How the UAE is using smart military power to its advantage
Country has earned its spurs in conflict zones and shows strategic independence to launch offensives
From a soft power that walked a fine line for regional balance to a potent strike force in the region, the UAE has come a long way to become a power to be reckoned with in military terms. It’s one thing to be an economic heavyweight and the leading light of a new Arab order but another to roll up the sleeves to have a say in strategic affairs and let the military do the talking. The intent is clear — we will not stand on the sidelines and let outside powers be our security guarantors anymore.
There is an independence to act as the country deems fit to quell emerging threats as part of a wider Middle East deterrence policy. This freedom to choose military action comes from a quiet confidence in the armed forces capabilities honed from years of action in war-torn regions like Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. The enemy would have been warned when such a plan is rolled out: don’t mess with us, we have the men, materiel and firepower to ensure our objectives are met. A policy of containment has given way to a more assertive stance which could have great dividends in the long term. To put it plain terms, there is a change in attitude that is unafraid to display a new-found aggression. Gone are the chary, cautious positions of old.
For the UAE, timing matters, and that time has come for the country to step out of the security umbrella provided by the United States and Britain who maintain bases in the region. Last week, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, signalled the tactful shift in policy, in London. “We are ready to take up more of the burden of security in our own neighbourhood,” Dr Gargash said. He didn’t mince words when he said: “We know that we can no longer rely on the United States, or the United Kingdom, to lead such military operations.”
He was referring to the Arab campaign in Yemen against the Houthi rebels who are being backed by Iran. Years of covert activity and proxy wars directed by the regime in Tehran has forced the Emirates to go it alone with GCC partners to tackle immediate challenges in the vicinity. The US is free to limit itself to diplomacy with Iran and provide logistical support while the UAE is perfectly capable of doing the bulk of the fighting when the situation demands. Gargash also urged Washington to put pressure on Tehran to come to the negotiating table for an improved nuclear deal that takes into account Gulf concerns. Iran’s ability to develop missiles should also be discussed in any future talks, he said.
Suffice to say this is a two-pronged approach. US President Trump could pave the way for negotiations that suits his unpredictable temperament while the UAE and its partners in the Arab coalition chart out a solid strategy to make military inroads into enemy terrain in Yemen to restore the legitimate government. President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi was ousted by the Houthis three years ago egged on by the regime in Tehran. Operation Decisive Storm to retake the country from the rebels is now making headway in the north after sweeping through the south with the fall of Aden. The coalition is now knocking at the gates of the strategic port town of Hodeida. A full-scale offensive has been held off to give some negotiating room to UN envoy Martin Griffiths to thrash out a deal with the Houthis.
The country’s independent policy is also clear in the case of Qatar which has been stoking extremism in various forms. Last year, the Arab coalition boycotted Doha for lending support to terror outfits like Al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood and their myriad offshoots. Doha also launched a propaganda war against fellow GCC members. In this case too, the US tried to play mediator, balancing its interests, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia made clear that a real deal would rest with them.
Washington has even revived a grand alliance that is being touted as an ‘Arab Nato’ of Gulf states to counter Iran, the fount of all terror in the Middle East. The regime has spawned proxies like the Hezbollah and the Houthis while courting sectarian groups in Iraq to wield political power. For President Trump, this is also an opportunity to push his America First agenda, which would mean Gulf allies would shoulder more military responsibility and direct efforts against forms of violent and ideological aggression emanating from Iran.
The Arab Nato, also called the Middle East Strategic Alliance (Mesa), is likely to be discussed during a summit in Washington this October as economic sanctions against Iran come into effect. A common defence missile shield could be on the table for discussions, similar to the one over Europe. And true to form, Trump on Tuesday reached out to the Iranian leadership after raging against it only last week. A good cop-bad cop act is being played out in the region, only that the roles have been reversed, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia taking the lead by putting boots on the ground to choke Iran’s proxies. The US, on the other hand, is happy playing second fiddle to its GCC partners who are planning and undertaking missions on their own while coming out of their strategic shell. For the UAE which has earned its spurs, this is an opportunity to not just be called a soft or smart power but a potent regional power as well.
The Middle East Strategic Alliance is likely to be discussed during a summit in Washington this October as economic sanctions against Iran come into effect.