The May 14 Camp David Summit between President Barack Obama and leaders of the Gulf counties was only a partial success. Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud stayed away, as the US president was not ready to negotiate a defense pact that would protect the Gulf against Iranian ambitions. Obama did, however, assure his interlocutors from the Gulf that the United States' prime goal was preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and that his administration will continue to strengthen Gulf security and interests.

A senior source in the State Department told Al-Monitor that this attitude of not bending over backward to the oil-rich countries accurately reflects Obama's foreign policy approach.

The source described the various pillars of Obama's foreign policy doctrine, with the first one referring to the use of force as a last resort. He explained that according to the Obama doctrine, the United States does not consider its armed forces the main vehicle for advancing foreign policy interests, but an important deterrent. The Obama administration views other tools, such as US technology, industry, academia, culture and aid policies, as assets no less important to foreign policy interests. The United States can be a superpower by using its soft power skillfully.

Obama does not believe that the use of force by itself can produce either foreign policy gains or resolve long-term conflicts. Nor should the United States act on its own — the president is a great believer in collective diplomacy, as in the cases of Syria and Iran.