Season 4, Episode 7: The Gulf States just got pushed off the fence

The Gulf States (from east to west: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar UAE, Oman) are at the center of an accelerating confrontation between the US and Israel, and Iran. Iran is forcing their hand to end their longstanding neutrality and to choose a side. Which side will they choose?In this episode, Gavin and Dave take a hard look at the region that is drifting into a conflict cycle that neither side fully controls. They talk about the security architecture of the individual GCC states, Tehran’s strategy of escalation and asymmetric warfare, and the affects of political and economic constraints in capitals like Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Further, dive into how limited disruption around the Strait of Hormuz reverberates throughout the global economy, and will for a long long time.Also, I (Dave) made a mistake--I said the Spratly Islands and should have said the Senkaku Islands. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe