New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Ongoing tensions in the Gulf and the wider Middle East have prompted notable shifts in military and diplomatic strategies, Foreign expert Robinder Sachdev said.
Sachdev examined the changing roles of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, US involvement, and Israel’s posture amid growing concerns over Iran. He said US arms sales to Gulf countries are logical from a defensive standpoint — “the Gulf countries do need weapons to save themselves” — but also reinforce the view that wars benefit the defense industrial complex, particularly American contractors.
He suggested the GCC, long an economic cooperation body, may evolve into a military alliance as members conclude they must consolidate limited manpower and invest in high‑tech weaponry. “UAE has only 2 million Emiratis, out of the 10 million who live there total. So populations are very small, so the manpower is very small,” he noted, adding that high‑tech arms could offset those limits.
On Israel, Sachdev described Prime Minister Netanyahu’s press conference as combative, intended to counter perceptions that Israel pushed the US into the conflict. He observed that sustained lobbying can shift American leaders’ positions, and that Netanyahu has long warned of an imminent Iranian nuclear threat.
Regarding US engagement, Sachdev warned that America appears deeply embedded in the conflict and now treats involvement as a matter of national prestige. He also critiqued allied responses: “European nations, Japan, Korea…virtually behave or exhibit the behaviour of a poodle. They will go along with what the US tells them,” though he acknowledged Europeans are rethinking ties with the US amid recent presidencies.
Sachdev underscored the complex interplay of arms procurement, alliance building, and diplomatic signaling shaping Gulf and regional strategies. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
