The Growing Rift Between Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.

"Saudi Arabia, under his de-facto leadership, embarked on a military campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, temporarily kidnapped the Prime Minister of Lebanon, and blockaded Qatar. Many of these actions were part of a campaign to isolate Iran, whose Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, M.B.S. referred to in 2017 as "the new Hitler." While conducting his aggressive foreign policy, M.B.S. had a close ally: Mohamed bin Zayed, the President of the United Arab Emirates."

"In the past few months, however, things have changed. The alliance that promised to reshape the Middle East has collapsed into acrimony, with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. on different sides of violent conflicts in Yemen and in Sudan. The two countries are increasingly competing for economic opportunities in the region, while Saudi Arabia sees the U.A.E. as too willing to ally with Israel, and the U.A.E. seems resentful of Saudi Arabia's power."

"I recently spoke by phone with Kristian Ulrichsen, the author of " The United Arab Emirates: Power, Politics and Policy-Making " and a fellow for the Middle East at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. During our conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, we discussed what's really behind the rift in this once strong alliance, what's driving the U.A.E.'s catastrophic intervention in Sudan, and how the Trump Administration's transactional approach to foreign policy may exacerbate the rivalry between the two countries."

Mohammed bin Salman consolidated power after becoming deputy crown prince in 2015 and crown prince in 2017. Saudi Arabia launched a Yemen campaign, briefly detained Lebanon's prime minister, and blockaded Qatar as part of efforts to isolate Iran. Mohamed bin Zayed initially allied closely with M.B.S. and viewed him as a younger, confrontational counterpart. That alliance has recently collapsed into acrimony, with Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. backing opposing sides in Yemen and Sudan and competing for regional economic opportunities. Saudi concerns about UAE-Israel rapprochement and UAE resentment of Saudi dominance deepen the rift. The Trump Administration's transactional foreign-policy style may further exacerbate the rivalry.

Read at The New Yorker