Hagel reassures GCC leaders

US defence secretary Chuck Hagel has made a regional tour aimed at reassuring Gulf allies of continuing US support. On 5 December, he flew to Bahrain, where he was to take part in the Manama Dialogue, a regional security conference organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies; while on the plane, he telephoned Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed, who is deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces. According to the Pentagon, “Secretary Hagel underscored the US commitment to the security of its allies and partners in the Gulf” and “agreed to continue close consultation” – a message that was reiterated many times over the following days.