Bangladesh, March 12 -- Tensions in the Middle East have once again exposed a familiar pattern in international politics: great powers attempting to shift the burden of conflict onto regional allies. As the confrontation with Iran intensifies, the United States appears increasingly eager to involve the Arab Gulf states directly in the conflict. Yet the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman – have shown clear reluctance to be drawn into another destabilizing war in their neighborhood.

Recent remarks by US Senator Lindsey Graham illustrate the pressure being placed on the region. Speaking forcefully about Iran, Graham warned that Gulf states ...