2. It’s not clear to me that these protests are effective. Do you have evidence that they are?
Not to mention, the image of the GCC, particularly Dubai, as a stable oasis in the midst of a reckless desert, has been shattered. All the rich folk have already left (including some in my network), and companies are unilaterally laying off workers and shutting down.
There's also the issue of divisions within the GCC itself - there are many influential rulers who were caught completely unawares by US actions, and secretly voicing criticism against the federal authority's actions.