Arab Military Power: A Strategic Necessity

Dr. Dhib Al-Qaraleh

At this critical historical moment for the region, the idea of establishing a joint Arab military force is no longer merely a theoretical proposal repeated in statements and conferences—most recently in the meeting of the Arab League yesterday. Rather, it has increasingly become a strategic necessity imposed by the rapid and complex security transformations unfolding across the region.

The military escalation currently taking place in the Middle East, along with the U.S.–Israeli war against Iran and the attacks and repercussions that have affected more than one Arab state, has once again placed the question of Arab security at the forefront with greater urgency than ever before. Recent developments have made it clear that the region stands at the threshold of a new phase that may be marked by heightened instability and open-ended conflicts.

The difficult experiences of recent years have demonstrated that reliance on external security umbrellas or bilateral alliances with major powers cannot provide a lasting guarantee of security. Such alliances ultimately operate according to the strategic interests of those powers, and they may shift or recede whenever those interests change.

Against this backdrop, the concept of a joint Arab military force is reemerging as one of the realistic options available. The idea itself is not new; it has been raised on several occasions over the past years. However, it remained largely symbolic due to political disagreements among Arab states and differing national priorities.

Today’s circumstances, however, appear significantly different. The security challenges confronting the region no longer concern a single state alone; they increasingly affect the entire Arab regional system. This reality necessitates serious consideration of collective defense mechanisms capable of protecting regional stability and deterring external threats.

Building a joint Arab military force should not be limited to forming symbolic units or a narrow coordination framework. Rather, it would require the establishment of a genuine collective defense system based on unified strategic planning and joint command structures, enabling it to provide a credible deterrent against any party considering aggression against an Arab state.

The reality that cannot be ignored is that the Arab states—if their military, human, and economic capabilities were combined—possess significant elements of power. The core problem, however, lies in the fragmentation of these capabilities and the absence of strategic coordination among them, which diminishes their overall impact on the regional balance of power.

Meanwhile, the world around the region is witnessing notable shifts in this direction. In Europe, for example, calls are increasing for strengthening collective defense capabilities. Several European countries have already begun raising their military spending and accelerating rearmament programs in anticipation of a period that may bring greater security challenges.

If countries that already enjoy a relatively high degree of stability are moving to strengthen their military cooperation, then the states of the Middle East—one of the most volatile regions in the world—appear even more in need of developing serious and effective defense cooperation frameworks.

Establishing a joint Arab military force may not provide a solution to all of the region’s crises, but it could represent an important step toward building a credible system of collective deterrence. Any state contemplating aggression against an Arab country would then understand that it would not face a single state alone, but rather an entire regional defense structure.

Such a step, if realized, could help restore a degree of balance to the region’s strategic equations and grant Arab states greater capacity to protect their interests without complete reliance on external powers.

The pressing question, therefore, is this: if Arab states do not move today to build a joint defense system, how will they confront the security challenges that the coming years may impose—particularly in light of Israel’s expansionist project?

History has repeatedly shown that states incapable of building their own power remain vulnerable to the fluctuations of international politics and at the mercy of decisions made by others. The question remains whether the upcoming regular session of the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers this month will address this issue seriously—or whether what has happened will simply be ignored, while waiting for another shock that may not be far away.