US establishes “Arab NATO” alliance to contain Iran
(Baonghean.vn) - Although the US is envisioning a new military alliance as a tool to deal with the potential threat from Iran, which is aimed at monarchies in the Gulf and Middle East, there are many obstacles on the path to establishing this Arab military bloc.
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| UAE Air Force F-16 fighter jet. Photo: Getty |
According to Defense News, an Arab NATO alliance would include six Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, along with Egypt and Jordan.
The Commander of the Royal Bahrain Air Force, Major General al-Khalifah, said that this was an American idea and agreed upon by the Arab Gulf countries.
He hopes the alliance will be successful, although it is “still in its early stages.” In October, Bahrain’s foreign minister said the Gulf security alliance could be in place by early next year at the latest.
Currently, all eight potential member states of the new military alliance share concerns regarding Iran and Tehran-backed armed groups operating in many countries in the Middle East.
"Iran continues to pose a risk to other nations and is a destabilizing force across the region. They seek to disrupt the balance of power and harm the livelihoods of their people," said Lieutenant General Joseph Guastella, commander of the US Air Force Central Command.
According to Mr. Guastella, the experience of establishing and operating the NATO military bloc itself could be helpful in establishing an Arab version of the alliance.
"People have been talking about a NATO-Arab alliance for several years now," said Vladimir Sazhin, a Middle East expert at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to him, the plan was to bring Israel into the alliance. However, instead of becoming a full member, Israel would provide intelligence to the alliance. The US is also expected to join in a similar capacity, providing all necessary means but not as an official member.
However, this expert is skeptical: "Even if established, this Arab military alliance will lack efficiency and decision-making ability, but in the public eye it will be a very positive alliance."
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| The US is envisioning a new military alliance in the Gulf to counter potential threats from Iran. Photo: AP |
Meanwhile, Ms. Elena Suponina, advisor to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, commented: "A summit between US President Donald Trump and the kings of the Gulf countries was supposed to take place this fall in the US. The main topic of discussion on the agenda will be the establishment of a Middle East strategic alliance, which according to analysts is the Arab NATO."
However, the conference was postponed until the first half of 2019, partly due to the crisis surrounding the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
According to Ms. Suponina, it will be very difficult for the US to form such an alliance, due to too much chaos in the region, along with the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Qatar still in a state of uncertainty./.
