Why Trump's F-35 deal with Saudi Arabia unsettles Israel, opens big door for China

The Trump administration has agreed to put the world's most advanced combat aircraft in Saudi hands. It comes at a time when Gulf allies are questioning whether American primacy still carries weight. And nowhere is that question more important than in the ever-conflicted region of West Asia.Washington's approach to West Asia has long resembled digging a hole to bury sand, only to be left with a new heap of sand, creating a loop that keeps the digging going.Trump's decision to approve the $24.3 billion sale of F-35s to the Saudis, when the Kingdom is being bogged down by the Iran-backed Houthis, appears to be the latest turn of the spade.Though it is meant to steady a Gulf partner shaken by Iranian fire and doubts about American guarantees, the aircraft deal has opened a fresh cavity for Israel, until now the only country in the region to fly the world's most…