In recent developments President Trump’s ‘project freedom’ operation to open the Strait of Hormuz for captured shipping interests has been paused following Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal of support and their revocation of Saudi air bases for U.S. operations.
The issue behind the Saudi decision is not that complicated if you understand the longer-term background. However, the issue behind the Saudi decision also highlights a key ¹flaw in the Promethean analysis of the relationship (and the reason I caution everyone to sip slowly from this information source).
The cliff notes version is that Saudi Arabia and many of the Gulf States look at the negotiations between President Trump and Iranian interests with skepticism. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) wants a complete and final elimination of the threat Iran represents. They do not believe Iran can be negotiated out of that threat. The GCC view negotiations as an Iranian delay tactic.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salmon, the main voice in the GCC position, has clear eyes and a long historic view on the threat Iran represents. They accept the people in control of the Iran regime will do and say anything to pause or remove the military confrontation; but they will never stop building the arsenal for war. There is zero, absolutely zero trust in anything the Iranians say on this matter.
As a consequence, Saudi Arabia understands the intent of President Trump’s request to support ‘project freedom’, however Saudi Arabia is not going to accept continued missile attacks from Iran during this ‘humanitarian’ effort to reopen the Strait. [Remember, this is also a Muslim Brotherhood issue. The Brotherhood is the political network behind extremist Islam.]
President Trump is asking Saudi Arabia and the GCC states to view the continued Iranian attacks as small slights, small provocations, while he diplomatically tries to negotiate with the Iranian regime. MbS and the GCC are unwilling to take this position, to accept these continued attacks against their nations, simply to give President Trump the political benefit of his policy.
Again, the Saudi’s and GCC have been dealing with this extremist threat for decades. They are unwilling to compromise in order to give space for negotiations they view as futile. The U.S. can use all Saudi support venues to confront Iran militarily, but they are not going to support the political and diplomatic effort behind ‘project freedom’ while they are simultaneously expected to accept continued attacks from Iran.
NBC News reported that Saudi Arabia revoked U.S. access to its bases for Project Freedom, a mission to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian threats. A call between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, forcing the administration to pause the operation. Political commentators described the move as a significant strategic loss for the U.S. in the Gulf region. (source)
Essentially, the U.S. cannot say to the GCC: “Please open your skies and bases,” thereby exposing their energy infrastructure, only for everyone to discover afterwards the actual American policy was apparently: “Oh by the way, if Iran attacks you with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones in several waves, we won’t retaliate because we are chasing a negotiated deal. And this is exactly what shocked the Saudis.
It was not the issue of the Iranian attack; after all, the UAE/GCC expect retaliation – this is Iran; no one in the Gulf is naïve about that. The shock came from the American reaction after the attacks against the GCC. Attacks against Emirati infrastructure, Fujairah was targeted, multiple waves involving drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles. And from their perspective Washington’s response was basically: “Meh. Minor incident. Let’s not escalate.” Minor incident?! From the perspective of the GCC this is madness. Thus, they withdraw support.
¹This is where it becomes critical to understand the position of the GCC as it relates to well over a decade of this Muslim Brotherhood/Iran extremist activity. It is not President Trump who triggered the GCC assembly to fight this radical Islamic extremism, a bastardized view of authentic Islam, it was Egypt and the GCC who have been confronting this stuff since President Obama triggered the “Arab Spring”.
Long before President Trump took office in 2017, Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi had confronted the Muslim Brotherhood and assembled a coalition of mid-east partners to address this Islamist threat. Sisi went to see King Salmon (MbS dad) first, to get his support. Egypt then assembled Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan to confront Qatar, who was the bankers for the Muslim Brotherhood.
The GCC with all stable Arab state support then economically and diplomatically boycotted and isolated Qatar. The Qataris finally acquiesced to the pressure and in September 2014 the exiled leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood who were living in Qatar were sent to Turkey.
Egypt and the GCC have been confronting all of the tentacles from the Muslim Brotherhood for more than thirteen years now. All of these factions of radical Islam, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and more, come from this political apparatus represented by the Brotherhood, which is ideologically and structurally aligned in common cause with the extremism represented by the Iranian regime.
This is the background context for Saudi and GCC support for President Trump to finish the “drive them out of power” approach that Trump himself spoke of in 2017 during the Arab assembly. From the position of the GCC, they have done everything they can to destroy radical Islamic elements, now they need the power of the USA to eliminate what remains of it in Iran.
Saudi Arabia and the GCC view Iran as an existential threat that cannot be dealt with diplomatically and they do not trust any negotiation.
The most positive data points in all the U.S. activity against Iran have been two facets. First, the complete support of the Gulf Arab states for President Trump’s military confrontation of Iran. Second, Qatar joining in strong alignment with the gulf states against both Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Qatar always sat on the fence with one foot supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran, and the other foot supporting moderate Gulf Arab states. The difference between Qatar in 2015 and Qatar in 2026 is, quite frankly, remarkable – IF IT IS TRUE (I’m not convinced).
The GCC started their long battle against the Muslim Brotherhood in 2011, and frustratingly, they’re still standing on that same platform 15 years later. That’s why they’re not about to let Iran attack them while President Trump pursues a peace deal they see as worthless.
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the GCC and even Qatar now holds the position that all political power structures within Iran must be destroyed.
It’s not just Israel urging President Trump to take action against Iran. In fact, history shows that support from Israel is actually less than the backing he’s getting from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC for ongoing military strikes against Iran.
Last point, that reality is also what makes the Tucker Carlson viewpoint look ridiculous and indicates he has some alternative motive behind his position.
Hope that helps.
I’m trying to be optimistic and patient, and I’m generally supportive of the mission, but this whole operation is blowing up in our faces. If they can’t get this sorted into some kind of win soon, gas prices alone will hand the Dems the midterms.
Maybe. But the scotus ruling on redistricting is a possible offset.
Lots of moving parts. Hard to predict. But yes prices are gonna factor bigly
God Bless America
Good luck with that! 🫡
Democrats just ignore the SC and simply reword whatever they are trying to do and it works for another ten years until the SC takes another shot at it.
Exh A: Bruen Decision on 2A is not just ignored. It’s laughed at by Democrat States.
Exh B: Affirmative Action has been struck down multiple times. Democrats just call it something else like Diversity!
President Trump is not listening to the right people. Getting involved in a war with Iran at this point in time with the Midterm Elections months away and handing Congress to the Democrat Lunatics on a silver plate is beyond insane!
Good thing you’re not in charge. Jeesh!
Don’t be such a bootlicker. It’s okay to criticize leadership we voted for.
If I was in charge, I’d likely have blown them to the stone age. I’m assuming and hoping they know something we don’t (obviously). And I’m hoping the economic ramifications of the blockade will bear fruit.
So you’d kill lots of civilians and risk having the population at large turn against America/Trump?
We either needed to keep killing leaders with Mossad’s help or we needed to make SURE weapons got into the hands of the Persian citizens. The Kurd debacle was a major F Up. They can’t overthrow the regime without firepower.
I disagree. Nothing is “blowing up in our faces.”
On the contrary, President Trump has crushed Iran’s stated goal of arming themselves with nuclear weapons. Now that is something that would blow up in our faces.
I am happy to endure higher gas prices for a short time in return for destroying Iran’s nuclear program.
I’m old enough to remember the oil shortages and the high gas prices during the 70’s. It was a lot worse back then.
President Trump has made America energy independent for the first time in my lifetime. These temporary higher prices are a mere annoyance compared to a nuclear attack from Iran.
President Trump has this situation firmly under control-along with a multitude of other situations. I have no doubt whatsoever that, with God’s Divine Intervention, all will be well.
Never forget-fear and pessimism never accomplished anything good.
Pray continually.
Easy for you to say since you can absorb the cost of rising fuel prices. Some of us were already struggling and now it’s worse, especially for folks like me with young families.
A large part of Trump’s coalition are working-class families, and if they can’t afford things due to this ongoing war, the midterms will be bad and you can say goodbye to the last two years of Trump’s term.
Do you think joining the communists would be a better deal for your “young family?”
You should also be old enough to remember that while “I am happy to endure higher gas prices for a short time in return for destroying Iran’s nuclear program.“ is a luxury position that doesn’t exist for many others.
💯! 🙏
You should get out more.
When changing the way the western world has operated for centuries, it’s pretty much guaranteed that everyone invested in that system will resist you, and wield whatever they control to make you look ineffective or counter-productive. That includes the prices of fuel, meat, etc.
I’d bet the IRGC is receiving checks from all sorts of people to continue resisting Trump’s efforts. They’re probably getting checks from the DNC, the US Chamber of Commerce, NATO, Zelenskyy, and even Tim Waltz.
I feel no shame in urging vociferously that divine intervention is called for in such a bold, against-all-odds endeavor… “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God”
NBC.
Not to be trusted.
Nothing But Crap
It helps
Seriously? Then why hasn’t these Gulf states attacked and destroyed the Iranian regime? They have their own armies to take them on.
It makes more sense to me that OPEC has more to lose if we become the number 1 energy producer.
Iran has a population of 90 million people and a military numbering 1 million. It’s like asking them to commit suicide!
Well, boots on the ground. I think by now we should have enough intelligence to locate and destroy, stay until a solid leadership can transition. We’ll see soon enough…..
The same entity behind Ukraine is also behind Iran and many other countries when radicals are installed just like Syria whose installed leader is a MB terrorist.
I think President Trump must finish the job. The mullahs and the IRGC must be eradicated or there will NEVER be peace in the ME.
He started out doing great work… but this negotiation is baloney! The iranian regime is stalling and they will NEVER give up their pursuit of nukes. Event the current terms being negotiated are a far cry from the initial demands by US. To me, it looks like another Obama deal.
In addition, this pull back from Epic Fury looks like weakness, imo.
I really hope and pray that President Trump is playing a long game here… and will eventually FINISH THE JOB! He cannot leave that regime in place.
You can’t trust and Arab nation.
Iran isn’t an Arab nation. Iranians are Persian! 😎
You can’t say the neighboring Arab states are wrong, you cannot trust the iranian leadership whatever that maybe, to negotiate in good faith. The problem is we, the USA, have been through the useless wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. We do not have the stomach for another. It seems that ever since WWII we cannot finish the “job”. To facilitate regime change in iran, you have to go in on the ground and eliminate the people that have run them for the last 47 years, including the IRGC. We are in this mess again as the result of the obama admin. supporting the nut jobs over there.
Seems like Col. MacGregor is right, bombing is not going to get the resultant regime change, you have to get in and go on the ground.
What we do not have a stomach for is any war conducted on a “half-assed” scale.
Negotiations? Phooey! Nothing will suffice but a plea for an unconditional surrender.
Then it is up to the Saudi‘s, and the Gulf states to send their soldiers into Iran. Are they willing?
Thinking the same thing. They send THEIR troops and we provide air support.
Huh? You’re asking Switzerland to invade Nazi Germany in 1939!
Exactly. A lot of talk there MBS / GCC … Now that Pres Trump / US MIL / US taxpayer has eliminated Iran’s navy & air force, boots in the sand is your contribution … suggest you proceed without delay. The US needs to get back to focusing on Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico & Chianada. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
💯 🎯 Taqiyya and Hudna = victory later. In perpetuity.
Good thing I’m not in charge because I would absolutely bomb Iran back to the stone age and then arm”secular ” Iranians to wipe out the mullahs.
Trump is listening to the doves too much.
It NEVER made sense that he paused the Strait opening exercises. Nor did it make sense that there was no retaliation in response to clear Iranian violations of the ceasefire in attacks on shipping and then tne heavy attacks on tne UAE.
I sincerely hope that Trump has a very short fuse to get that deal he demands. And that deal HAD BETTER BE one that totally strips Iran of its nuclear ambitions AND prevents them from supporting terror anymore AND opens the Strait to shipping.
MbS and the GCC are unwilling to take this position, to accept these continued attacks against their nations, simply to give President Trump the political benefit of his policy.
Again, the Saudi’s and GCC have been dealing with this extremist threat for decades. They are unwilling to compromise in order to give space for negotiations they view as futile. The U.S. can use all Saudi support venues to confront Iran militarily, but they are not going to support the political and diplomatic effort behind ‘project freedom’ while they are simultaneously expected to accept continued attacks from Iran.
Now do Israel.
STOP
MbS and the GCC don’t have elections and don’t have Democrats to deal with in elections!
I understand the humanitarian and domestic political concerns about obliterating what’s left of Iran’s infrastructure, but on the other hand, and as I’ve said here several times before, I’m frustrated in watching the administration trying to negotiate with these mutants as though they were rational beings.
They are not and the GCC is correct in this assessment.
I’m afraid the president thinks he’s compassionately leading these people toward enlightenment, but it is they who are leading us down the Primrose Path.
This dynamic needs to change NOW!
They All believe in the same thing no matter if they are radical or “Moderate” they all pay Jihad taxes no matter who they are.
I read this and believe the GCC is correct. They should not have to stand down.
The GCC appears to recognize that Iran is using negotiations to delay action, and that allowing those delays is not a sound strategy if the ultimate goal is the destruction of the Muslim Brotherhood. This follows a strategic pattern Persia and later Iran have used for centuries, which is to prolong negotiations, preserve ANY leverage, regroup, and wait for opponents to lose momentum.
Then they can put their own military might, purchased from US on the ground to eradicate the threat.
It’s easy to make demands while they’re sheltering behind US military might. It’s put up or shut up time.
I have a different take. I think the negotiations are twofold. One, to regroup and replenish militarily. Second, and maybe more important, to provide cover for squishy GOP to say that Trump gave peace his best shot.
NBC afternoon nooz pushing for failure: “NO END IN SIGHT TO RISING GAS PRICES!!!”
“This is deja vu again!”
“Prices are up everywhere to their highest levels in states like Ohio…”
Well, no, in fact prices have declined somewhat recently: here in northwest Ohio you can find prices falling back down to $4.19 – $4.59.
To be sure, getting back to $2.19 would be nice! But destroying Islamic Terrorism is definitely worth it!
Destroying Islamic Terrorism could have waited until December!
It’s been around for a few centuries waiting another few months wouldn’t have mattered. The fate of the United States falling into the hands of lunatic Democrats is more important than anything in the Middle East! 😎
The only acceptable resolution to the 47 year Iranian war against the US is unconditional surrender by Iran and regime change.
I agree with the Saudis on this. Kill off the Iranian regime and all their soldiers. They are fanatics and will lie and resist to the very last lunatic.
The Saudi’s have an army. Perhaps they should use it to eradicate the threat.
I entirely agree with the GCC position, and think that “ever the deal-maker” Trump is being naïve. As the GCC well knows, these radicals think that Allah himself ordered them to “lie to the infidel,” and pretend to make peace. The GCC knows this enemy’s ways far too well. Trump does not.
Read your Bible. The only thing these people will understand is a crushing(!) military defeat that makes them scream. When you were crushing them, they respected you. When you stopped, they concluded that you were weak, and they could win.
Perhaps Allah cast a spell of confusion, to give them holy victory and authorize them to kill a few hundred thousand more of their countrymen … Doesn’t that make perfect sense?
They will be happy to commit suicide to try to inflict as much harm as they can, because they believe that Allah will richly reward them for it. These people ARE insane … and the GCC fully understands this. I fear that Trump does not – yet.
He needs to listen carefully to people who actually know, and not to himself.
Seems, in my opinion, that President Trump should recall how negotiations have failed regarding Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky doesn’t want peace and neither does Iran. Talk is cheap and sometimes worth as much. Those close to Iran know how untruthful, untrustworthy, and how evil they are. Stop expecting everyone to be what they should be and accept what they are.
From my perch, the world view is a negative for us if we wipe out the Iranian government bringing about regime change. However, if the Iranians continue their usual course, when pushed hard, will do something stupid directly against the U.S. At that time, the U.S., in conjunction with the GCC elements, can lay waste to the Regime and IRGC. This in effect would deflate the EUweenies talking points additionally showing how weak-willed that bunch really is. Regime change under the U.S. and Middle Eastern flags diplomatically holds more water than the U.S. alone. Sort of a Trumpian Win-Win solution. Just my two cents.
Appear weak when you are strong. How do they get all those wads of material up into a flight suit and helmet?
Sometimes instead of spraying a nasty weed you need to dig it out.
The GCC isn’t willing and/or able to do the job and the US isn’t going to either because it takes “boots on the ground”
Americans have the attentions pan of (fill in the blank).
The majority doesn’t have the patience to wait until Iran has no supplies.
The economic blockade hurts everyday Iranians much more than the Iranian military which will just confiscate the supplies it needs and the leaders will flee to safety if things turn ugly.
.
If they were lobbing missiles at us would we listen to France ask us to look at them as mere “slights”? Don’t think so.
I’ve often wondered if Qatar’s repositioning was part of an effort to become “the Switzerland” of the Middle East.
They have the banking infrastructure, the financial connections (both legal and illegal) with players around the world, and they’re small enough to be a non-threat militarily, while being geo-positioned where neutrality best serves the most countries, including those who are in conflict with each other.
I have no idea if that hypothesis holds up to testing by those who are better informed.
Personally I wouldn’t trust a word Iran says.
In other words, were in the negotiating phase (just with bombs, mussels, etc) with a threat (Iran) that the Saudis, amongst others, know need to be destroyed. I’ve heard that what President Trump wants out of Iran is the “nuclear dust” that apparently ties the Iranian nuclear program to uranium one (for more on that, look up War Clandestine on X). Do I have things right?
Mr. President:
“Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the GCC and even Qatar now holds the position that all political power structures within Iran
must be destroyed.”
Imho, it must also be said, this excursion is not just about ir@n, no?
Many, many prayers for you, Mr. President.
Old Vietnam Vet here…
And when I came home in 1969 after three years in Southeast Asia, I had many discussions with my dad, and several uncles(All WW-2 Vets from both European and Pacific theaters)
And they all were shaking their heads upon hearing my tales of frustration while in-theater, about “why don’t we just wipe the bastards out like we did in WE-2…? Their comments all were relatively the same… “we should have learned from the Korean War Debacle… Suicidal and fanatical enemies cannot be negotiated with…”
We need to end this…
The GCC is keeping the main thing, the main thing.
A peace deal isn’t the main thing anywhere except domestically and that only in as much as oil then flows freely & prices come down before a midterm bloodbath ensues.
“They do not believe Iran can be negotiated out of that threat. The GCC view negotiations as an Iranian delay tactic.” This is as plain and obvious as the difference between night and day (or the two genders if you are not a democrat). Trump must understand this, so the questions are all about why he isn’t (assuming it is possible) taking the actions necessary to destroy these crazies causing so much mayhem and misery for decades. Obviously many factors possibly explaining hesitancy come to mind. If the other countries affected would join us and participate it should make this job easier, as well as quicker.
Should this linger through the summer, and it is very near the point at which it will, we enter hurricane season with gas near record highs already. Commodity prices can significantly outrun retail down, so there is little time remaining for relief.
We all now how a storm can run prices, we haven’t experienced that in this difficult a market often. This isn’t posted from defeatist thinking, but there is real risk of a price shock even from this level. President Trump needs help and luck. The Saudis make more money if Trump has continued difficulties.
Trump needs to wrap this up soon as I am much more worried about the Democrat threat that I am about any Iranian threat past, present or future.
“American policy was apparently: “Oh by the way, if Iran attacks you with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones in several waves, we won’t retaliate because we are chasing a negotiated deal. And this is exactly what shocked the Saudis.”
“Straw that broke the camel’s back.”
“From the position of the GCC, they have done everything they can to destroy radical Islamic elements, now they need the power of the USA to eliminate what remains of it in Iran.”
Truly AMAZING that DJT has been placed in this position of power!
May he, President Trump, seeks The LORD’S FACE!
It is our PRAYER he, President Trump, has spoken to The LORD about that mocking meme.
Makes sense. Excellent analysis.
Now here comes the sky is falling concern trolls…. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Trump keeps saying we’ve wiped them out militarily, but if so why are they still alive and kicking? They seem to have plenty of options left and are stalling to get us into September or October to bounce back with a huge counter offensive, handing us over to their Dem friends in November.
Optics of negotiation are fragile and we will be played by these demons. We’ve reached into this snake pit and can’t afford getting bit, and they know that.