Our Muslim Allies and Western Soft Opponents

A reminder that the Muslim world is not our enemy. Much of it deeply despises Islamism, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and its network of proxies.

Several Muslim-majority states have gone beyond self-defense to provide active operational support to the US-led coalition against Iran. They have granted or maintained access to critical military bases and facilities used for coalition air operations, logistics, command, and intelligence — despite explicit Iranian threats and even retaliatory strikes on some of these sites.

Key examples include:

~ Qatar — home to Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the region and a central hub for air operations and CENTCOM activities, which it has continued to host despite Iranian attacks

~ Saudi Arabia — permitted use of Prince Sultan Air Base for US air patrols, logistics, and broader coalition support

~ United Arab Emirates — hosts Al Dhafra Air Base, supporting advanced aircraft, surveillance, drones, and intelligence operations

~ Bahrain — headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, providing essential naval command and logistical backing

~ Kuwait — hosts Camp Arifjan, the primary US Army logistics and command hub for CENTCOM operations across the Middle East

These contributions have enabled sustained coalition activity even as Iran has targeted bases and infrastructure in retaliation. Some Gulf states have also expanded intelligence sharing and coordination with the US to counter Iranian threats and proxies.

Our true enemies are collectivism, authoritarianism, and fascism in all their forms — Islamism is just one variant. Plenty of others thrive quite comfortably in the West.

Meanwhile, several Western European countries have withheld support, restricted cooperation, or openly criticized the US–Israel coalition effort against the Islamic Republic. Spain refused use of key bases and closed airspace to related US aircraft; Germany ruled out military participation; France questioned the legal basis and limited involvement; and Italy blocked access to bases such as Sigonella. Others, including Belgium and Switzerland, declined meaningful help or restricted flyovers, while much of broader European opinion has leaned toward restraint and de-escalation.

Our real allies are those who reject authoritarianism and collectivist control — wherever they may be. Increasingly, they are not concentrated only in the West. Some of the most concrete resistance to Islamist authoritarianism is emerging from within the Muslim world itself, while hesitation, obstruction, and moral equivocation have come from parts of the West. The map is shifting — redrawn along lines of principle rather than geography.