BEIRUT/OXFORD – For decades, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have exported oil and recycled petrodollars through Western markets and received military protection from the United States. This arrangement has often been described as a strategic alliance. In reality, it is more like a system of “protection for sale,” in which the GCC has effectively purchased security guarantees through arms contracts, basing rights, and geopolitical alignment.

© Project Syndicate