Middle East News: A change in priorities: Majority of people in the Arab countries, consider the US an unreliable partner – Gulf Digital News

Middle East News: A change in priorities: Majority of people in the Arab countries, consider the US an unreliable partner – Gulf Digital News

An overwhelming majority of people in the Arab countries, especially in the GCC, consider the US an unreliable partner.

They also showed greater appreciation for Russia and China and demanded strengthened relations with the two countries.

This was the result of opinion polls conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Arab countries.

The polls also showed that the overwhelming majority rejected US attempts to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran.

The polls completed in March before the onset of Ramadan revealed shocking results in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The otherwise anomalous results are especially credible due to the survey methodology – encompassing 1,000 individuals per nation chosen at random and polled through in-person interviews, all with utmost confidentiality and anonymity.

Throughout the three Gulf nations surveyed (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), three overarching trends were evident: Their populations regarded government ties with Russia as equal or greater in perceived importance compared to ties with the US; 50 per cent or more view the US as an unreliable partner in global affairs; and 75pc see no benefit in the American quest to revitalise the Iran nuclear deal.

In terms of regional influence, no more than 16pc of polled populations in