Publication

This brief wonders whether Saudi Arabia's 40-member Islamic Alliance against terrorism is legitimate or just some “pie-in-the-sky” political gesture. The brief’s author also reviews 1) past attempts to create joint military forces in the Middle East (since 1945); 2) the strategic threats Saudi Arabia faces in its neighborhood, including terrorism; 3) the Saudi military’s limited operational experience; and 4) the composition and purpose of the Islamic Alliance.