Obama, Gulf nations to boost security cooperation

CAMP DAVID, Md. -- President Barack Obama reassured anxious Persian Gulf nations Thursday the United States is committed to helping protect their security, including the potential use of military force, in a time of "extraordinary changes and some great challenges."

He offered assurances an international nuclear agreement with Iran would not leave the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council more vulnerable.

"I was very explicit ... that the United States will stand by our GCC partners against external attack," Obama pledged at the conclusion of a summit with leaders of the six-nation council.

He expressed his hope their cooperation would help achieve "the kind of peace and good neighborliness with Iran that I think so many of the countries here seek."

Obama and the Arab leaders met in a rare summit at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin mountains.

The leaders issued a joint statement saying in the event of aggression, the U.S. stood ready to work with the Arab nations "to determine urgently what action may be appropriate, using the means at our collective disposal, including the potential use of military force, for the defense of our GCC partners."

While the U.S. long has provided military support to partners in the Gulf, the joint statement pledged new cooperation on counterterrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity and ballistic missile defense.

Obama's separate negotiations in recent months to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief have strained relations with many of America's traditional partners in the region. Gulf states fear if Iran gets an influx of money when sanctions are lifted, it will embolden what they see as Tehran's aggression in the region.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir called Thursday a productive day. He said the Arab leaders were "assured that the objective is to deny Iran the ability to obtain a nuclear weapon" and all pathways to such a weapon would be cut off. He added it was too early to know whether a final nuclear agreement would be acceptable, saying, "We don't know if the Iranians will accept the terms they need to accept."

As the leaders gathered, an Iranian naval patrol boat fired on a Singapore-flagged commercial ship in the Persian Gulf. A U.S. official said it was an apparent attempt to disable the ship over a financial dispute involving damage to an Iranian oil platform.

The incident took place a bit south of the island of Abu Musa just inside the Gulf, according to the U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss details by name. The White House said no Americans were involved.

Rhodes said while the incident did not come up in Thursday's discussions, it was "exactly the type of challenge" the Gulf nations are focused on.

"The Iranians should not be allowed to get away with it. ... For whatever reason they're doing it, it's got to stop," Al-Jubeir said.

Obama rarely uses Camp David for personal or official business. White House aides hoped the more intimate setting would lead to a more candid conversation with the Arab allies.

Just two other heads of state -- the emirs of Qatar and Kuwait -- joined Obama at Camp David. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain all sent lower-level but still influential representatives.