The Gulf must build security that can outlast this war

On November 10, Gulf defence ministers approved the establishment of a forward command in Kuwait under the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Unified Military Command, with forces to be allocated to it. The decision marks another step towards Gulf states taking greater collective responsibility for their security. One day earlier, after meeting Qatar’s prime minister, US President Donald Trump had said: “Iran militarily is effectively over.” He also said the US blockade would continue and left open further military action.

His remarks fell short of announcing an agreed end to the war. Any opening for diplomacy deserves support. But even a lasting agreement would leave the Gulf’s underlying security problems unresolved.

The Kuwait command’s value will depend on implementation and on how it connects with the region’s other security partnerships. The answer requires abandoning the expectation that one grand security arrangement can resolve every threat facing the region. That expectation assumes a degree of agreement about enemies, priorities and acceptable risks that does not exist.