Are West Asia countries hedging their bets?

 NEW ALLIANCES REPLACING THE U.S.?

IRAN WAR HAS HASTENED DECLINE OF U.S. INFLUENCE

 

The recent announcement of a new security agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan may be an indication that gulf countries are now planning to take control of their own security. They may have discovered that the U.S. is no longer in a position to offer that security. It is still not clear to what length this agreement goes and who they consider their biggest threat. While some assume it is an alliance to protect from Iran, it may be a growing alliance to protect from Israel and the United States.

 

Will Pakistan soon share nuclear technology to both Turkey and Saudi Arabia? Trump had proposed Saudi Arabia be assisted with nuclear enrichment, but only if they join the Abraham accords, which they refuse to do without a two state solution. Pakistan has had a close relationship with U.S. intelligence and one must wonder why they have been trusted by Iran in negotiations. Pakistan has also been cozying up to China, are they also hedging their bets?

 

This so called Mideast NATO has recently been proposed by Egypt, we will see if Egypt will be an addition to this group in the near future.  

 

One can understand the insecurity of these countries with the narrative coming out of Israel that Turkey is considered a greater threat to Israel than Iran and also concern about Egypt. It would be reasonable for these  countries to assume that the U.S. may also consider them a threat in the future. It is not far fetched to consider that even a alliance with Iran, insured by China could be in the future.

 

Then there is the clear indication that U.S. foreign policy is being based on the control of the worlds oil supplies, also a threat to their sovereignty. 

 

With the rise of MBS in Saudi Arabia the country  has cracked down on the support for international terrorism that once was financed by some in the country. His leadership has moved the country into a more aggressive entrance into the world financial community. The concern of the U.S. has been the acceptance of using Chinese currency in its oil transactions rather than the dollar. This is big no no for the U.S. and MBS likely understands that this will cause a problem with the U.S. The problem is, that most of these countries see China as a valuable partner for the future, both financially and politically, another reason for more hedging with an uncertain future.