UAE-US Security Relationship
The UAE occupies a critical strategic position on the Arabian Gulf, where nearly one-quarter of the world’s oil is produced and shipped. The UAE and the United States share a common resolve to preserve security and stability in the Gulf. US homeland security is tied directly to the UAE’s role as a source of that security and stability.
The foundation for the UAE-US bilateral security relationship is the 1994 Defense Cooperation Agreement. The pact permits the United States to base troops and equipment within UAE federation borders. Jebel Ali port, in Dubai, is crucial to US naval operations, as it is the only harbor in the Gulf deep enough to berth an aircraft carrier.
Military Assistance and Cooperation
The UAE deployed forces and/or provided assistance in:
- Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan: the UAE's 250 Special Forces soldiers are the only Arab personnel undertaking full-scale operations in the country.
- Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003: the UAE provided logistical support for US troops.
- Operation Desert Storm: the UAE was the first country to support the United States at the advent of the 1990 Gulf War.
- UN Operations in Somalia: in 1992 the UAE joined other countries, led by the US Central Command, to secure the environment and provide humanitarian relief.
The UAE provides ongoing and essential support for US forces in the region:
- Hosting more than 2,000 US military personnel.
- Providing critical logistics support for US Navy fleet operations; US Naval vessels visit more UAE ports than any other foreign ports in the world.
- Supporting US Air Force operations through critical logistics and facilities at Al Dhafra Air Base.
- Hosting the Joint Air Warfare Center and joint training exercises with US forces.
Supporting the New Iraqi Government
The UAE is meeting its commitments to Iraq reconstruction by providing important financial and in-kind support, including free medical treatment, hospital reconstruction, humanitarian supplies and police training.
US a Major Defense Supplier to UAE
The UAE has turned to the United States for enhanced defense capabilities, strengthening the cooperative defense relationship. Significant equipment programs include Apache helicopters, F-16s and cargo aircraft.
In 2008, the US Congress approved a UAE request to purchase more than $15 billion in US defense equipment, including one of the world’s most sophisticated missile defense system. The UAE is the only country, other than the United States, to deploy this technology.
Shutting Down Terror Finance Networks
The UAE has frozen the accounts of known terrorists and enacted aggressive anti-money-laundering initiatives. New counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations have been introduced and enforced, and in 2005 the UAE committed to the International Convention on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.
Protecting US-Bound Shipments
Dubai is the sixth largest port in the world for container traffic and the first Middle East entity to join the Container Security Initiative (CSI). In a multinational program to protect global trade from terrorism, CSI stations US Customs officers inside Dubai's ports.
Preventing the Spread of Dangerous Nuclear Materials
Dubai was the first Middle East entity to join the Department of Energy's Megaports Initiative, aimed at stopping illicit shipments of radioactive material. The UAE has committed to the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and is a signatory to the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism.
Iran
The UAE and the United States share a deep concern over Iran’s nuclear development and its impact on peace and stability in the entire region. The UAE fully supports and enforces United Nations Security Council resolutions barring shipment of sensitive materials and technologies to Iran.
Located just across the Gulf, the UAE and Iran have historic ties, including a significant trading relationship. The UAE, with the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks a region free of weapons of mass destruction.
Afghanistan
The UAE has a military presence in Afghanistan, with a strictly defensive purpose, consistent with the UAE Constitution. The UAE Armed Forces on the ground are focused on the protection of humanitarian initiatives and ensuring safety and stability for local communities. Personnel are also directly involved in culturally sensitive community development activities, especially necessitating knowledge of the Arabic language or Islamic traditions, alongside representatives of key humanitarian organizations such as the Red Crescent.
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