Gulf states told to rethink trillion-dollar defence
· Security · Saudi Arabia · United Arab Emirates
Gulf states must reconfigure their trillion-dollar defences given the damage inflicted on their economies and the questionable continued value of US bases in the face of Iranian attack, according to an IISS report. The study questions overreliance on American support and "overdependence on expensive, high-end systems".
Why it matters：The assessment signals that Gulf states may diversify arms suppliers and security partners, shifting the region's balance.
Key points
- IISS questions reliance on US bases
- Report warns of overdependence on expensive high-end systems
- Gulf defence spending is estimated in the trillions