The Islamic Republic of Iran is, for the moment, a mid-range military threat to the United States, and will remain so until it can manufacture both nuclear warheads and the ballistic missiles capable of carrying them all the way to the east coast of America. It is a major threat to Israel, and the Israelis are fighting with everything they have got to limit Iran’s ability to hurt the Jewish state. Both Israel and the United States, in fighting Iran, are also helping to limit the damage Iran can do to the Gulf Arab states. Iranian missiles and drones have attacked seven of those states —Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Oman. Those missiles and drones have hit oil and gas facilities, airports, desalination plants, power plans, anti-missile batteries, and much more.
Since February 28, when the war began, the American government has spent about $30 billion, and is now adding to that amount by about $1.2 billion a day. Trump, who frequently has bad ideas, has just had a good one. To wit, he believes that the fabulously rich oil states of the Gulf should be asked to contribute to the war effort. These states cannot fight, but they have plenty of money; collectively they have trillions of dollars, a small part of which should help pay the Americans for all the expenses they have incurred as they continue to do battle with the mad dogs of Tehran. More on Trump’s desire to be repaid in large part by the Gulf Arabs can be found here: “Trump interested in calling on Arab states to help pay for Iran war, White House says,” Reuters, March 30, 2026:
US President Donald Trump would be interested in calling on Arab countries to pay for the cost of the Iran war, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday, adding that she thinks Trump would have more to say on the issue….”I think it’s something the President would be quite interested in calling them to do,” Leavitt said.”It’s an idea that I know that he has and something that I think you’ll hear more from him on.”…”Despite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks are continuing and going well. What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what’s being communicated to us privately,” Leavitt said.
The Iran war is not popular in the United States. A majority of the population fears that this war could become an expensive quagmire, as were the wars in Iran and Afghanistan. But Trump has no intention of getting bogged down in Iran, as the U.S. did in those previous two wars, by trying to remake the country. Trump does not plan to leave in situ an American army of occupation to remake the country, but rather, shares Israel’s goal of weakening Iran’s organs of oppression, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij, so severely that the people of Iran, 90% of whom are opposed to the present regime, can again rise up without fear of being immediately cut down. It is not only that the IRGC and Basij have lost men and materiel, but there is a serious drop in morale, with reports coming in of IRGC men leaving their units and refusing to return.
Another worry is the expense. People remember that in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the Americans ended up spending trillions of dollars. The former cost us $3 trillion, while he latter cost America $2.3 trillion. Trump can reassure Americans that he has no intention of spending anything like that sum and furthermore, unlike his predecessors, he will demand that the rich Arabs help out, for it is they who will benefit if the source of their trouble, the Islamic Republic, is so weakened militarily that it can no longer threaten any of its neighbors, or, in the best case, is even overthrown by a populace that has nothing left to lose.
Once the soothing news has spread that the Gulf Arabs will be contributing tens of billions of dollars to the United States Treasury, opposition to the war against Iran will lessen. Iran’s hope that domestic opposition in America to the war will bring it to a speedy close on Iran’s terms will disappear. And what is $25 billion, or $50 billion, or even $100 billion to such deep-pocketed states as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, each of which possesses a sovereign wealth fund of more than $1 trillion?
Tony says
Iran Oil money should be paying for the cost of the war and for the terrorism against America and Israel for the last 47 years. The Winner takes all, and the Loser pays for it all. Islamization of the West by the Muslims is the problem. Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…”
The Islamization of America and the West must be stopped, but President Trump does not see this problem. Believers are to engage in war for Allah’s sake. Hence, Muslims receive a great reward when they engage in war for Allah against Non-Muslims, whether Muslims live or die. Allah in Qur’an 4:74 says, “So let those who purchase the world’s life for the hereafter engage in war for the sake of Allah. And whoever engages in war for the sake of Allah, whether he is killed or victorious, so we will give him a great wage.”
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I am all for a part of Iran’s oil money being used in reparations to the US and Israel for the 47 years of terror against both those countries. However, other than that, the bulk of that money will be needed by the next government of Iran towards rebuilding a post-islamic Iran
Billy says
Yes. President Trump does not fully grasp this fact. There is little to NO hope for Iran because Islam and its Muslims are in control. More importantly, Turkey and the Sunni Muslims are already strategizing for control in Iran.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I’m all for Trump squeezing these countries – particularly Qatar and Kuwait – for what can be squeezed out of them. It’ll be fun seeing how much Qatar gets to fund either the muslim brotherhood or dawa activity since some of their major plants have been hit, and they can no longer supply helium to semiconductor manufacturers worldwide (I had no idea, but they happen to be #1 in that as well, and helium is apparently an important coolant that currently has no substitute in that particular area)
On a different note, as I suggested yesterday, since the Houthis have joined this war and are threatening maritime traffic on the Bab el Mandab and w/ it Egypt’s Suez revenue, that is a place that the US should ask the Arabs to handle! Have Egypt send troops to Saudi Arabia, and invade North Yemen so that the Houthis are crushed and are no longer in a position to lob missiles at anybody
In the meantime, on social media, just crack down on any ads advocating for money to be sent either to Gaza or to the Houthis. While we are fighting that war, we can combat the propaganda war at home by threatening YouTube if they don’t pull such ads from circulation
Lizabee says
AT THE VERY LEAST, Trump should ban all Islamic countries from sending money to Western Universities, bribing Western Government officials or building Mosques and Islamic enclaves in the West.
I prefer to see rich Islamic countries waste their money on fighting with each other minus US assistance.
Get our bases out of there unless they stop financing the Islamization of the West. It’s impossible to tell a “good” Muslim from a “bad” Muslim since Islam is intrinsically evil.
https://jihadwatch.org/2026/04/muslim-georgetown-prof-who-justified-slavery-and-rape-now-tells-uk-muslim-rape-gang-victims-to-get-over-it
gravenimage says
+1
Brenrod says
Those same gulf states have been financing war and terror against USA and Israel for decades. They financed the initial war against Israel in 1948 which was the cause of the Arab refugee problem. It’s all their responsibility and all costs and damages should be theirs to shoulder including the refugees.
Furthermore it should be a policy of Israel and USA to seize the assets, resources and land as payment for ALL wars created from the loser and financiers of those wars. Their oil, gas, etc. Sovereignty is lost by a state who funds and enables war and terror. The gulf states, Iran and Turkey are guilty.
Keys says
Exactly.
And the NATO allies need to step up 100% including with troops, but they fear how the muslims already in their countries will react.
IMO this war can not be won without significant troops on the ground, not including the Iranians who oppose this regime. And to not win will not only make things almost impossible later, and will be an existential threat to the US.
The Iranians have been preparing for this for years with Chinese and North Korean help. Their tunnel systems must be destroyed somehow (like the Israeli’s did in Gaza). No doubt they have complex tunnel systems, even in Tehran.
Of course, public opinion and pressure in the US is “no ground troops for an extended war”. But without regime change, Iran will get ICBM nukes. If we don’t get regime change, what will will the US do – nuke Iran to prevent troops on the ground?
gravenimage says
True, Benrod.
OLD GUY says
Should, could but they won’t. America always picks up the check. If we are going to pay for this war to stop Irans nuclear threat we should end up owning the place. These so called allies are always the first at the table to take advantage of our efforts without putting their money or troops in harms way.