question: if America did not protect Qatar, what happens if we are targeted next?
Saudi Arabia’s Expensive Weakness
Saudi Arabia has spent more than $450 billion on defense in the last decade, buying F-15s, Patriot batteries, and advanced missiles. Yet its military track record is poor. The Houthis in Yemen struck deep inside the kingdom with drones, crippling oil facilities in Abqaiq in 2019. Washington offered sympathy, not protection.
Now, after Qatar, the uncomfortable truth is unavoidable: money does not equal safety if the protector is unwilling.
Human angle (Parents & Families): A young father in Riyadh who works in the oil sector admitted to friends, “We can buy planes and tanks, but will they save my children if missiles fall on the city?”
The UAE’s Vulnerable Ambition
The UAE has positioned itself as a mini superpower — projecting influence in Yemen, Libya, and Africa, while hosting American, French, and even South Korean forces on its soil. Abu Dhabi believed this web of alliances made it untouchable.
But Qatar’s experience shows otherwise. If Israel feels emboldened, the UAE’s glass towers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi suddenly look like fragile targets.
Human angle (Trades & Workers): Filipino and Indian expat workers in Dubai construction camps shared whispers after the Qatar strike: “If it can happen there, why not here?” Their livelihoods depend on stability, but their fear is raw.
America’s Awkward Silence
The Biden administration has so far avoided framing the Qatar attack as a violation of U.S. security guarantees. But that silence is noticed. For Arab leaders, the Qatar case is not just about Israel. It is about America’s willingness to risk confrontation with Israel to protect its Arab partners — a willingness that now looks doubtful.
Human angle (Echoes in Karachi): In Karachi, a cousin of a Saudi migrant worker asked, “If America won’t stand up for Qatar with its biggest base, why would it defend Saudi Arabia?” This sentiment spreads fast across diasporas.
Could They Be Next?
The honest answer: yes, Saudi Arabia or the UAE could be next. Not because Israel plans open war with them, but because the precedent has been set. Each time Israel pushes and Washington holds back, the line of acceptable action moves further.
For Gulf rulers, the lesson is bitter. A U.S. base on your soil does not guarantee protection. At best, it guarantees America’s interests — and those may not align with yours.
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