Amid the missile and drone attacks carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen against the UAE, Emirati journalist and political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi noted that the threats posed by Iran and its proxies to various regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel, are very similar. Writing in his column on the news site Elaph, he argued that, given the similarity of the threats, and in light of the superpowers' preoccupation with other matters, the countries of the region must enhance their military, intelligence and security cooperation – including with Israel – in order to effectively confront these threats.
Salem Al-Ketbi (Source: Facebook.com/salemalketbieng)
The following are translated excerpts from his article:[1]
"The strategic situation in the Middle East is growing worse every day and the tensions are increasing. This stems from several reasons, mainly the spread of terrorist militias and the transformation of the entire region into a hothouse [producing] these militias, which are sponsored, funded and armed by regional forces known to all [i.e., Iran].
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"Clearly, silence is not a valid option in the face of these rapid developments, and it is therefore vital for the countries of the region to cooperate in facing these dangers and repelling these threats. [The danger] is not faced only by one of them, since the Houthi militias, which have carried out many criminal attacks against civil facilities in Saudi Arabia, [recently] did the same against the UAE, and are also threatening Israel with similar attacks.
"The solution to this situation cannot be just to purchase systems to defend against missiles and drones, because these mafia gangs bet on the psychological effect more than on causing tangible damage to the facilities and countries they target. These militias realize the significant psychological impact of creating tension in countries that have long been known for their security and stability and [therefore] became an ideal environment for investment, trade and business. Hence, the mere spread of the militias in some countries of our region is enough to threaten all [of its] countries and peoples…
"The peoples of the Middle East cannot [afford] to slumber, and then awaken under the threat of militias. Moreover, it is inconceivable that the security and stability of such a vital region will depend on the delusions of figures like [Houthi leader 'Abd Al-Malik] Al-Houthi, [Hizbullah secretary general Hassan] Nasrallah and other [Iranian] agents who seek to realize various goals that do not at all serve the interests of their own peoples. In fact… [these Iranian agents] are simply conspiring against the security and stability of their own peoples, as evident from the crimes and the starving [of people] in Yemen, and from the disasters they have brought upon Lebanon, which have plunged this Arab country and its people into innumerable economic, political and security catastrophes.
"Gambling on international intention to defend the security and peace of the region is wishful thinking, given the state of alert, the conflicts and the deep crises that [currently characterize] international relations, and the tension between the superpowers due to the crisis in Ukraine, [the issue of] Taiwan and many other conflicts. Hence, it seems that [the solution] lies in cooperation and coordination between the countries of the region, on all levels, so as to reach a formula that will repel these threats and create an atmosphere of security and stability for the peoples.
"It's a known fact that the strategic threats facing the UAE are the same as those facing other countries in the region, chief of them Israel… In the present situation, everyone is paying for the fact that regional forces have filled the strategic vacuum that was formed in certain countries due to chaos and upheavals, and due to strategic mistakes of the superpowers. There is no difference between the UAE and Israel in this regard, for the militias brandish the false slogans of 'resistance' and exploit the suffering of their peoples in order to follow dictates whose source [i.e., Iran] and whose goals we are all aware of!
"There is no substitute for enhancing the security, intelligence and military cooperation between the UAE and the countries of the region that are suffering from the same chaos created by the regional militias, including Israel – especially since the U.S. and the other superpowers are busy struggling for influence and furthering their interests in the north and in the east. I am convinced that, through cooperation, coordination, exchange of information, and mutual support, the countries of the region can repel this unrestrained chaos of militias, which calls for finding solutions and alternatives outside the box of conventional thinking."
[1] Elaph.com, February 2, 2022.
