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AMB. Chas Freeman : New Middle East Alliance a Threat to Israel
Across Ukraine, Iran, and the Gulf, Freeman argues that America's erratic, personality-driven leadership under Trump—who reverses agreements, ignores strategic and military realities, and denies setbacks—has destroyed global trust in US commitments. This distrust is driving adversaries like Russia and Iran to hold firm against US pressure and is pushing traditional partners like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan to build independent hedges rather than rely on an increasingly unreliable United States.
What was discussed
US as co-belligerent in Ukraine war6:42
- Napolitano (relaying a Russian general)assertion
A retired Russian general told Napolitano that Russia believes itself to be at war with the United States
- Chas Freemanopinion
The US is legally a co-belligerent and an active enemy of Russia, not merely an adversary, given weapons transfers, intelligence support for deep strikes, and sanctions
Credibility of Witkoff and Kushner as mediators5:42
- Chas Freemanopinion
Witkoff and Kushner lacked diplomatic credibility, but Russia engaged with them for their direct access to Trump
Ineffective US-Russia diplomacy under Trump9:10
- Chas Freemanopinion
US diplomacy is hollow and untrustworthy because envoys speak only for an inconstant Trump who reverses agreements
Trump's Strait of Hormuz control claims disputed10:44
- Donald Trumpclip
The US Navy has an infallible blockade controlling the Strait of Hormuz, which is now open under US terms
- Chas Freemanopinion
Trump's claim is false; actual ship traffic is far below what's needed to ease oil prices, and he ignores real strain on Navy personnel and equipment
Trump stuck in Iran conflict stalemate13:38
- Chas Freemanopinion
Trump is stuck in Iran with no viable advance or retreat and is trying to deny and downplay the failure
- New York Times (cited by Napolitano)assertion
Trump is reportedly losing interest in the Iran war
Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey defense entente unsettles Israel15:49
- Chas Freemanopinion
The Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey pact is a hedge against unreliable US strategy, not a divorce from Washington
Iran-US standoff over memorandum of understanding19:02
- Chas Freemanopinion
Iran is not making new demands but insisting the US fulfill commitments already made in the memorandum of understanding
- Unnamed press reports (cited by Napolitano)assertion
Headlines claim Iran has put forward new demands
Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani pact as entente, not NATO-style alliance22:38
Freeman distinguishes the new agreement from a true alliance, calling it an 'entente' or limited partnership without automatic commitments, comparing it to how NATO's Article 5 also lacks automaticity and depends on constitutional processes the US has since abandoned. He notes Pakistan had already committed to extending nuclear deterrence to Saudi Arabia against an Israeli or Iranian nuclear threat, but the new pact's actual response to aggression—diplomatic or military—remains deliberately uncertain as a deterrent.
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