Iran has attacked them with ballistic missiles and drones; destroyed several key parts of their economic infrastructure; set several of their ships ablaze; paralysed their economy; killed civilians and terrorized their populations… including children.
Iran targeting Israel again?
No! These are Arab states in and around the Persian Gulf: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Saudi Arabia that have been repeatedly attacked/hit by Iran.
They have each suffered tremendously and spent millions of dollars in launching missiles and rockets trying … only partially successfully … to shoot down Iran’s and its Houthi proxy’s missiles/drones sustained aggression against them.
And yet, not one of them has fired a single shot against the tyrants in Iran!
Instead, as usual, the Arab Sunni dictatorships of the Middle East have left it to the United States and Israel to do their dirty work: stop the fanatical Shia ayotollahs of Iran from developing the nuclear bomb that would … without doubt … be used to dominate, blackmail and extort these Sunni neighbors FIRST then Israel and , with long-range ballistic missiles, the entire Western world next.
In fact, there are news reports that behind the scenes the Arab nations of the Gulf are egging on the US and Israel to “finish the job“…. as long as they themselves don’t have to take part.
What hypocrites!
US President Donald Trump should be singling out the Arab states of the Gulf … not NATO … for direct action to assist in the war against the Iranian mullahs.
After all, it’s THEIR oil that is being held hostage!
It’s THEIR infrastructure, THEIR cities, THEIR ships, THEIR people, THEIR economies … not just Israel’s … that are being targeted, hit, crippled by Iran.
Not NATO’s!
Trump may not know it, but NATO is a DEFENSIVE organization: its Charter clearly states (Article 5) that an attack by any nation against one member shall be regarded as an attack against all.
Iran did not attack thUS to start the current war: the US/Israel initiated the current hostilities by attacking Iran.
So this war does NOT strictly qualify under Article 5 for NATO participation.
I get it: Iran has been attacking Israel and the US … and also targeted several NATO nations … with both overt and covert operations for decades.
Iran today is a terrible country, run by terrible people , who have done/sponsored terrible things against other nations and even their own people.
It deserves to be isolated, sanctioned, economically crippled… and, yes, its secret attempts to build a nuclear weapon deserve to be stopped, by whatever means necessary.
And yes, the NATO nations should allow the US to use their airspace and airfields during the conduct of the current war.
But again, what about the Arab nations of the Gulf that have now been attacked by Iran?
Since the US/Trump did not consult, seek participation from NATO before launching the massive attack on Iran, he has no legal authority to now demand they join in.
But surely, it is the Gulf Arab nations’ duty … not NATO’s … to stand up to defend themselves, their countries, their people … and shoot back!
Could it be that the US President is giving these countries a “free pass” because he or his family members have lucrative economic ties with them?
No doubt it’s easier to pick on/threaten NATO than those whose interests are far more directly tied to the conflict.
However, at some point history … if not the working press today … will ask where all these oil-producing Arab nations were during this war ?
Harv Oberfeld
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The Gulf States did not want the war with Iran. Prime Minister has been saying for many years that Iran is only days away from a nuclear bomb, so we’re all very familiar with the story. Max Blumenthal of the New York Times wrote that Mossad helped to start the protests in Iran, and President Trump admitted that guns were given to the protestors. Many Iranian police officers were killed and mosques were burnt. Let me ask a simple question. How would the USA respond if Iran armed protestors in the USA, and they killed police officers and burned churches?
President Trump has insulted many conservatives who have criticized his war with Iran. He has said that they are stupid. Well, if he truly believes he’s a stable genius, it says a lot about his intelligence.
President Trump was elected in large part because he was not a politician and he promised to stay out of wars such as the one with Iran. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was open. No matter how long the war continues, people won’t forget about the Epstein Files. The American president has very much turned into a politician who listens to Benjamin Netanyahu and to his wealthy donors.
(Response: One of the US’s largest obstacles in confronting Iran is that it’s Donald Trump who is leading the charge. Just his name makes people find anything attached to it repugnant. I get it. But let’s keep it real: on Iran and the calamity that would engulf the entire world if Iran developed nuclear bomb capacity, Trump is right! I realize that is a lot to swallow for many people… But if there’s one thing worse than the likes of Trump, it’s the despicable maniacal Islamic fanatics running Iran! And any regime that murders thousands of its own citizens who dare to protest or tortures, executes women and teenagers are crazy enough to use nuclear weapons against the infidels beyond their borders, including other Muslims! Ho.)
(Response: Again, another common mistake by those on the left… suggesting that the US (and Israel) started the war. How short a memory of history! For more than 40 years, Iran … H.O.)
Well first of all Harvey, there are plenty of people NOT on the left who are upset at this war. In a recent social media post, Trump called a bunch of his former allies “stupid”.
Anyway, I for one am not forgetting history. Iran is a horrible regime. But why stop at 47 years ago. What happened in 1953? Why was the American embassy taken in 1979? Why were the hostages finally released? Who did the Americans support in 1980 and throughout a bloody 8 year war that was started when Iraq under Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. Again I am not defending Iran but we can’t cherry pick historical events.
Let’s stay current. Trump and Netanyahu attacked Iran. (As with my previous post I am purposely using Trump and Netanyahu rather than the US and Israel because I blame those individuals more than the countries they lead.) What was the purpose of this “excursion”? regime change? an imminent missile or nuclear threat? to weaken the Iranian military capabilities? Who knows? What was going to be considered a winning outcome. It changed daily. We don’t even know whose idea it was. Netanyahu asking Trump for support or the other way around? Were any allies informed” NATO? The Gulf states? Seems not. Was any consideration given to the Strait of Hormuz being blocked or the world economy taking a hit or Iran shooting into neighbouring countries. Seems not.
In a situation where lunatics are fighting lunatics, it is best to try to de-escalate rather than escalate. That’s probably why the Gulf states showed restraint which seems to be the answer to the question posed in your headline.
But in your replies, you appear to be asking for more. You want Iran to be less of a threat. Fair enough. I think we all do. But how do we get there? Didn’t we have a nuclear deal that was working. Didn’t Trump rip that up. Didn’t Trump obliterate whatever nuclear capabilities Iran had last year. Weren’t there talks going on prior to the “excursion” that Oman said were progressing.
Yet here we are. Worse off than before Feb 28. Good luck Pakistan.
(Response: Worse off than before Feb 28? Well, I can certainly understand why people may feel that way: gas prices are up; the mad regime in Iran remains intact; the straight of hormones remains closed; the number of people killed during the conflict is horrendous; and, we are not really any closer to a firm/sustainable peace in Lebanon … yet. BUT. In a very key way … the whole world is a LOT better: Iran’s active, continuing attempt to build nuclear bomb and develop ways of delivering it have been set back
… way back!!! And we can all sleep better for at least several years!! I really think that FACT makes all the rest worth it: the scariest for facing the world these days are the religious extremists who truly believe they will go to heaven by killing others … and some almighty being wants them to do that … the more the holier! And if the current negotiations don’t guarantee success in that regard … the military action to defeat those Islamic nutballs must be seen through to victory. Ho)!
Maybe they need a PLATO – Persian gulf League And Treaty Organization?
(Response:It wouldn’t hurt! Bring together peace-motivated nations against the religious extremist Iran! Ho)
This war was started by Trump. He had the American military bomb and kill Iranians. of course it took the attention off of his pedo friend and him and a few other things.
Benni likes the war, keeps him out of jail.
When I look at this whole mess and at history, what Benni has been up to constitutes war crimes, in Gaza and the joint game he and trump are playing with Iran. The last time we had a WW it was the Nazis who were put on trial for war crimes. This time it could be Israel. Last time it were the Nazis who rounded up people and placed them in detention and concentration camps, this time its the Americans and all the rest of the stuff that went with it. At the rate things are going, it isn’t the Arabs or Iran who will cause the destruction of Israel, it will be Benni. Segregation, censorship, destroying the constitution will become what the Americans will be known for.
Trump wants out of NATO. His war is just going to be used as an excuse to leave. Then he can go join the other side.
Of course the countries who are being targeted aren’t interested in going to war. they know its expensive and upsets the population. Anyhow its cheaper to have the Americans do all the dirty work.
as to trump foaming at the mouth about NATO’s unwillingness to go out and kill civilians, he needs to get over it and learn to read. NATO is for mutual defence not to clean up after trump fxxks up. I see no need for NATO to be involved in clearing up the bottle neck. It was open and free until trump bombed Iran. Let him figure it out.
NATO may want the U.S.A. to leave given the direction they have been taking. Vance going over to campaign for Orban to be re elected. I really do wonder if the U.S.A. will survive as a democracy, with its Constitution intact.
(Response: I believe it’s a bit shortsighted to suggest the war was started by Trump. The war was actually started by Iran 45 years ago when it vowed death to Israel, death to the United States and seized American diplomats as hostages until they were liberated and snuck out of that country with Canada’s help. And we should not forget all the assassinations, bombings, murders carried out by Iran against western democracies throughout the world for several decades! And don’t forget how Iran has worked long and hard to not only develop a nuclear bomb … but also the ballistic vehicle to drop a few on the US … and maybe London too. So to suggest that Trump “started” the war is ignoring the 40 years of history before that. Ho!
I’m not ignoring the past 40 yrs of Iran’s bad behaviour. My point is, when Trump started the recent bombing things were “quiet”. Had he not ordered the bombing, who knows it could still be quieter.
As to the 40 yrs ago, well the U.S.A. can step up for that also. The Americans kept the Shah in office and he wasn’t exactly a nice guy either. I remember reading an article while the Ayatoolah was still living in France which quite accurately predicted what would happen. a great many Iranians wanted the Shah gone. Of course Iran did those things you mention. However, from their point of view they were defending their country. Had the Americans not spent so much time and money keeping the Shah in power things might have been different. I don’t blame Iran for wanting a nuke. If Ukraine would have kept theirs they might not be in this war right now Russia might have had second thoughts. Few countries are blameless in their efforts to “defend” themselves. We have only to look at the European countries which dominated countries, in Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia.
Iran has the right to defend itself and given the Americans attitude towards them I can see why they do what they do. That is not to absolve the Iranian government’s treatment of women. It stinks on ice
(Response: I understand most of the points you have made. However, I almost laughed out loud when you wrote that Iran has the right to defend itself: that’s kind of like saying the Nazis… After invading, conquering and subjugating several other countries… had a right to defend themselves when the allies finally woke up and started shooting back! lol! The Iranian ayatollahs snd the IRGC were at first welcomed or at least accepted by many of the Iranian people and the rest of the world when they took over from the Shah. It was only when they started to impose/export… by word and by violence… their extreme form of Islam that people/nations started to turn against them. And remember, their first war wasn’t against Israel but neighboring fellow Islamic country Iraq. Clearly, Trump will fail at regime change… but you have to grant him this much: the fanatical mullahs are further away from developing a nuclear bomb than they were weeks ago. Ho)
Harvey, I am having a hard time understanding your position. The Trump administration and Netanyahu started a war with Iran. They did not consult NATO. They did not consult any of the Gulf states. There was no clear reason for going to war at this particular time as the reasons and some vague outcome shifted daily. They seemed to be surprised at certain consequences like the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, the impact on the world economy, and Iran shooting at neighbouring states.
The Gulf states do not agree on everything. They have always tried to maintain their relationship with Iran through diplomacy and that is also fragile. Trump has constantly said that Iran is defeated. They have the power to do even more damage like blast them into the Stone Age or claiming a whole civilization will die if they don’t give up.
Yet you wanted the Gulf states to get in line behind a mad man. To do what? Shoot more missiles. The Americans and Israelis seem to be doing ok with that, at least according to Trump. Or did you want them to escalate this further by sending ground troops?
Right now the world is watching a very fragile ceasefire. I think that is better than an escalation had the Gulf states not shown restraint.
And no matter what, the last person who should be dealing with Iran is Trump. Whatever we want to say about Biden and his decline, at least he was being handled. Just listen to what Trump was babbling about to children at the White House Easter egg hunt. Look at his genocidal posts. Watch him ramble about pens or ballrooms or whatever enters his head at any given moment. It’s nuts what his handlers and the Republican Party enablers are letting him do. Nuts and dangerous. So thank you Gulf states.
(Response: Again, another common mistake by those on the left… suggesting that the US (and Israel) started the war. How short a memory of history! For more than 40 years, Iran has actively promoted death to Israel, death to the United States, seized American diplomats hostage, murdered American soldiers stationed in Lebanon, carried out assassinations, was behind the bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina and other anti-Semitic violence in other countries … and yet it has now become the narrative pushed on the left wing media that America “started”’the current war. By the same reasoning, did the Allies “start”’the second world war because they finally responded to Germany”s aggression? Your basic premise is totally wrong… And I still believe that one day history will look back at Trump‘s actions in going after those nuclear sites and even the Iranian regime and will be thankful that the world was made safer by the former’s elimination… the only regret being that the regime was not toppled… At least, not yet! Ho)
Where the hell are the Arab nations you say?
Keeping out of harms way.
As I write this, Trump has TACO’d (Trump Always Chickens Out), capitulated, pulling up stakes and at this point in time, Iran seems to be the winner.
When Trump and Netanyahu attacked Iran, without any formal declaration of war, in the midst of “negotiations” (remember Pearl Harbour), they did not consult with NATO nor any of the Gulf States, hell he did not consult with his own people.
The war, in Trumps view was all about Oil and Epstein, nothing more and his utter and complete ignorance about NATO being a defensive pact only, certainly has sent the message that America is not and I repeat, is not a dependable ally.
Trump has single handily tanked the world’s economy, did not listen to his generals or intelligence agency and he lost interest altogether has he has bigger fish to fry like winning the election for Hungary’s Orban, one of his best authoritarian buddies, next week.
Hegseth, the USA’s Secretary of War is a former chocolate soldier, former FOX Entertainment Host, full time drunk and more dangerously a Christian nationalist, constantly makes an idiot of himself on the world stage. He has now framed the war as a crusade – yikes! I bet the Arab states just love that one!
But back in the land of the free, MAGA is imploding; the Epstein files are becoming hugely alarming for Trump; his polls are tanking and is grift presidency has made him billions for himself and the family. Oh yes, there was also an air of mutiny within the US armed forces.
I have no time for Iran nor its 12th centruy style theocracy, but for any Arab state, aligning itself with this war, where Trump threatens annihilation one moment and TACO’s the next would be politcal suicide.
Headline in the Independent “Trump just TACO’d away American credibility as he backs down on Iran threats”.
This war has made Middle East politics extremely dangerous (can it get any more dangerous?)and the fanaticism by religious relics lost in the 12th centruy just cannot be measured. They will never forget.
Sorry, a war that was not a war but an action, possibly illegal, full of war crimes on both sides, is not one that any reasonable country would want to join. In my view the Gulf States took the only reasonable option open to them and that was not to join in.
(Response: i agree with much of your assessment … up until the piint where the Gulf Arab states were attacked by Iran … not once but repeatedly, causibg desth and destruction. No self-respecting nation should just sit there and take it … or, even worse, let others be the only ones to shoot back. Remember, it’s THEIR oil that has been held hostage. They had a duty to respond … even if Trump was leading the charge. Ho)
Harvey your reply is not factual. Those were not attacks on the gulf states but rather US bases in the gulf states. Collateral damage yes but let’s get real. And any ally who followed Trump into war would have to be dumber than he is.
(Response: Tell that to the guests on the Gulf States hotels and other civilian buildings hit by Iranian missiles/rockets/drones or to the families of the civilians killed, injured or whose businesses/cars/homes were damaged. Just a bad aim? No … it’s typical Iranian/Hesbollah/Houthi terror .. most of it you may also not have noticed fires DELIBERATELY in the middle of the night to enhance the terror and try to achieve MAXIMUM civilian harm. Ho)
Disastrous. Iran has shown the world it can cripple the global economy. They are more powerful now than ever. An outcome Trump’s generals warned him of before they were fired.
(Response: I believe this war is a long way from over. Otherwise, historians will treat it as another American failure … like Viet Bam and Afghanistan , where regime change did NOT happen. And at some point, the Gulf nations will have to do something to defend themselves and their economic interests. Ho)
Perhaps the Gulf States now realize that their American bases don’t guarantee security. It might be a good idea for all countries to spend more on their own defence and ask themselves if they really need hundreds of American bases all around the world. Iran has demonstrated that it still has the ability to retaliate, and it’s completely understandable that the regime wishes to stay in power. If President Trump thought Iran was like Venezuela, he was completely mistaken.
The fairy tale is that the USA and Israel attacked Iran to liberate the people and make the world a safer place. However, the American president has openly stated that he wants Iranian oil, and it’s no secret that both the USA and Israel want an Iranian government that they can control.
Prime Netanyahu faces serious corruption charges, and knows that the war not only delays the trial but also increases his chances of success in the next election. The world must not forget the approximately 150 Iranian girls who were killed when their school was bombed. The Chinese government has decided to provide compensation to the families.
Of course many Iranians do not support their government and long for more freedom. The problem is that it is difficult to protest when there is the risk of being shot and of being killed by a bomb. The American president has even threatened to target civilian infrastructure, language that is truly shocking for an American president. Iran is not a great friend of the west, but the reality is that the leaders of Israel and the USA do not appear to be so holy themselves.
(Response: The Gulf state dictatorships have long depended on the US to protect them, in exchange for oil and allowing a huge military presence. And another long unspoken truth is these Arab nations want nothing to do with their Palestinian brothers and their impossible to satisfy militancy/ demands/Islamic extremism and violence and have depended on Israel to keep the lid on them. If the truth about all the secret contacts/co-operation between the Gulf states (even Saudi Arabia) and Israel ever comes out, many people will be astounded! The full hypocrisy of the Arab states is a story still to be written, but now that Iran has shot hundreds (thousands?) of missiles and drones at them, they should at least pretend to fight back. Ho)
Harvey I believe your last sentence to Not Sure sums it up nicely.
With Trump everything for him boils down to how much money can be made in a deal before he can walk away satisfied. When he stated that all anyone had to do was go get that oil in the strait, it only represented how much money could be made, never mind the possibility that lives could be lost. Anyone who didn’t take advantage was stupid. There isn’t an insurance company in the world that would cover one of those tankers the way things stand today.
He cannot really bankrupt the U S but let’s not forget that he did file personal bankruptcy two or three times in his life so far.
What a sad state of affairs. Like you said, he truly has increasing mental instability which negatively affects the entire world.
(Response: Watching Trump and the news these days almost feels like watching g a reality tv show! It’s so dramatic: each day leaves us hanging and looking forward to the next episode. BUT this is real: real lives are at stake and being lost; real threats to the world have emanated from Iran; real costs are being transferred to consumers all around the world; and billions are being wasted on weapons etc that could better go to improving poverty and health around the world.its quite sad … but highly riveting! Ho)
Last June, Trump said that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were obliterated. One of the excuses for starting this war was an imminent nuclear threat from Iran. Within days of the start of this war, Trump said that Iran’s navy and military capabilities had been obliterated. Clearly he is lying.
So, why would any country want to enter a war that they were never consulted about and never would have wanted even if they had been.
Harvey, last month you said that “Trump has it right – maybe”. Right now the maybe is winning. Escalation is not the answer. It will only lead to further regional destabilization.
Let Trump (an old, tired, mentally diminished wanna be authoritarian) declare victory and go home and let diplomats from the EU/NATO, the Gulf states, China, India etc to clean up Trump’s mess and get things back to normal as imperfect as that normal may be. And then work on the Palestinian question.
If you are wondering about the “working press” here is one of many articles you can find online explaining the dilemma facing the Gulf states.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/gulf-states-weigh-up-options-iran-us-israel-conflict-middle-east-crisis-war.
(Response: Trump has painted himself into a real corner: if Iran does not submit or agree to a deal by Tuesday evening, Trump will look like a real fool if he does nothing about it; but he will also look like a criminal if he bombs and destroys civilian infrastructure. Add to that his apparent increasingly mental instability… and the whole world should be concerned. However, I still believe he did the right thing in going after Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities. There is no doubt that Iran was working towards a nuclear weapon… Miles inside it’s various mountain facilities; and also very close to developing a ballistic missile with long range capabilities that could reach the United States. I believe he was lying or understating the situation in June when he said the US had obliterated Iran abilities. Unfortunately, there is no way the current conflict will end in the total victory for the West and Democracy: the Iranian mullahs are just too entrenched in power to be dislodged by a popular uprising.The people of Iran will not be liberated. Sad!!
However, how can the Gulf Arab states that have been attacked, hit and damaged by Iran do nothing to strike back? They are the spineless ones Trump should be castigating and demanding action from … not NATO or Australia or South Korea etc. Or do his own family’s financial/business interests with the Arab nations make him give them a pass! Ho)
The Middle Eastern dictatorships are playing the age old game of “wait and see”. Their militaries are well equipped and spineless.
The waiting game and threatening from the sidelines with a chest full of medals is what they do best.
The last country to achieve nuclear status should be Iran.
North Korea is bad enough but China can still yank back on the dog collar.
Iranian leaders would love to go down in a blaze of nuclear glory.
But I have to ask.
Why now?
Did Israel or the US know something?
Was Iran about to achieve its goals? 400kgs of enriched Uranium bunkered somewhere in Iran. Iranian Scientists that have proven they can build intercontinental rockets, Nuclear tech for bombs is now 80 years old…have they figured it out?
Regime change is possible , but only from within.
Take ( or destroy it in place) their enriched Uranium and leave.
Put their program decades behind and pray that Pakistan or some other financially desperate and dubious nuclear power ( North Korea) doesnt just sell them what they want.
(Response: I suspect that despite Trump‘s public statements,, the US and Israel, Israel knew very very well well that Iran‘s development of a nuclear weapon was only delayed and not stopped. So I do support they’re going after the regime… but they have clearly failed in trying to replace the regime. All we can hope for now is a deal to get Iran to agree not to proceed with further research and development and enrichment of their uranium or as much destruction as we can accomplish before a cease-fire takes place. Meanwhile, the Gulf Arab states are once more letting United States and Israel do their dirty work for them … and they shave called out on that by the media. Ho)