A prominent Emirati political scientist, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, has called to "shut down American military bases in the UAE" on Sunday. This has ignited a debate across the Gulf, as the Iran war reshapes how the region's governments - and their populations - view the decades-old US military presence on their soil.
Abdulla, one of the most-widely followed academic commentators of UAE, made the remarks in a post on X on Sunday that quickly went viral. "The UAE no longer needs America to defend it, as it has proven during the Iranian aggression that it is capable of defending itself with distinction," he wrote.
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"What the UAE needs is to acquire only the best and latest weapons that America has. Therefore, it is time to think about closing the American bases, as they are a burden and not a strategic asset." he added.
هذا ما قلته لرويترز اليوم: لم تعد الامارات بحاجة لأمريكا كي تدافع عنها فقد اكدت خلال العدوان الإيراني انها قادرة الدفاع عن نفسها بجدارة، ما تحتاجه الإمارات هو اقتناء افضل وأحدث ما لدى امريكا من اسلحة فقط لذلك حان وقت التفكير في اغلاق القواعد الأمريكية فهي عبء وليس رصيد استراتيجي
— Abdulkhaleq Abdulla (@Abdulkhaleq_UAE) April 19, 2026
The statement marks a striking shift in tone from a country that has long positioned itself as Washington's most reliable partner in the Gulf.
The UAE was designated a major US defense partner in 2024, and the two nations have deepened ties across defense, artificial intelligence and investment. Yet the Iran war has forced a public reckoning with the costs of that relationship.
Since fighting broke out in late February 2026, Iran has fired a total of 438 ballistic missiles, 2,012 drones and 19 cruise missiles at targets in the UAE, with the attacks killing 13 people and injuring 224 others, reports said. Iran's strikes specifically targeted US military facilities on Emirati soil, including Al Dhafra Air Base, reportedly making the UAE a frontline of a war it did not start.
The UAE said it has intercepted over 90% of incoming threats. By March 12, its air defenses had intercepted 268 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,514 drones, a performance Abdulla himself cited as proof the country can stand on its own.
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The sentiment is not confined to Emirati commentators alone. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also demanded the closure of US bases in the Gulf, while Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned the bases must close or they will be "attacked."
UAE Presidential Adviser Anwar Gargash has said that any deal with Iran must include guarantees Iran would not attack again and reparations for damage caused, suggesting Abu Dhabi is thinking beyond the ceasefire about a fundamental restructuring of Gulf security arrangements - with or without Washington at the centre.
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