this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2026
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An eerie quiet hangs over Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial port. Usually a thriving maritime hub of the United Arab Emirates, now ships stand docked and silent. Not far out along the hazy horizon, a backlog of hundreds of tankers have lined up in recent days, halted along a waterway flooded with danger.

Any vessel heading past Ras Al Khaimah out to the Arabian Sea must traverse the world’s most treacherous strip of water for shipping today: the strait of Hormuz. Just over 20 nautical miles from Ras Al Khaimah, two oil tankers heading for the strait were attacked by Iranian missiles this week, one catching fire.

It is one of the many consequences facing Gulf states as they are pulled deeper into a war that they did not start and had diplomatically tried to prevent.

For decades, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman have allowed US military bases, infrastructure or access on their soil, and have been among the largest buyers of American weapons and technology. In return, the US has stood as the Gulf’s closest and most significant military partner and protector.

But now, Gulf states have growing concerns over the relationship, analysts say, after Donald Trump was seen to wilfully torpedo peaceful diplomatic negotiations in favour of starting a war in the Middle East.

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[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago

Whole world suffering because Americans can't handle their pedophiles.

We're never going to be respected like before. We're never going to have the same soft power.

Thanks conservatives.

[–] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago

They should start adding convenience fees to US oil.

The US is absolutely defenseless against hidden fees and surcharges.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 19 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

The Gulf states and the Saudis didn't start the war, but they have long been lobbying for an attack on Iran. They just didn't want their military personnel in the line of fire. They're either useless or, in the case of Saudi, too busy committing genocide against Yemenis.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 2 points 11 hours ago

Also in the case of the Saudis also useless. I think the only competent Arab states are Oman and Jordan. As I understand it Yemen is too fractured to really be counted one way or another, even I am tempted to add them to the list.

[–] Bonifratz@piefed.zip 7 points 14 hours ago (5 children)

I think Trump's best course of action is to take the loss, pull out and try to sell it as a "mission accomplished" at home, which might just work for the redhats.

Then he still has to hope that the mullahs take the win and leave it at that, not trying to avenge the old Khameini any further.

And he still has to hope that he hasn't permanently damaged the alliances with the Gulf states.

And he still has to hope that the economic chaos he's started doesn't escalate and it doesn't take too long to return to normal.

Etc.

I.e. the US is very likely fucked in the long term. But all other options seem even worse.

[–] Wakmrow@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago

It isn't revenge for khameini.

The Iranians have tried to negotiate in good faith for decades. Now they need to inflict as much pain and violence on the global economy so people know not to fuck with them any more. The only reason to come to the table for them is if they think they can't maintain drone/missile launches.

[–] JoeMontayna@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 hours ago

He is incapable of that.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 2 points 9 hours ago

Hmm. Maybe he can put a tariff on Iran? Or maybe build a wall around it?

[–] Poem_for_your_sprog@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago

He'll probably just start nuking Iran instead.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 4 points 12 hours ago

And he still has to hope that he hasn’t permanently damaged the alliances with the Gulf states.

And he still has to hope that the economic chaos he’s started doesn’t escalate and it doesn’t take too long to return to normal.

Unless those were his marching orders in the first place. Trump is a chaos agent, and he uses the disorder he causes to commit more acts of corruption and more power grabs. Every self-created crisis is a pretext to commit the next crime.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 43 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Those countries have been directly funding Donald Trump and are all littered with American bases. They are absolutely involved.

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[–] ArmchairAce1944@discuss.online 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

As someone who grew up in Dubai I want to tell them to go fuck themselves. They made their bed, now sleep on it.

[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'd submit their beds were made using slaves.

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[–] ProfThadBach@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I hate to say this but as a former US molarity officer I am 100% behind Iran. The Mango Mussolini start Operation Epstein Fury as a distraction and the buzzards need to come home to roost. I am sorry people are getting killed but Iran is not going to stop now that their leader and 180 little girls have been killed.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca -1 points 9 hours ago

These "Epstein Files" are just a distraction from the real intent of what's going on over there.

[–] theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 42 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Maybe stop allowing America to use your country as bases to terrorize and control your neighbors?

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[–] skozzii@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Protection for Petro dollar oil dies here. Trump is destroying American dominance on the world stage, it's wild to see.

Petro dollar is worthless.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 hours ago

It's been replaced with the pedo dollar, do try to keep up.

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