Chequebook Diplomacy in the Age of Militarism
This article argues that recent U.S.–Israel military actions against Iran have exposed the decline of the United States as the dominant security guarantor in West Asia and accelerated a shift toward regional autonomy. It shows how Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, responded with strategic restraint while leveraging economic power, alternative alliances, and subtle deterrence to shape outcomes without direct military escalation. Ultimately, it contends that power in the region is being redefined through geoeconomic influence and multipolar diplomacy rather than traditional military dominance.
