Glad to see Obama go, Gulf Arabs expect Trump to counter Iran
SAUDI ARABIA - Gulf Arab states are quietly applauding the arrival in the White House of a hawkish leader opposed to their adversary Iran, even if they suspect Donald Trump’s short temper and abrasive Tweets may at times heighten tensions in the combustible Middle East. While many countries around the world listened with concern to his protectionist inaugural address, Gulf Arab officials appear optimistic. They see in Trump a strong president who will shore up Washington’s role as their main strategic partner in a region central to US security and energy interests. In Gulf Arab eyes, that involves above all checking what they see as a surge of Iranian support for paramilitary allies in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon and for fellow Shi’ite Muslims in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing Eastern Province. It also means overlooking for now rhetoric about uniting “the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism” in an address that critics said echoed George W. Bush’s “crusade” against terrorism, a phrase which, for Muslims, evokes barbarous campaigns by medieval Christians against Islam. Saudi Arabia in particular appears relieved at the departure of Barack Obama, who it felt considered Riyadh’s alliance with Washington less important than negotiating a deal in 2015 to neutralize Iran’s nuclear program. The relationship is a pillar of the Middle East’s security balance. But it has suffered since Riyadh took issue with what it saw as Obama’s withdrawal from the region, and a perceived inclination towards Iran since the 2011 Arab uprisings. There have been tensions over Syria, where Obama dismissed Gulf Arab urgings to give more aid to rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, who has survived thanks to Iranian and Russian backing. “Perception is important: Trump does not look like the kind of guy who will bend towards Iran or anyone else”, said Abdulrahman alRashed, a veteran Saudi commentator. “If he behaves as he says, then we will see another Ronald Reagan, someone all the forces in the region will take seriously. That’s what we have missed in the past eight years, unfortunately.” Some worry that Trump’s Twitter habit - his rapid, unbridled messages of praise or blame - mean he is unsuited to handling the volatility of the Middle East. Faisal al-Yafai, a columnist with The National newspaper of Abu Dhabi, said that while his use of social media could be a problem, Trump was unlikely to change. “At some point down the line something will happen in the world that will require a careful response, a careful policy, and Trump will react emotionally. That is always going to be the worry. But that’s his attitude. That’s who he is. Those who like Trump like that aspect of his personality”, he said.
(Reuters.com)