Israel’s unexpected military alliance in the Gulf
Fear of Iran is turning former enemies into allies
When america and its Arab allies talked breathlessly in 2017 of forming a defence alliance that Donald Trump dubbed an Arab nato, which would have stretched from Egypt to Oman, the idea seemed doomed from the start. Some of the countries in it, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, were not on speaking terms. Few Arab leaders felt they could rely on America, after successive American presidents said they wanted to “pivot” forces away from the region. After a few meetings, enthusiasm for the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance vanished as quickly as conscripts handed a weekend pass.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “One shield to guard them all?”
From the July 2nd 2022 edition
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