A Joint Army for the Arabian Gulf

When allies face serious external threats, their disagreements are often sidelined in order to promote a more visibly united front. Indeed, internal and external challenges recently prompted the six Arab monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain to announce the formation of a joint military command. However, Yoel Guzansky argues that, as past experience indicates, this initiative might remain hostage to intra-Gulf Cooperation Council rivalries and make only a marginal contribution to Gulf security.