‘Gulf wealth, US power, and the ME reset'
This is apropos a letter to the Editor from this writer carried by the newspaper yesterday. The summit focused heavily on regional stabilization. In one of the most consequential announcements, Trump declared the complete lifting of US sanctions on Syria, signaling a dramatic shift in American policy.
He credited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Erdogan for facilitating the move — an act designed to provide Syria with a 'fresh start' and reintegrate it into the Arab fold after years of civil war and isolation. This development was not a concession — it was a calculated diplomatic trade-off.
In return for massive Gulf investment into American infrastructure, defense contracts, and educational programs, the US acknowledged the Gulf's new authority to shape the political future of the region.
Addressing the Gaza tragedy, MBS underscored that a sustainable peace lies in a just resolution of the Palestinian issue through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, in line with United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
He categorically rejected any plan to displace or resettle Palestinians in foreign territories, reaffirming their right to homeland and sovereignty. In this broader context, the Gulf nations' alignment with the United States reflects not just shared economic interests, but a mutual strategic goal of containing Iranian influence, stabilizing regional politics, and eliminating armed proxies that thrive on chaos.
One of the most overlooked, yet powerful, elements of the US-GCC partnership is the massive investment in human capital.
Tens of thousands of students from the Gulf are studying in top American universities, training in advanced fields like robotics, aerospace engineering, nanotechnology, and cybersecurity. These students are not merely recipients of Western knowledge — they are future architects of a Middle East prepared to lead. MBS has paired this educational strategy with significant incentives for American universities to expand in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC. These joint campuses are fast becoming incubators for innovation, preparing the region to compete not only economically but intellectually in the coming decades.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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