New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI): Middle East expert Waiel Awwad on Monday said the war in West Asia is enriching powerful countries like the United States and accused President Donald Trump of prolonging the conflict to appease his billionaire associates and advance Israel’s agenda.
Speaking to ANI, Awwad argued that wars make rich countries richer and poor countries poorer, pointing to domestic protests in the US over Trump’s handling of the crisis. “Basically, Trump is trying to please the billionaire club that he surrounded himself with. You could see his assets, how they have been increased. You can see that he has been doing whatever the Prime Minister of Israel tells him to do,” Awwad said.
Challenging Trump’s claims of US military dominance, Awwad cited Tehran reports that US Marines and commandos attempted a ground landing on Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil hub, and were captured. He warned the conflict could escalate, especially with Easter approaching, and suggested the risk of a “dirty bomb” or a “false flag” operation intended to create havoc in South Asia.
“Every day he’s having a rhetoric tweet or a press conference giving us different messages, and then suddenly we find that they’re sending more troops to the region,” Awwad said. He added that reports from Tehran about Kharg Island show US forces had tried to land and were captured, and that such developments make a quick end to the conflict unlikely.
Awwad emphasized Iran’s long-term preparation and resilience, citing decades of covert operations and countermeasures since the Islamic Revolution. He alleged that over the past two decades more than 19,500 Iranian scientists, civil servants and politicians have been assassinated in covert operations attributed to Mossad and the CIA. “Iran has been preparing itself for long years… that’s why we can see this systematic bombardment of the United States and Israel,” he said, noting Tehran’s use of advanced tools including artificial intelligence and its claim of striking nearly 9,000 targets with a bank of 15,000 targets identified.
On regional dynamics, Awwad said the US aimed to rally Gulf countries against Iran but that the Gulf states are increasingly questioning the US military presence, feeling economically drained and exposed. He argued that Gulf countries are now defending American bases rather than the bases protecting the Gulf, and that they are demanding US troop withdrawals in favor of a regional security pact that would include Iran.
“So what the hell were the Americans doing with all these bases and military and personnel… They drained out the Arab countries with their money,” Awwad said, claiming the Gulf states realize the “folly” of the US presence and want a regional arrangement instead.
President Trump, during a gaggle on Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews, had said Gulf countries were “fighting back” and were “100% on our side.” Awwad disputed that assessment, saying the dynamics are shifting as Gulf states feel burdened by US bases and are wary of deeper involvement.
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