TEHRAN (FNA)- Professor Hossein Askari, a former advisor to Saudi finance minister, said Egypt would want a big annual check from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to join the Arab NATO, and further slammed the Saudi crown prince for robbing Arabs of dignity and tarnishing Islam.
“He needs money and without Egypt Arab NATO would be a total joke because all you would have is [P]GCC minus Qatar and with the addition of Jordan,” Hossein Askari, an expert on Saudi Arabia who also teaches international business at the George Washington University, told FNA.
Following is the text of the interview:
Q: How do you assess attempts made to establish the so-called “Arab NATO”?
A: Normally, I would applaud all defensive arrangements. But I don’t believe that this is the real goal of the proposed Arab NATO. It is not for the defense of these Arab countries. The driving force behind this effort has been MBS and Saudi Arabia. They want to have a force to engage Iran, and Iran and Iraq.
MBS has a big ally in the Crown prince of the UAE. They are working together and pulling in Kushner and the United States. I repeat something that I have said many times, the Al-Sauds are obsessed about Iran. They believe that Iran wants to overthrow them and so they want a big force to confront Iran. With such a coalition, they hope to show the US that they are ready. This would make it more likely for the US to declare war on Iran. It would also draw Israel.
Q: What are the goals of such a coalition?
A: As I have said, I think that the goal is to be ready for an opportune time to attack Iran and try to break Iran up as the country we see today. Their allies in such a move would be the US and Israel.
Q: According to some news reports, Egypt has withdrawn from efforts to form an "Arab NATO". What could be the reason behind this withdrawal?
A: I am sure that Egypt would want a big annual check from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Sisi may be just bargaining. He needs money and without Egypt, an Arab NATO would be a total joke because all you would have is [P]GCC minus Qatar and with the addition of Jordan. They cannot even muster a complete [P]GCC force, so they would add Jordan in place of Qatar.
Q: The principle of collective defense is at the very heart of the NATO’s founding treaty. It remains a unique and enduring principle that binds its members together, committing them to protect each other and setting a spirit of solidarity within the Alliance. Could an “Arab NATO” arrive at such an objective? Does the US agree to article 5 of the NATO statute?
A: As you correctly note Article 5 is at the heart of NATO. It has been invoked only after 9/11. The Europeans clearly responded in support of the US. Would the US respond to such a call if a European member was under attack? I believe that the US would normally live up to this obligation. But I say normally because I think we live in abnormal times, namely the Trump presidency. I don’t believe that Trump would respond to helping Europe but I believe other recent presidents would have. Trump looked the other way and said nothing as the Russians killed a resident of England on English soil. He only came in support of the UK when members of his own party criticized him. Let’s face facts NATO is under threat and is in trouble. Trump does not understand that the US military in Europe, European defense expenditures and the willingness of Europeans to support US foreign engagements are critical for US security and defense. Trump’s focus is what do they spend on defense and what do we spend. They don’t spend enough. So let’s scrap NATO.
Q: What is the role of the US in shaping this coalition and will it remain after Trump’s presidency?
A: I think the US, especially under Trump, is encouraging an Arab NATO. The reasons are many. The U.S. would sell more arms. There would be a ready Arab force in case the US wanted to intervene in the Persian Gulf. The US could withdraw some of its forces from the Middle East. They would see such a force as a helpful balance against Iran and Iraq. All the Arabs under one command would make it easier for Kushner and Trump to bring them closer to Israel and destroy all hope of a Palestinian state. This I believe is at the heart of Kushner so-called peace plan that he wants to unveil, a plan which he has shared with Netanyahu and MBS but with no Palestinian input. It is a joke that he could have a plan where only one side, namely Israel, is consulted. MBS has robbed Arabs of any dignity that they might have had. He has tarnished Islam’s message to the world as he engages in horrendous acts, robs his country, tortures Saudis and all the while claims to be the custodian of Islam’s holiest places. He will do anything to get Trump’s and Netanyahu’s support to stay in power and to threaten Iran. He has no dignity.
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