The American strikes are likely to be accepted – and even privately praised – by a Middle East officialdom that has long seen Iran as the primary threat to regional stability.
If Iran had hoped its neighbors would rise to its defense in the wake of unprecedented American and Israeli attacks, that moment may have passed.
On Monday, Iran fired back at the U.S. with a strike on the American Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, in what is already being seen as merely a face-saving gesture. Qatar said it had intercepted the Iranian missiles and condemned the attack, calling it a violation of its sovereignty.
But even as Middle Eastern leaders were quick to criticize Donald Trump’s paradigm-shifting assault on Iran following 10 days of Israeli bombardment, the American strikes are likely to be accepted — and even privately cheered — by an Arab officialdom that has long seen Shia Iran as the primary threat to regional stability.
So many nations over there proclaim a sort of “we stand with our brothers to the death” out loud while their actions (or lack thereof) say something completely different.
Saudi has been in a cold war with Iran for decades because it wants to be a regional hegemon and hasn’t been quiet about it. Turkey is more circumspect, giving everybody face while cutting them off at the knees in the shadows. Egypt, by comparison, would much prefer to stay out of everybody’s business and have them stay out of theirs. They’ve got more interests in Sudan and Ethiopia at this point.