Story Content

The United Arab Emirates has been embroiled in a new controversy revolving around whether the American military bases should be further renewed in the country amid a recent surge in tensions in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, fueled by the escalation of the attacks on Iranian targets related to American military activities in the UAE. 

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a key figure who is closely associated with the leadership of the UAE, turned out to be one of the most vocal in spite of not accepting the status quo and claiming that the American military installations were no longer a strategic asset to the UAE. Middle East Eye wrote, "The UAE no longer needs America to defend it, as it has proven during the Iranian aggression that it is capable of defending itself with distinction. What the UAE needs is to acquire only the best and latest weapons that America has. Therefore, it is time to think about closing the American bases, as they are a burden and not a strategic asset." 

Some of the locations that have reportedly been targeted by Iranian attacks are a US command post at Al Minhad, one of the major logistics and air operations bases for American forces.

Not everyone agreed. High-profile commentator within the UAE Koteich Nadim responded that Washington has been a loyal partner in all aspects that count and that a downsizing of the relationship to the military aspect is a misinterpretation of what the relationship has come to be. 

Abdulla replied by explaining that nobody was challenging overall US-UAE relationships that will grow in the future, but timing was time to assess the value add of US bases to the national defense basket of the UAE. 

Independently, the Wall Street Journal announced that the UAE was negotiating with the Trump administration on the issue of a possible currency swap, which would cushion the economy of the country in case the dispute with Iran intensifies.