As Persian Gulf crisis persists, alarm in Washington deepens

The Washington Post: More than three months after it began, the Persian Gulf dispute that has driven a deep wedge between America’s closest allies in the region appears no closer to resolution.

The Trump administration, which depends on the gulf states as its main air and sea launchpad for the fight against the Islamic State, and as a bulwark against Iran, is starting to get worried.

“We have an awful lot of equities here,” a U.S. official said. “Is it acceptable that American business starts reporting to us that contracts are getting canceled because of the climate in the gulf?” Or that the air base “from which we rain down holy hell” on militants in Syria and Iraq is endangered? Or a unified Arab bulwark against Iran is fraying?

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