Emirati Scholar Abdulkhaleq Abdulla Calls for Closing US Military Bases in UAE

Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a senior Emirati academic, publicly advocates for the UAE to consider shutting down its US military bases, citing them as a burden and unnecessary for national defense. He argues that the UAE now possesses sufficient self-defense capabilities, exemplified by its stance during Iranian tensions. The UAE currently hosts at least 19 US military sites, including Al Dhafra airbase shared with France and the US, prompting questions about future military alignments and regional security arrangements.