The Bahrain deal is a sign that the administration that took office, wary of Middle East entanglements, has strengthened ties, particularly in the Persian Gulf, to counter similar Chinese and Russian efforts and strengthen existing defense ties to deter Iran. This comes amid a wide range of efforts to and other would-be invaders.
The agreement, signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa during a visit to Bahrain, “is a bilateral agreement,” a senior administration official said at a news conference. “But… it is also a kind of basis for a broader grouping of countries in the long run that share a common vision of deterrence, diplomacy, economic and security integration, and conflict de-escalation.” It could work.”
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to White House rules, said the deal is “legally binding” but also emphasized that it is not a treaty and does not require Congressional approval.
The official said that while Bahrain is already a major purchaser of U.S. defense equipment given its size and is home to the Navy’s 5th Fleet, “it also does not involve any specific arms sales.” “We have a very close military relationship with Bahrain…and I think this agreement kind of formalizes that.”
The official said the United States and Bahrain pledged to “work together to deter and counter external aggression in the event of an attack,” but stressed that it would not amount to a mutual security agreement. Rather than that, “Standard security is for us to immediately consult with our partners and allies to determine how best to counter an ongoing external attack in the worst-case scenario.”
“But the ultimate purpose of such an agreement is to ensure that we never end up in the worst-case scenario,” the official said.
Bahrain says it will build an integrated defense, intelligence, and deterrence network across the Persian Gulf, encourage the purchase and use of interoperable U.S. security equipment, and develop a joint strategy to prevent Iranian aggression. It represents a low-hanging fruit for the administration’s efforts.
Those long-standing goals were largely unrealized by Biden’s predecessors as relations with Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest and most dominant country, have waxed and waned. Over the past year, the government has sought to persuade Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, the Arab-Israeli peace deal reached by the Trump administration, through high-level visits to Riyadh. Bahrain, a small island off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf, was one of the first three Arab countries in the agreement, along with the United Arab Emirates, to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020.
A big hurdle remains. Saudi Arabia wants approval for a mutual defense treaty with the United States and plans to build a full-cycle nuclear power program that includes domestic uranium enrichment, both of which are beyond the regime’s capabilities and will likely meet fierce resistance. . in parliament.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United States want Israel to make substantial progress toward an independent Palestinian state, but under the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, things are further from reality than ever before.
on wednesday “We look forward to using this agreement as a framework for additional countries who wish to join us to strengthen regional stability, economic cooperation, and innovation,” Blinken said during a signing ceremony with Salman at the State Department. emphasized.
Salman said the deal, formally known as the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, comes as major powers appeal to developing countries with competing visions of an alternative to the post-World War II international order. He said he believed that “this will form the basis of a new international order.” Global architecture…it’s an open agreement. We will hopefully welcome more members, which I think is as important as the decisions made after many global cataclysms in history. ”
Blinken said meetings starting this week will “continue dialogue on all human rights issues that are core to U.S. foreign policy.”
In 2011, Bahrain’s ruling Sunni family, with support from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, violently suppressed demonstrations by the Shiite majority. Hundreds of people who remain imprisoned began a hunger strike in early August demanding better conditions. The strike was called off on Tuesday, on the eve of a ceremony in Washington, after the government agreed to meet some of the demands.