Washington remains essential, but dependence is no longer considered sufficient.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have called on Gulf Arab states to strengthen their own defence capabilities rather than depend almost entirely on the United States for regional security. The message reflects growing concern that foreign military partnerships, although still indispensable, cannot guarantee the protection of national territory, energy infrastructure and maritime trade during a rapidly expanding conflict.
Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the presence of international forces and the strategic alliance with Washington remain important but are no longer enough. He argued that security self-sufficiency must become a central objective for Gulf governments. His comments did not signal a rejection of the United States, but a demand for greater regional capacity to respond when allied deterrence fails.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, delivered a similar assessment. He warned that countries relying completely on external powers cannot assume that their security will always remain another government’s priority. Gargash also criticised the Gulf states’ inability to transform common concerns into a coordinated strategy, despite sharing exposure to missile attacks, disrupted shipping and threats against energy facilities.
The debate has intensified after months of confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Iranian attacks have reached Gulf territory and commercial vessels, while restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted a maritime corridor previously carrying roughly one-fifth of global energy supplies. Qatar, one of the world’s leading liquefied-natural-gas exporters, is particularly vulnerable because its principal export terminals lie inside the Gulf. The UAE has greater flexibility and is expanding pipelines, railways, eastern ports and alternative trade corridors outside the strait.
A stronger regional security architecture would nevertheless be difficult to construct. The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council maintain different relations with Iran, Turkey, Israel, China and Western powers. They also possess unequal military capabilities and have previously struggled to coordinate responses to common threats. Building autonomy would therefore require more than purchasing weapons: it would involve interoperable defence systems, shared intelligence, maritime coordination and clearer rules for collective action.
The emerging position is best understood as strategic diversification rather than separation from Washington. Gulf governments still rely heavily on American weapons, intelligence and military infrastructure, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Yet the conflict has exposed the risk of outsourcing too much responsibility for national survival. The region now appears determined to preserve the American alliance while reducing the vulnerability created by exclusive dependence on it.
Alliances provide protection, but autonomy determines resilience.