The Tilt Towards Trump
The one word that comprehensively describes the nature of international relations is “national interest,” not animosity or friendships, and absolutely not morality. When countries design their foreign policies, they throw morality out the window, letting the national interest take the driving seat. It’s the reciprocity that matters, not morality. Today, a lot of people expect countries to stand by morality. The same has been the case for Saudi Arabia, which is criticized for not standing up to Israel and cozying up to Donald Trump. The real question here is, why are Saudis cozying up to Donald Trump? Well, it’s helping them secure defense contracts, billion-dollar deals, AI chips, technology, and fighter jets. The US will also be a suitable ally to counter Iran and Iranian proxies right at the Saudi borders.
Not only this, but the Saudis also helped to broker Syria’s deal with President Trump, which will end decades of Syrian isolation, drive Iran further away, and open new avenues of investment for Saudi and American investors. Trump’s lifting of sanctions from Syria will also diminish Russia’s influence in the Middle Eastern state. In return, Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected to join the Abraham Accords, deport Palestinian freedom fighters, help Washington fight ISIS, and take control of ISIS’s detention centers.
Once al-Sharaa starts acting on this plan, criticism will surely rain down on him from his hardcore supporters across the Muslim world. If he chooses not to recognize Israel, things will go further down the drain for ordinary Syrians. When he is ready to accept the terms and conditions laid down by the US, he will join the already long list of villains.
Trump’s Middle East Tour
Donald Trump’s recent Middle East tour was a perfect display of realpolitik, where a lot of the Muslim populace was looking towards KSA to condemn Israel’s actions, but they chose realism over idealism. During this highly successful visit, morality took a back seat, and economic deals took the driving seat. Trump signed a huge $600 billion deal with KSA, a $142 billion defense deal, $20 billion in investments in artificial intelligence, and $80 billion in joint-tech investments. While Washington is strengthening defense ties with Saudi Arabia and taking on common enemies in the region, Donald Trump expects the Saudis to join the Abraham Accords soon.
Of course, there are plenty of big reasons for pushing the Saudis to normalize ties with Israel, but Donald Trump will surely want the Saudis to join the Abraham Accords in his presidency so that he can take credit and advertise himself as a peace president. One should never forget that, in international relations, there is no place for emotions or morality; it is always give and take. The reason is simple: morality doesn’t help a country secure billion- or trillion-dollar deals; a realistic foreign policy does.
Not only Saudi Arabia but also Qatar is under fire for trying to win Trump’s favor. This backlash comes after Qatar organized a lavish welcome for Trump – which included the “hair-flipping dance” – and gifted him a $400 million Boeing jet. Doha scratched Washington’s back by allowing it to have an air base in Qatar, and the US returned the favor by inking defense deals with the state. Qatar and the US collectively signed a $1.2 trillion mega-deal.
According to the White House’s fact sheet, Raytheon secured a $1 billion agreement with Qatar for advanced counter-drone systems, and Boeing secured its order for 160-210 aircraft worth $ 243 billion, the biggest ever order in history. In addition to the $22 billion agreement for General Electric aircraft engines, advanced drone technology, and the potential investment of $38 billion at Al-Udeid base and other air and maritime defense sectors, Qatar and the US stand to benefit greatly from these bilateral deals.
During Trump’s visit to Gulf states, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia showed how keen and open they are for investments and cooperation with Washington. Donald Trump was equally eager to secure flashy deals and pave the way for further strengthening the US’s foothold in the region. From a US military base right at the doorstep of Iran, driving Russians away from Syria, and countering Chinese influence in the region, Trump has achieved a lot in his short visit.
There are big lessons to learn here. If a country doesn’t have much to offer the world, it will not be offered anything by the world. The world is following the Machiavellian playbook, where power and national interests take center stage, the ends justify the means, and a ruler can resort to less-than-ideal methods to secure their state’s interests. Ahmed al-Sharaa was declared a terrorist by the US and had a bounty of $10 million on his head. If it’s in the US’s national interest, tomorrow’s terrorist could become today’s “attractive and good-looking guy.” Arabs are not villains, but they are not heroes either; they are just pragmatic, like any other country.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
The writer is an undergraduate at International Islamic University Islamabad in the department of
Politics and International relations.