On March 21, 2025, UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed paid a visit to the White House. Even though he is just a “security advisor,” he nevertheless met US President Donald Trump. The usual protocol for such visits is that the visiting dignitary meets his counterpart. So, the sheikh should have met Michael Waltz, the current National Security Advisor of the United States. But he met the president instead. Why?
The sheikh came bearing a stupendous gift—the UAE will invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next 10 years. This cash influx will be spread out over various sectors. This investment commitment by the UAE marks one of the largest foreign investment pledges in US history and is expected to significantly expand the UAE’s financial presence in key sectors of the American economy.
The investment will primarily target artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and American manufacturing. Major companies such as BlackRock, Microsoft, and Global Infrastructure Partners are partnering with NVIDIA and Elon Musk’s xAI to mobilize up to $100 billion for next-generation data centers.
Next, the UAE investment fund ADQ will partner with US partner Energy Capital Partners and invest $25 billion for enhancing energy infrastructure and data centers in the US.
Also, XRG, the global investment arm of UAE’s state oil company ADNOC, plans to invest in US natural gas production and exports, including the NextDec liquefied natural gas export facility in Texas.
And Emirates Global Aluminum is set to invest in a new aluminum smelter that will nearly double US production.
The UAE has been strategically investing in economic diversification, infrastructure, and defense to enhance its security and influence in the region. This includes significant investments in tourism, energy, and defense sectors, such as Abu Dhabi’s USD 10 billion investment in tourism infrastructure and ADNOC Gas’s USD 13 billion plan to expand gas operations.
Additionally, the UAE has been focusing on building strong diplomatic and economic ties with regional and global powers, including the US, to bolster its security and economic interests. The designation of the UAE as a Major Defense Partner of the United States further underscores this strategic alignment, enabling unprecedented military cooperation and joint defense capabilities.
The UAE’s “zero problem” policy towards regional rivals like Iran, Turkey, and Qatar reflects a pragmatic approach aimed at de-escalating tensions and fostering dialogue, which is crucial for long-term stability and economic growth. This shift is also evident in its efforts to re-establish diplomatic relations with Iran and improve ties with Qatar, signaling a move away from proxy politics towards diplomatic solutions.
Overall, the UAE’s substantial investments and strategic partnerships are designed to secure its national interests, protect its economic assets, and maintain stability in a volatile region, effectively buying protection through economic and diplomatic means rather than solely through military expenditures.
And, then, There is Qatar
Qatar Petroleum, now known as QatarEnergy, announced plans to invest approximately $20 billion in the US oil and natural gas sectors over the next five years. This includes projects like the Golden Pass LNG Terminal in Texas, which is expected to increase LNG exports by 60 million tons annually.
The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), with assets under management of $510 billion, anticipates a boom in US technology deals, and has been active in the tech space, participating in a $6 billion funding round for xAI and showing interest in AI-related infrastructure projects.
Qatar has also been a major player in US real estate, with the QIA investing in high-profile properties in New York and Washington, D.C. Notable investments include a $8.6 billion Manhattan development and a $650 million project in CityCenterDC.
Qatar has also committed to broader economic investments, including a $45 billion plan announced through the U.S. Department of State, covering military, aviation, energy, and ICT sectors.
What is xAI?
Elon Musk launched xAI, a new artificial intelligence company, on July 12, 2023, with the stated goal of “understanding the true nature of the universe.” The company was incorporated in March 2023 in Nevada and operates separately but in conjunction with Musk’s other ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and X Corp. (formerly Twitter).
xAI aims to create a “maximum truth-seeking AI,” which Musk has referred to as “TruthGPT,” contrasting it with existing AI models like ChatGPT that he criticized for having a liberal bias and being too profit-driven. The founding team consists of 12 members, including Musk, with backgrounds from leading AI research institutions such as OpenAI, DeepMind, Google, Microsoft, and the University of Toronto. The team is advised by Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center for A.I. Safety, which advocates for AI regulation.
In May 2024, xAI raised $6 billion in a Series B funding round, with a pre-money valuation of $18 billion. Notable investors included Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. The funds are intended to accelerate product development, build advanced infrastructure, and bring its first products to market. xAI has also reportedly acquired around 10,000 graphics processing units (GPUs), essential for developing state-of-the-art AI systems.
Recent investors now include the UAE and Qatar. Saudi Arabia has also made significant investments in xAI, through multiple funding rounds. Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), a Saudi investment firm, has invested $400 million in xAI’s Series C funding round, becoming the second largest investor in both X (formerly Twitter) and xAI. This investment follows a previous $400 million stake acquired by KHC in xAI’s Series B funding round.
Musk has been vocal about the need for AI regulation and safety, signing an open letter in March 2023 calling for a pause in “Giant AI Experiments.” He has expressed concerns over AI’s potential risks, including the misuse of data and the ethical implications of AI development. xAI hosted a Twitter Spaces chat on July 14, 2023, to engage with the public and answer questions about its mission.
Why all this concern from Musk? How better to cut out all competition.
Beware Sheikhs Bearing Gifts
Why are the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia throwing so much money into the United States?
One word answer: Iran.
The various oil kingdoms are thoroughly entwined with the United States and are proxies for the United States in regional conflicts, reflecting a long-standing strategy of indirect intervention. The U.S. has historically supported these nations through financial aid, arms sales, and military assistance to advance its geopolitical objectives without direct involvement. For example, Saudi Arabia has been a key ally in countering Iranian influence, with the U.S. providing significant military support, including refueling Saudi planes and selling arms worth billions of dollars during the Yemeni conflict.
This proxy relationship allows the U.S. to exert influence in the region while minimizing risks such as American casualties and the political fallout of direct military engagement. The approach has been particularly evident in conflicts like the Arab-Israeli wars, where U.S. support for Israel served as a counterbalance to Soviet-backed Arab states, and in the ongoing tensions with Iran, where Gulf allies are used to counter Tehran’s supposed regional ambitions.
What the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have done, via strategic investments, is further isolate Iran. All those promises of BRICS were empty, especially after the betrayal of Syria by Russia. And given the on-going reengagement of the United States with Russia, Iran is now fully alone. Should Israel and the United States decide to attack Iran, neither Russia nor China will step in to lend a hand. China has no tradition of international belligerence, while Russia has been economically hollowed out by the sanctions, despite the ongoing narratives of Russia’s economic resilience. The oft-mentioned Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed on January 17, 2025, by President Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian does not establish a military alliance between the two nations (there is a lot of misinformation about this treaty floating about). Which means that Russia and Iran do not have a treaty that includes a mutual defense clause or obligates either country to defend the other militarily. Putin will save Russia. He will not sacrifice Russia in order to save Iran.
Thus, Iran is alone vis-à-vis the United States.
This isolation is crucial for the United States as it slowly builds its “case” against Iran. This is why Yemen was attacked, and will likely be turned into another Gaza—in order to send a message to Iran: You are all alone. Do as we tell you.
The next step in the complete isolation of Iran will be to cut it off from all its allies, by destroying the “Axis of Resistance.” The US has already succeeded in Syria, which was the most important of Iran’s allies. The others being, Hamas, Hezbollah and Yemen. Israel has been tasked the job of taking care of Hamas and Hezbollah, as is obvious, while the US will take care of Yemen.
Whether the US and Israel succeed is another matter, and it will depend on how solid the resistance really is. So far, Israel has had success after success, especially with Hezbollah whose leadership has been entirely eliminated, and with Hamas, with the genocide in Gaza.
But Iran, though it stands alone, will not be an easy target. It is the last country left from the seven that Israel wanted to take down, with its attack dog, the United States of America.
This is linked to Israel’s “Clean Break” strategy, a policy document from 1996. This document, authored by a study group led by Richard Perle for Benjamin Netanyahu, aimed to reshape Israel’s security environment in the Middle East. It advocated for aggressive policies, including the removal of Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and the containment of Syria through proxy warfare.
The idea of targeting seven countries, including Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan, was mentioned by General Wesley Clark in 2003. Clark stated that the U.S. had a five-year plan to attack these majority-Muslim countries following the 9/11 attacks. Professor Jeffrey Sachs later referenced this plan, suggesting that Netanyahu and U.S. neoconservatives were involved in shaping this broader Middle Eastern strategy.
The Encirclement of Iran
The United States has a major presence in the Middle East, with five large bases.
The largest is Al Udeid Air Base (also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport), located southwest of Doha, Qatar. It is operated by the United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force and Qatar Emiri Air Force. Al Udeid serves as the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces Central Command and U.S. Central Command’s Forward Headquarters. The base hosts over 10,000 U.S. and coalition personnel and is a key hub for operations in the Middle East. The base supports a wide range of military activities, including air operations, intelligence gathering, and command functions.
There is the Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain), which is a United States Navy base located in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It serves as a critical logistical and operational hub for U.S. and coalition maritime forces in the region. NSA Bahrain supports U.S. and coalition maritime operations by providing security, logistical support, and services to ships, aircraft, facilities, and personnel within the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. The base is home to approximately 8,500 to 9,000 military personnel and DoD civilian employees, along with 78 tenant commands and joint forces.
Camp Arifjan is a U.S. Army installation located in Kuwait, south of Kuwait City. It serves as a forward logistics base and plays a crucial role in U.S. military operations in the Southwest Asian Theater. The camp is funded and built by the Kuwaiti government and accommodates personnel from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Camp Arifjan supports a variety of missions, primarily focusing on logistics and sustainment operations for U.S. military activities in the Southwest Asian Theater.
The United States maintains a significant military presence in Saudi Arabia, primarily focused on defense and strategic interests in the region. Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), located in Al Kharj, Riyadh Province, has been a major hub for U.S. military operations in the region. It hosts a significant U.S. presence, including fighter jets and Patriot missile batteries. There are about 2.700 trooped stationed in Saudi Arabia.
And then there is the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.This island has been used as a strategic military base by the UK and the US since the 1970s. The base supports air and naval operations in the region. The US has recently deployed B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to Diego Garcia, signaling a strong military presence aimed at Iran and other regional actors. Diego Garcia serves as a critical logistical hub for U.S. and British naval operations in the Indian Ocean and North Arabian Sea.
There are also other bases nearby, which complete this encirclement of Iran.
Camp Lemonnier is a U.S. Naval Expeditionary Base located in Djibouti City, Djibouti, next to the Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport. It serves as the primary base of operations for US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) in the Horn of Africa and is the only permanent US military base on the African continent. The base supports approximately 4,000 U.S., joint, and allied forces military and civilian personnel, along with about 1,000 local and third-country workers.
Incirlik Air Base, located in Adana, Turkey, is a joint Turkish and U.S. airbase that plays a significant role in regional military operations. The base is home to the U.S. Air Force’s 39th Air Base Wing and hosts several hundred personnel from the U.S., Turkish, and other allied forces. It supports a significant portion of air refueling and close-air support missions in the region. Incirlik’s location makes it vital for NATO’s Southern Region, supporting U.S. and NATO interests. However, recent geopolitical shifts have led to discussions about potential alternatives to the base. The base is known to store tactical nuclear weapons, including up to 50 B61 nuclear bomb.
Fealty Dues
So, about that $1.4 trillion…
Although, the investment that Sheikh Tahnoon brought is ostensibly for Elon Musk’s AI schemes, the strategic purpose is obvious—the UAE backs the United States in the region. It is a payment of fealty. More importantly, it is protection money. Should the US attack Iran, then the UAE now has the assurance that the US will protect it from any Iranian attacks.
It is all wishful thinking, because a war with Iran will not end fast. It will bring about a lot of destruction. But, then, destruction is strategic for the US and for Israel, because a country devastated can never become powerful enough to threaten Israel. The sole and only purpose of American policy in the region is the strengthening of Israel. All Middle Eastern states must be subservient to Israel. Why/ Because the USA and Israel are one and the same entity.
The $1.4 trillion is the UAE paying Israel’s lapdog fee—a status assumed by all the various oil sheikhdoms, along with Jordan and Egypt. And notice, none of them have any regard for Gaza, other than a lot of declarations and handwringing. But when push comes to shove, they all dutifully line up behind Israel and the USA.
After the fall of Syria, the Axis of Resistance is very isolated, because in effect it is Iran all by itself. As noted earlier, Russia and China will stand aside and not interfere and they will let the US do what it wants, just as they have stood aside and let Israel-USA do what they want in Gaza.
Russia has made that quite clear: “The two leaders [Trump and Putin] shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.”
But the US also knows that Iran has been preparing for this war for a long time.
It was interesting to see Prince Reza Pahlavi suddenly emerge from the woodwork to wish Iranians a happy Nowruz (the Persian New Year), with the promise that Iran will be “free.” The prince has been designated as the leader of Iran by the various anti-Islamic Republic of Iran factions, most of which are linked with the CIA and Israel. It was not a surprise that Prime Benjamin Netanyahu also sent out Nowruz greetings to “Iranian people.”
A war with Iran is a very old dream of Netanyahu, and his various lackeys are now showing their allegiance, in the hope that their money will save them from Iranian missiles.
