The recent attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah using rigged pagers and walkie-talkies, purportedly orchestrated by Israel, has opened a new front in the conflict which has threatened to envelop the region since October last year. While the audaciousness of these strikes claims most of the headlines, the geopolitics of the region, and the traditional positions states have taken over the decades, were adrift much before the ongoing conflict in Gaza and now, southern Lebanon.
From continuing dealings with Russia to normalising ties with the Taliban in Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi often comes off as the state in the region with policies that the US would ideally like to pursue, but cannot, only enjoying the political placebos by association.
The influential president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, conducted his maiden visit to the White House in Washington D.C. where Abu Dhabi was conferred the title of ‘major defence partner’, second only to India. On the surface, it sounds bewildering that the UAE leadership, a close ally of the United States (US) over the years, is only visiting now since assuming presidency in 2022. However, beneath the surface and the swinging changes in the Middle East’s strategic postures over the years lie bare for all to see. From continuing dealings with Russia to normalising ties with the Taliban in Afghanistan, Abu Dhabi often comes off as the state in the region with policies that the US would ideally like to pursue, but cannot, only enjoying the political placebos by association. “We’re in less geostrategic and more geoeconomic phase,” Anwar Gargash, a noted Emirati senior diplomatic advisor said.
