Regional Security Architecture: A "Middle Eastern NATO" Between Geopolitical Balances and Technological Hurdles
The Middle East is heading toward a structural transformation that puts geopolitical rules of the game to a genuine test. The growing discourse surrounding the potential formation of a joint regional security structure—frequently termed in the media as a "Middle Eastern NATO"—is not merely a passing political maneuver. Rather, it reflects the breakdown of outdated approaches and the emergence of new strategies grounded in rational interest and political realism (Realpolitik). However, transitioning from political theory to field implementation reveals a deep gap between the strategic vision of alliances and the technological and military obstacles impeding the construction of a unified Middle East Air Defense (MEAD) network. 1. Moving Beyond Pan-Arab Bureaucracy: From Slogans to Strategic Function For decades, the regional system suffered from entrapment in vague nationalist slogans that relied excessively on linguistic and historical sentiment while neglecting the internatio...