Muammer Faisal Kholi
In the context of the effort of US President Donald Trump administration to prove its seriousness in the face of Iranian influence in its regional environment, and prevent it from targeting the national security of allied countries in the Arabian Gulf, the US defense secretary arrived Riyadh, on the current 18 April starting of a tour includes a visit of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Djibouti. Relations between Gulf Arab countries and the United States were strained under President Barack Obama’s administration due to what was perceived as a US tilt towards Iran at the expense of Gulf Arab interests.
The administration of former US President Barack Obama was insisting on a deal ending the crisis of Iran’s nuclear ambitions peacefully at any cost. The Arab Gulf states see that former US President Barack Obama ignored them during the agreement, and ignored Iran’s interventions in the region and its efforts to destabilize Arab countries and dominate them.
The Gulf States rely on US support in the face of greater Tehran’s expansionist ambitions in the region. Therefore, the two parties are working to restore the relationship that was dominated by a feeling of marginalization by Riyadh, shortly after the signing of the nuclear deal with Tehran. Riyadh finds in the Trump administration all ears react with its concern towards the «Iranian interference» in the countries of the region, especially in light of the intensification of accusations of this administration officials to Tehran of destabilizing the region and waving of taking action towards it.
After the meeting of US Secretary of Defense, “James Mattis ,” with the Saudi King, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Crown prince, Minister of Defense, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Matisse confirmed that the United States “is considering increasing its support for the alliance, which is fighting in Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia.
” In order to restore “the revival of” US-Saudi alliance and promote strategic friendly relations between the two countries, US Secretary of Defense explained the launch of his visit in Saudi Arabia, saying, “The Kingdom is a cornerstone of the safety of the United States of America in the corners of the region.
” As part of the face of the United States of Iranian influence in the Levant, the US Secretary of Defense said after meeting with Saudi officials, “he said that” Iran is the cause of the region’s problems, “stressing” the importance of addressing its efforts to destabilize Yemen and the pressure for UN negotiations.
“He added that “Iran is playing a destabilizing role in the region, but must address its influence in order to reach a solution to the Yemeni conflict through negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations.” He also said, “Everywhere you look, if there is a trouble in the region, you find Iran.
” He added: “We have to overcome Iran’s efforts to destabilize yet another country, and create another militia similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Mattis said referring to the conflict in Yemen.
” The bottom line is we’re on the right path forward .We just have to get down the path and get this in front of a negotiated peace by the United Nations , which is what we stand for and all nations out here that want the best for Yemen stand for ,”he added .
James Mattis ` holds to the Middle East, the new administration’s priorities, as defined of his radical views against Iran beyond its nuclear ambitions, as he believes that Tehran’s “state is a sponsor of terrorism” and threaten the stability of the region through its “support for terrorist militias”, as well as “threat to navigation in the Gulf” and “development of ballistic missiles.” These assurances were before taking the post of Ministry of Defense (the Pentagon), and the cause of his differences with the Obama administration, what it pushed him for retirement at the time.
According to these statements, Observers believe that the new US policy toward the Middle East is revealed day after another, and despite the complexity of the scene according to his opinion as he saw that there was a desire to dismantle the so-called doctrine of Obama, which is based on multi-overlapping parties and leadership from behind and reduce the cost and non-interference in regional and internal conflicts. And that James Matisse’s visit demonstrates the return of Washington to the region, and the extent of hearing of US President Donald Trump for his defense minister.
They added that the presence of Matisse in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and his statements are very important, because the man was even before undertaking post against the US turn towards the east adopted by Obama, and believes in the importance of traditional alliances and there is no substitute for the Gulf and Saudi as the strategic and historical ally to the United States in the region.
He stressed that America is determined to dismantle the Russian, Iranian, Chinese axis, which was formed in the past few years and cause a lot of problems to the United States and its allies in more than place. They indicated that the US plan will include to provide some advanced weapons to the Arab alliance, and at the same time will support the diplomatic efforts in order to reach a political solution to the crisis of Yemen.
Experts believe that to put an end to the interference of Iran in the region will be the priorities of the visit of the US Secretary of Defense for the region, arguing that they live one of the most periods of political isolation since the revolution of 1979 and that there is a determination regionally and internationally to stop the Iranian farce when alone.
They said that the start of James Matisse’s visit from Saudi Arabia as the first official destination and then move towards the rest of the region has a great sign that Washington is fully believes in the importance of adopting a look of Riyadh to resolve all conflicts in the region, “. They added that the kingdom has proven throughout history that it is a reliable and experienced ally to the United States. And that the Saudi security goals coincide with US security goals, and vice versa. ”
Observers expect that Washington has been pressing on Tehran from Yemen Gate in the first place before the settlement of the issue of its intervention in Iraq and Syria, and to provide strong support to Gulf allies forcing Iran’s proxies in Yemen to accept a political solution on the basis of UN resolutions. According to US officials , Washington is looking to deepen its role in Yemen to provide direct assistance to its allies of a greater extent in the Gulf, who are fighting the Houthis , backed by Iran and in a possible liberation of US policy which is now of providing limited support.
In this context “Jon Alterman ,” director of the Middle East Program in strategic and international Studies research Center in Washington sees , “Iran is a strategic concern for Saudi Arabia … concern for Saudi Arabia in the near term is how to send a message to the Iranians in Yemen and would like to get a full US support.”
This visit of US Defense Secretary James Matisse to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the subsequent statements confirm the depth of US-Saudi relations, it had revealed the joint orientation for both under President Donald Trump management, towards re-activate their strategic alliance, which is described as historic, and instilling heat in their relations after being chilled by something of cold and disagreements in the era of the former President Barack Obama.
Highlights of defense cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States as the most important titles for the closer relations between the two countries , in the suit with the requirements of the phase and what is characterized regionally of instability and the risks and threats originating from the terrorist organizations and some countries, led by Iran, which seems to address their policies and activities in the region is the focus of discussion between Washington and the number of the Gulf capitals, including Riyadh.
The US leaks indicate the intention of the United States to provide greater support to Saudi Arabia in Yemen. The matter which is referred to by Matisse in his previous visit to Saudi Arabia weeks ago.
According to Reuters news agency, the US president, Donald Trump, may visit Saudi Arabia in May next year, in a move that awaits of it to overcome the “Obama phase” finally, and the return of the US-Saudi alliance to a previous time, with the development of the US administration for political vision tends to the traditional strategy in dealing with the region, through the deepening alliance with the Gulf cooperation Council (GCC) to counter Iranian threats to the region. Unlike the previous US administration led by Barack Obama, the current administration of President Donald Trump has become more in line with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf vision in general, in assessing the risks of Iranian policies on security and stability in the region and the world. The Yemeni arena seems the most appropriate field to test the seriousness of the United States to engage in practical way along with its Gulf allies in the confrontations towards Iranian interference in the region.
According to US sources said the intelligence side could represent an appropriate area to help the Arab coalition, and the Trump administration is more capable to exceed the objections of some lawmakers to provide the coalition with weapons and ammunition that is more accurate which is in dire need of it especially its battle against the Houthi rebels has reached the turn of the discount on the west coast of Yemen , where the rebels loyal to Tehran are declined facing the strikes of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia. And where they lost very lively areas on the west coast of Yemen, the main artery to provide them with Iranian smuggled weapons.
And the Arab Gulf states find in strict attitudes of new US administration toward Iran, a strong supporter in the face of Iranian policies in the region. The US Gulf Accord is a source of great concern to Tehran, which fears isolation. This reconciliation was reflected in the pace of intensive communication between the pillars of Trump’s management and leaders of the Gulf countries and its senior officials.
In comparison to the short period of Trump in power so far, the pace of communication of its administration with the Gulf countries looks very intensive to suggest that this administration passed to the maximum speed to remedy the previous administration errors led by Barack Obama, which almost to cost the United States, the loss of a strategic alliance with Gulf countries, while it launched Iran’s hand to wreak in their surroundings.
Experts of US affairs confirm of this trend, stressing that the new US administration headed by Donald Trump are going back strongly to its traditional allies in the Middle East, which would limit the role of Iran in the region, after it was during the period of former President Barack Obama has created for itself a large area in some countries such as Yemen and Syria, but it will not be well under the new administration.
It is likely that Washington is working to confront Iran through two policies. First deliberately to impose more US sanctions on Iran, and try to isolate it more at the international level, without prejudice to the nuclear agreement, which came in exchange for “the lifting of international sanctions,” approved by the UN Security Council, not individual sanctions for countries.
This comes in the context of the trend not to lift the US sanctions against Tehran by the former US President, Barack Obama, and Congress finally adding new tough sanctions. The second US policy expected to confront Tehran, will include the largest and military intelligence in support of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen, to confront militias loyal to the Houthi Iran, in addition to the face of militias loyal to it in Iraq and Syria.
The visit of US Secretary of Defense James Matisse, to the Middle East, at this time, it has its meanings and concepts about the strategy of the United States towards it. As the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in the current April 20 announced that his country is in the process of a comprehensive review of its policy towards Iran, noting that Iran is harming to US interests in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Israel and Tillerson considered that Tehran “is leading states which are sponsor of terrorism in the world, which is responsible for intensification of many conflicts, thereby undermining US interests in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon, and continue to support attacks against Israel.
” The bottom line, Matisse’s visit to Riyadh has come to repair the ravages of the Obama administration.
Unit Gulf Studies
Translated by: Mudhaffar al-Kusairi
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies