More recently, last month’s interim agreement between the US and Tehran in
Geneva over Iran’s controversial nuclear programme has exacerbated tensions
further. The result is that many leading Arab states, such as Egypt and
Saudi Arabia, are now seriously considering whether they should ditch their
long-standing ties to Washington, and look elsewhere for more reliable
allies, an opportunity Russia’s Vladimir
Putin is only too eager to exploit.

This deepening sense of betrayal by the Obama administration was very much in
evidence at last weekend’s annual Manama Dialogue regional conference in
Bahrain, which is organised by the London-based International Institute for
Strategic Studies. Despite attempts by Chuck Hagel, the US defence
secretary, and William Hague to reassure the Gulf states that the West still
had their interests at heart, a succession of leading Arab politicians
questioned whether they could any longer trust the Americans to support
their cause.

This was particularly true of the Bahraini royal family, which, having
provided the US Navy with a vital operating base for more than four decades,
now finds itself under almost daily assault from Iranian-backed agitators
who take their orders from the very same ayatollahs Washington is
negotiating with on the nuclear issue.

As Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Bahrain’s foreign minister, explained
to me: “You do not need to reassure us; you need to listen to us, because we
know Iran well.”

Clearly, Bahrain would welcome any deal that prevents its intimidating
neighbour from acquiring an atom bomb. But it has other concerns, too, such
as ending Iran’s open support for the terrorist groups that are trying to
destabilise the kingdom, as well as many other Arab
states, including Saudi Arabia.

Indeed, the Saudis were even more forthright, with Nizar Madani, Saudi
Arabia’s foreign minister, stating bluntly: “Gulf countries should no longer
depend on others to ensure their safety.” There was little doubt who he
meant by “others”.

The alarming breakdown in trust between Washington and Arab leaders has
certainly not escaped Moscow’s attention, with Russia intensifying its
efforts to move into countries that for decades have been stalwart American
allies. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudis’ formidable intelligence chief,
has recently made several visits to Moscow, and last week held talks with Mr
Putin on resolving the Syrian crisis and the Iranian issue. Last month,
meanwhile, Russia sent a high-level delegation to Cairo, where the recently
installed military authorities are in no mood to take any more lectures from
Mr Obama on how to run their country.

Russia still has much ground to make up if it is seriously to challenge
decades of Western hegemony in the region, but the prospect of Mr Putin
increasing his control over Europe’s primary source of energy supplies is
not a thought that inspires confidence.

Mr Hague, for one, is certainly aware of the pitfalls of this dangerous tilt
towards Russia, and spoke eloquently in Bahrain about his determination to
deepen Britain’s ties with the Gulf on the basis of “mutual understanding”.
Apart from the prospect of negotiating a £20 billion arms deal, plans to
revive Britain’s military presence east of Suez, which are currently being
given serious consideration by Downing Street, would be a welcome
demonstration that Britain, at least, cherishes its historic ties to the
Gulf.

Certainly, if the Obama administration is not up to the job of looking after
its friends, then Britain should do the job for it.

Follow Con Coughlin on Twitter @concoughlin