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Announcements Apr 1, 2026 at 10:20 AM

What are the potential long-term consequences of the UAE joining the U.S. in direct combat against Iran?

Posted by Positive_Adagio5113

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roadrunner83 Apr 1, 2026 +178
How? Are they sending the Indians labourers or the influencers to fight?
178
HappyThrasher99 Apr 1, 2026 +45
They are sending Bonnie Blue as a bioweapon
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NotAnotherEmpire Apr 1, 2026 +11
"Tis an army of laborers, whores and tax evaders, sir."
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Eat_Turnip2193 Apr 1, 2026 +2
Boxes of 'dubai chocolate' or invitations to porta potty parties.
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mcqueenvh Apr 1, 2026 +1
Or using American weapons to attack?
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NotTooShahby Apr 1, 2026
They actually spend quite a lot on their military, the highest percentage per GDP among the GCC nations. They don’t have experience but their tech is pretty good.
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SomewhereNo8378 Apr 1, 2026 +1
It’s a tiny force though, especially compared to Iran
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illonlyfadeaway Apr 1, 2026 +67
Dubai becomes the next Beirut, which once was the place to be in the Middle East.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +12
Iran can't sustain the volume of fire necessary to turn Dubai into beirut.20 drones a day (most of which don't make it to their target) is insufficient by a couple orders of magnitude. I know, the next big talk will be about Iran wiping out O&G and water infrastructure. But Iran is already trying to do that. Iran hit a Kuwait desalinization plant a couple days ago. So Dubai has nothing to lose, Iran can't do anymore than it already is.
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oldveteranknees Apr 1, 2026 +17
If a drone sneaks through and hits the wrong place, the UAE is fuckedddddd Something like 80% of their water comes from desalination plants. They only have a day or two of water reserves. They also have several plants throughout the country. One drone hitting the right spot will f*** the emirates for years.
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Stratiform Apr 1, 2026 +10
I believe Kuwait runs at an even greater water deficit, relying on desalinization as well. Qatar too. Turns out the desert is still rather inhospitable, we're just better about making sea water drinkable 😆
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oldveteranknees Apr 1, 2026 +3
For real Also, user name checks lol
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Beneficial_Map Apr 1, 2026 +1
The UAE has two different reserves that each hold 90 days worth.
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illonlyfadeaway Apr 1, 2026 +9
The psychological effect of any missile, drone, or terror attack alone is enough to pierce the Dubai dream.  Lots of friends talk up the safety in the city and how family friendly it is. It’s one of the reasons they moved from large cities with high crime rates. I don’t care how many family attractions there are, if there is a chance of getting blown up I am not visiting with my family. As I much I hate long flights from Asia to Europe and prefer a layover in the gulf, I already rebooked my flights to avoid the area.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +3
>any missile, drone, or terror attack alone is enough to pierce the Dubai dream.  That damage is already done. Can't unring that bell. Iranian control of the strait and the threat of drone attacks won't get any better unless Iran is decisively defeated. Either the Gulf States ensure that decisive defeat, or they will have to accept subservience to Iran.
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CaptPants Apr 1, 2026 +4
What are you taking about. There was no problem whatsoever with the straight until Trump decided to take ANOTHER massive shit on the world. If the US just completely got the f*** out of there, business as usual would resume after a few months.
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Melanoma_Magnet Apr 1, 2026 +7
No, it wouldn’t. Trump has opened Pandora’s box here and it can’t be closed. Iran won’t just go back to business as usual if the US pulls out, they’ll continue terrorising the US and its allies
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CaptPants Apr 1, 2026 +2
I wouldn't be so sure, they all need to make money. Iran wouldn't make any money of the other gulf states started bombing THEIR ships going through the straight (which they totally could but haven't yet) at which point nobody goes through and nobody makes any money. They would come to a compromise.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +3
Iran just passed a law claiming sovereignty over the strait of Hormuz, the right to control all traffic through the strait, and setting the framework for permanent collection of tolls. Allowing that to stand puts Iran in complete control of the whole economy of every Gulf state. They would either have to submit to Irans every whim or have their imports and exports cut off. That's before taking into consideration the constant threats of missile or drone attacks on desalinization plants and other infrastructure. The Gulf countries can't afford to let the conflict end in the current status quo. Europe is also in a very vulnerable position. They can't afford to have their economies at the whim of Iran either. Europe needs another 20 years to gain energy independence through renewables (they would be in much better shape if they had followed France and built a lot more nuclear power). Europe doesn't have the cohesion or stomach to do much, but would have been a lot more cooperative behind the scenes if there was any half decent leader in Washington. Trump running his mouth saying dumb stuff for the last couple of years has made things a lot harder for the US than it needed to be.
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dawoodahmad_syed Apr 1, 2026
What f****** subservience are you talking about? Isn't the gulf currently a lap dog for the west? even then they can do whatever they want whenever they want. without even thinking what will happen to their so called "Allies". Atleast they will have a say if get out of under their thumb.
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dave_gormen_3 Apr 1, 2026 +1
I recently had to book a long haul intercontinental flight for July, and although the Emirates airline option was 30% cheaper, i went with Cathay instead. The economic impact of this war is going to echo far and wide
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Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026 +3
The problem is that they have enough drones to keep us busy for a long time. Not only Dubai but every country in the region. And the economic crisis could be enough to cause chaos inside these countries. Iran was 1000% ready for all of this and it seems like Israel’s was right about the long range missiles. Now the damage has been done
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +13
Then the best thing to do is to apply more pressure to Iran. Iran has cut off everyone else's oil exports. They should reciprocate and stop Irans exports. Irans economy is already really bad, they can't absorb a 50% GDP reduction.
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Fumquat Apr 1, 2026 +4
Trouble is China is not shy to go “get their own oil” so cutting their imports off would lead to some interesting happenings.
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Dheorl Apr 1, 2026 +2
And who’s going to cut off Iran’s oil exports when other countries are sending naval vessels to e****** tankers?
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 +1
You can always tell who still listens to CNN or reads the NYT by delusional takes like this.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +2
Don't do either of them. I do read the ISW reports.
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Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026 +1
Not sure if Iran cares. As u can see even if peaple protest about it , the army is there to shoot at the protesters. Not sure if the Islamic regime will care about the 50% gdp decrease. They didn’t care about their own people not being able to afford basic things you think they will care now ? The Khameneis will always have money and that’s enough for them
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +2
That 50% of GDP is also 80% of Iranian government revenue. The regime can't pay the military, IRGC, or the internal security services without that oil revenue.
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Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026 +2
Hey they could pay them 70 dollars per month "but the most important is to destroy Israel or shit "
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 -1
More Mossad propaganda, I see?
-1
Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026 +1
Yeah I like how u disarmed me with your arguments
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026
Problem? I wouldn't call that a problem.
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Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026
Well yeah not for u
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026
Well, who started the war? Kick a hornets' nest, don't come crying when you get stung!
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Embarrassed-Shoe-848 Apr 1, 2026
Depends how u define " start the war ". Iran has been attacking Israel via proxies like H&mas , H!zbullah , H&uthis way longer before
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026
Those resistance groups, who under the UN charter have a legitimate right to fight against an invading and occupying force, didn't need Iran to exist; they already existed as a reaction to the illegal acts that 'Israel' is carrying out against them. If you want to go down that route, we can point to Israel assassinating Iranian scientists, as a starting point for the war, for example. And did we forget US and Israel started the last round of fighting last year as well? And no, Iran was not at war with the US before February 28. Look, your propaganda-addled America F*** Yeah, Israel First zionism is just not going to convince me or the rest of the world, which blames your demented president and his genocidal internationally wanted puppetmaster Bibi. You don't want US soldiers being targeted? Then get the f*** out of the region. Pack up your bases, you shouldn't have been there in the first place. If they stay there, they're a legitimate target. Iran has a right to defend itself. And I hope they continue to do so. And the Houthis as well. And I hope they will close off the Bab al-Manded strait very soon as well. I want to see this terrorist empire and its zionist attack dog fall.
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NotTooShahby Apr 1, 2026 +1
And the problem is that once Iran licks its wounds it knows how to hit the GCC hard. That’s why they’re pushing for Trump to escalate. However, one worry they have is if they contribute they’ll be left holding the bag if the US backs out.
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NotAnotherEmpire Apr 1, 2026 +1
Iran isn't going to stop making drones. They could bomb Dubai nightly forever if they wanted to. 
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MarloweMoan Apr 1, 2026 +11
The economy might suffer alot cuz trade and oil routes could be disrupted
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Vordeo Apr 1, 2026 +24
Iran probably starts hitting the desalination plants in the UAE (on top of hitting the oil refineries). If they take out enough, things get pretty bad.
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2xCommie Apr 1, 2026 +16
If you can hit enough of desalination plants you can literally make the whole countries in the region uninhabitable.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +6
Iran is already trying to hit desalinization plants. Iran hit one in Kuwait within the last few days. So they can sit around and wait until one of Irans attacks get through, which puts them in the same position anyway, or they can get actively involved in imposing costs on Iran.
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Vordeo Apr 1, 2026 +1
Yeah but presumably joining the fight more actively means Iran focuses atttacks on them more, I would think?
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SteveJEO Apr 1, 2026 -4
Iran isn't trying to hit desalination plants at all. If they were the plants would be gone already and there's precisely nothing the UAE could do about it. If they decide to destroy them now, they'll be gone. End of story. Look at it from this perspective: Iran has already killed every single long range NATO radar in the region and almost totally destroyed every US military base in the region. Those sites weren't undefended. They were in fact very well defended.. and they're still dead. America and pals have currently burned through almost 30% of the entire global stock pile of defensive missiles trying to defend those sites and they're dead. Static civilian sites like desalination plants and oil wells are basically free food for missiles.
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dravik Apr 1, 2026 +4
>killed every single long range NATO radar in the region and almost totally destroyed every US military base in the region. Your argument would be more convincing if you weren't also doing an imitation of [Baghdad Bob.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Saeed_al-Sahhaf)
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 -1
This is so rich coming from the most active paid US propaganda bot in this entire thread.
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 +1
Don't mind the downvotes for stating basic facts: Listnook is 'liberal' and 'progressive', right until it comes to the US Empire fighting wars of agression. Then it embraces every piece of anti-enemy-of-the-day talking points that the pro-war media churns out.
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NotAnotherEmpire Apr 1, 2026 +1
That wasn't a serious attack. When they wanted to make a point to Qatar they dropped a balletic missile exactly where it would do maximum damage to LNG processing. 
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Bods666 Apr 1, 2026 +6
[Points at the oil crises in the 70s and 80s, Iraq and withdrawal from Afghanistan]
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Chanisspeed Apr 1, 2026 +3
Drinking water
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 +3
11 million people. of which 88% foreign nationals? I don't think Iran will be impressed.
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Natet18 Apr 1, 2026 +7
No more Las Vegas of the Middle East.
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oldveteranknees Apr 1, 2026 +2
Their 12 man army has enough technology to dish out a few hits on Iran, but it’d still get fucked up pretty bad. The UAE has no conflict experience and I’m also certain they promote officers based on status and nepotism, so they’d be hardly any better than Arab countries in the 1960’s. Dubai probably wouldn’t look like Beirut, but it’d be like Kyiv, but worse. They’d clamp down even harder on “dissent” and throw westerners in prison (read: military service) for the most benign infractions. Honestly, if you’re a westerner that’s still in the UAE for some odd reason, this is your chance to leave
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Ahoramaster Apr 1, 2026 +2
UAE will empty out.  None of those expats will fight and die for the UAE.
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026 +5
The end of Iran’s Islamic regime long term. Exactly what everyone in the world should want.
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Nexism Apr 1, 2026 +8
Btw, y'know the US literally toppled the last democratically elected government in Iran? Then installed a monarchy which basically led to what we have now after it was overthrown.
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NotTooShahby Apr 1, 2026 +2
So it’s a bit more nuanced than that even if I partially agree. The Shah’s attempt wasn’t the first coup, it was when Mosaddegh dissolved parliament and refused to step down. Mind you, this was 50 years ago under completely different leaders, and a completely different CIA. The monarchy had the right to make Mosaddegh step down after he basically became dictator of the country. We don’t know if Mosaddegh would have retained his power but we definitely know the Shah held to his power with an iron fist. the CIA helped only after this move was made, and when Mosaddegh had the messenger from the Shah arrested. Long before that. during the British-US-Iran tensions, the Shah had refused to use his powers to make Mosaddegh step down.
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026
Edit: My bad, I’m wrong. Yes they installed the monarchy but still doesn’t change the fact that the current Islamic regime is worse than anything before. Also I don’t think anyone wants the monarchy reinstated, if the USA helps a democracy to rise from the ashes by correcting previous mistakes than that’s the way the go.
0
brickmaster32000 Apr 1, 2026 +10
You saying you want something to happen doesn't mean it will. Nothing the US is doing is helping democracy rise in Iran.
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026 -5
Leaving the Islamic regime is 100% not resulting in democracy, so anything else is a better option.
-5
brickmaster32000 Apr 1, 2026 +10
It is in fact possible to set back the adoption of democracy. Which is exactly what has happened by attacking. So no anything is not just a better option by default.
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026 +3
So let me get this straight, you are implying that the Islamic regime was in the process of adopting democracy … by killing 20k protesters?
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brickmaster32000 Apr 1, 2026 +9
You really need to get out of this binary mindset. I know in your mind there are only ever two ways a situation can go but that isn't how the world works. The US just cemented Irans hate for the US and gave them massive leverage over trade. A regime change is not going to happen. 
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026
Brother, maybe talk to Iranians then come back to me. I am not from the US, I have an independent view from outside by talking to actual Iranians and witnessing my own corrupt government get in bed with the Islamic regime of Iran, I’m not influenced by whatever propaganda you are consuming. There isn’t any nuance in the Islamic regime killing 20k protesters. Stop your bullshit.
0
Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 +2
Yeah, better blow up some more schools and hospitals. That'll bring them democracy. The US is totally there to bring them freedom. Trump cares very much for human rights, as does Netanyahu. Soon the Iranians will have the freedom to be shot in the head by ICE agents, too.
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0n0n-o Apr 1, 2026 +1
20k shot dead vs 1. Great comparison. I’m not going to even try debate you because you clearly are a propaganda bot.
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026 +1
> The end of Iran’s Islamic regime long term. Are you paid to be this delulu or are you spreading this neocon propaganda for free? > Exactly what everyone in the world should want. Except they're not. The global south is entirely supporting Iran. They're blaming this war and its fall-out on the US empire and its sick zionist attack dog. Only North-America, Europe and Australia buy into your talking points.
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Pitiful-Potential-13 Apr 1, 2026 +2
With what military? 
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Bricktop72 Apr 1, 2026 +2
The US will walk away and pretend this was all UAE's fault.
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Soggy_Start_6120 Apr 1, 2026 +1
Higher risk of retaliation, economic damage, and long-term instability, especially to trade, infrastructure, and the UAE's image as a safe business hub.
1
nnl627 Apr 1, 2026 +1
honestly i think we're all just watching a slow motion train wreck with the whole middle east situation.. like nobody even knows what's gonna happen next week let alone long term.
1
MatthewNGBA Apr 1, 2026 +1
I wouldn’t trust this news till it actually happens because the potential for how Iran would react would likely make the long term worse for the UAE than other alternatives they could go with
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aapitly Apr 1, 2026 +1
Comparing other invasive/ counter-terrorism/ preemptive measures of action taken by west and its allies against other parties from the opposite side, i assume it will go further more 3-6 months of losses stress despair and uncertainty in the region.
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Alpha_Romio_Juliet Apr 1, 2026 +2
UAE might get occupied, they are literally a teeny tiny country with barely enough to resist Iran without the support of the US.
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Substantial_Earth_18 Apr 1, 2026 +1
How will they get occupied though? Yeah obviously they are a tiny ass patch of land compared to Iran, but I mean how would soldiers get there in the first place? Didn't Iran's navy and Arial get hit hard? Maybe smaller boats? but wouldn't those get shot down?
1
strange_is_life Apr 1, 2026 +2
This is a hypothetical question, isn‘t it? Because there is no way UAE would join fighting. They have a lot more to lose than to win. Their participation would be ultimately insignificant but the risk it would mean is incredible.
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Mgora Apr 1, 2026 +1
Usa will return, Iran and UAE will stay here.
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-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 -3
A new Middle-East: \- Moderate Arab countries sideline Iranian Islamism (including Hizballah, Hamas, Al-Quaida). \- Saudi Arabia inches closer to its 2030 reforms, which could be instrumental in promoting reforms across other Arab nations. \- Reforms and moderation enable more Arab nations to normalize relationships with Israel. \- Israel deradicalizes and anti-Semitism cools down. \- Palestinians are finally free from Islamists extremists and are able to sustain a stable regime, leading to sovereignty.
-3
CuteLingonberry5590 Apr 1, 2026 +5
You think al-Qaida is Iranian? LOL
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-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 +1
No, it's fundamentalist Islamism, aligned with what the Iranian Shiites are trying to do and opposed to what modern Muslim countries are.
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Bookworm_1985 Apr 1, 2026
Iran was the biggest fighter of US-financed and US-armed ISIS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_the_Islamic_State > what modern Muslim countries are. Like Dubai, which holds millions of literal slaves who have no rights, who have laws that make women the property of their husbands, and who run a massive sex trafficking hub? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TvLcOWJiJ0 Or the Saudi kingdom of prince Bonesaw who had a WaPo journalist murdered and chopped up in an Istanbul embassy, waged a genocidal war on Yemen (which the UN called the worst humanitarian crisis on earth), and which still arrests women for driving or going out in public without a male guardian?
0
-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 +1
Ah, the conspiracists always show up. It doesn't matter that Iran fought ISIS. They are both Jihadists which destabilize the region. When their paths cross - like those of ISIS and Iran - they end up fighting and when their path intersect - like those of Hamas and Iran - they conjoin to pose an even greater threat. The Emiratis and Saudis aren't Jihadists. It doesn't matter that their societies are built around different moral values.
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mattyoclock Apr 1, 2026 +5
There’s optimism and then there’s this.  
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NotTooShahby Apr 1, 2026 +1
The Abraham Accords were going to achieve at least 3-4 of those points. They still might since Kazakhstan and Morocco have joined the accords.
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-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 -1
The anti-Iran many Arab countries take in the war, the 1.3 trillion USD Saudi Arabia committed to the US and the persistence of the Abraham Accords demonstrate that there are substantial powers sharing this delusion.
-1
mattyoclock Apr 1, 2026 +3
And the decades of anyone with any sense saying it was a quagmire with almost no hope of success kept everyone but a dementia patient from ever thinking it would work.  
3
-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 -3
And yet, they're working on it. You can call them all dementia patients, but the reality is they're all striving towards a shared common goal and are taking radical actions doing it. One might say the quagmire is expecting change otherwise.
-3
mattyoclock Apr 1, 2026 +3
Oh yeah this is going swimmingly 
3
-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026 -1
The success rate has nothing to do with whether this is what they're trying to do or not. The more Arab countries join the effort, the higher the chance of success.
-1
mattyoclock Apr 1, 2026 +2
Flat earth’s believe as well.      It doesn’t make them not idiots.   
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-Mr-Papaya Apr 1, 2026
You're conflating predicting the future with rejecting the present.
0
mattyoclock Apr 1, 2026 +1
You are currently and actively rejecting the present to suggest a dream world for a future.  
1
HighOnGoofballs Apr 1, 2026
Nothing significant
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Calamity-Bob Apr 1, 2026
That idiot gets more involved in thousand year old pointless conflicts. Children of poor people die. The trump family prints money.
0
RC2Ortho Apr 1, 2026
Same thing that happens to every other U.S ally: It will be totally wrecked in a proxy war
0
bobosdreams Apr 1, 2026
Trump is desperate for other countries to help with a stupid war he started. Just like the trillions dollars in investments from middle east that trump bragged about, he wants people to believe his BS. Since the Saudis are said to support bombing Iran, why don't they send their soldiers?
0
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