Foreign Bases and Price of Hosting

For decades, several Arab countries have hosted American military bases under defence and security agreements. Their governments have justified these arrangements as essential for national security, regional stability, and deterrence against external threats. Few questioned the logic when the bases appeared to serve a defensive purpose. The debate becomes far more complicated when those same facilities are used to launch offensive military operations.

The military confrontations involving the United States and Iran during 2025 and 2026 have brought this issue into sharp focus. According to various reports, American forces used bases located in Arab countries to conduct operations against Iran. Tehran responded by targeting facilities linked to the American military presence in the region.

The reaction was immediate. Host governments condemned the strikes as attacks on their sovereignty, while much of the Western media adopted the same narrative. Yet this raises an uncomfortable question: can a country allow its territory to be used as a launch pad for attacks on another state and still claim complete detachment from the consequences?

To be clear, international law recognizes the sovereignty of the host state over its territory. A foreign military base does not magically become American soil. However, sovereignty is not merely a legal concept; it also carries responsibility. When a government permits a foreign power to use facilities within its borders for offensive operations, it knowingly becomes part of a broader strategic equation.

This does not mean every retaliatory strike is lawful or justified. Nor does it absolve the attacking party of responsibility for escalation. But it does challenge the simplistic narrative that the host countries are innocent bystanders with no connection to the conflict.

The real issue is consistency. Governments cannot celebrate the security benefits of hosting powerful foreign militaries while disowning the risks that inevitably accompany such arrangements. Strategic partnerships bring strategic consequences.

The Middle East deserves a more honest discussion about these realities. If foreign bases are strictly defensive assets, they should not be used to project military force against neighbouring states. If they are used offensively, then regional governments must acknowledge that they have assumed a degree of political and strategic responsibility. Sovereignty is not only about rights; it is also about accountability.