Newly unearthed British documents reveal that Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and late president of the United Arab Emirates, believed the United States would abandon its Arab allies if they faced popular uprisings.

Sheikh Zayid and his nephew and Chief of Staff, Sheikh Surour, expressed these concerns nearly 40 years ago to British parliamentarian Julian Amery. According to Records of the UK Prime Minister’s Office, which were uncovered by MEMO in the National Archives, the two leaders questioned whether the US truly stood by its friends.

In May 1986, Sheikh Zayed  – who earned the title of ‘the wise man of the Arabs” as he was renowned for his vision and wisdom – invited Amery, a Conservative MP and former minister of state for the FCO (1972–1974), to Abu Dhabi. Amery, known as a Conservative Zionist and staunch supporter of Israel, had strong connections with the Middle East. His father, Leo Amery, was also a member of parliament and a prominent advocate for the British Empire. Like his father, Julian strongly opposed the decolonisation of the British Empire and was the leading member of the backbench Suez Group.

During the meeting which took place as Richard Murphy, then assistant US secretary of state for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, was visiting the UAE, Zayed and Surour expressed deep skepticism about America’s willingness to protect Gulf States. They criticised President Ronald........

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