At the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, the US held secret meetings in March with top military figures from Israel and the various Arab states in the Middle East. The focus, as ever, was on Iran.
The US has been floating the idea of a special anti-Iran NATO for awhile, envisioning uniting those nations in their mutual hostility, and coordinating with them on a whole instead of having anti-Iran talks with a dozen nations one at a time. There might even be a cost-sharing component.
The reason this hasn’t happened already is that all anti-Iran sentiments are not created equal, and as much as the US tries to fit them all into the Israel basket, since Israel is the one that drones on about Iran the most, the context just isn’t the same for Gulf Arab states.
Some nations may have ideological differences with Iran, along the Sunni-Shi’ite divide, while others envision Iran’s size and potential economy as a challenge to regional hegemony. Still others have smaller disagreements dating back more recently, which was enough to get them shoved into the anti-Iran box.
These individualized anti-Iran policies, with the US cheerfully validating each, have gone on for so long that many of these nations may ultimately be unwilling to unify with nations viewing the issue differently, that Israel doesn’t want a threat to its military supremacy among regional powers, whereas a nation like Qatar simply doesn’t care about that.
It’s not hard to see why the US sees a one-size-fits-all approach as desirable. Jordan’s King Abdullah has also endorsed the idea, though its less clear what they stand to gain from it. A few big nations beholden to the US might be sold on the idea, but for smaller, less clear antagonists to Iran, it’s not clear how they’ll be sold on it.
U S of A should rename itself.Procurer for Israel . Or even pimp
Nicely stated and fairly accurate…
Someone over on Moon of Alabama referred to IsraHell as “The Government Occupying Palestine”.
I think I like that name better.
The only countries that matter in middle east is Iran and Israel Arab armies have proved themselves to be a joke again and again. The so called little Sparta couldn’t even pacify the houti and ran away when Iran threatened strikes in their own territory. Iraq will stay out, Syria is broken and Egypt will get rolled over alongside the incompetent Saudis and the tiny gulf monarchies.
The only thing I m curious if the fatty mbs will give permission to Israel to launch airstrike in Iran through Saudi airspace. He is crass and stupid enough to do something like that so let’s see what happens
Yes, and the IDF is great at murdering women press 400 yards away from behind armor, … also Palestinian children with stones, and poisoning Arafat and Iranian scientists; but, the massively under-equipped Hezbollah, they don’t want to meet them again, nor, most of all the Iranians.
I think you about covered it… My only concern is that a totally out of control IDF might use their bigger toys…NUKES.
Donna, I assure you that nuclear war will be initiated by “that sh*tty little country”.
So odd, Az. The county I live in has a considerable population of both Arabs and Iranians. They consider themselves brothers and sisters. And I don’t believe it’s a religious thing: most of the Arabs I know are Orthodox Christians.
U just need some to fall for the propaganda and act to get the ball rolling and gather a momentum of it’s own and bring within it people who didn’t harbor any sectarian tendency. The tension between sunni and Shia was always there below the surface in Iraq especially because how saddam ruled but it is Iraq war that actually made it something that was important enough to kill and die for.
The second the Saudis attack Iran the Saudis will not have a an oil pumping facility or refinery worth anything…… what do you think all of those missiles Iran has been building are for!
“A few big nations beholden to the US might be sold on the idea, but for smaller, less clear antagonists to Iran, it’s not clear how they’ll be sold on it.”
Easy. Larger bribes.
This MENATO is doomed to fail…!
“Jordan’s King Abdullah has also endorsed the idea, though its less clear what they stand to gain from it. A few big nations beholden to the US might be sold on the idea, but for smaller, less clear antagonists to Iran, it’s not clear how they’ll be sold on it.”
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
😂 NAILED it, Mary!
The US/Allies have a fairly grandiose idea as to their own importance on such topics… “Anti-Iran NATO?” Check out the big balls on that…oooo…
This isn’t about a Mid_east NATO. It’s about how Israel can get the US to help it get rid of Hezbollah in Lebanon – which is the only thing preventing Israel from starting a war with Iran.
Hi Richard
I’m not sure how old you are, but do you recall a soft-rock singer-songwriter named Cat Stevens who was immensely popular in the early to mid ‘70’s?
Well, he quit the music business because it was too cutthroat for his taste and became an Islamic monk. He changed his name to Yusuf Islam. I believe he resided in London. He flew to America number of years ago and wasn’t allowed to disembark, officials accusing him of some sort of money laundering for Hezbollah.
Hysterical. He wrote and performed such subversive hits as “Peace Train” (!)
Cat/Yusuf was a real heartthrob. His wife was selected for him in an arraigned marriage. My GFs and I thought she won the lottery.
I do remember that.