By Galal Nassar Middle East watchers were taken by surprise this week when Egyptian Defence Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi called for an Arab military alliance "to deal with the challenges facing the Arab nation and bring about technological progress." Tantawi first made the call on Sunday at a graduation ceremony at the Staff and Commanders College. He repeated it yesterday at another graduation ceremony at the Nasser Military Academy. Tantawi argued that even the major powers have military groupings such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). "People and nations cannot achieve prosperity in the absence of armed forces capable of protecting them," he added. According to the defence minister, the presence of Arab military officers in Egyptian military academies should be the first step towards achieving inter-Arab military cooperation. Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, Tantawi said the Egyptian military creed is based on a "peace that is protected by force. And our concept of peace extends beyond Egypt's borders to the boundaries of the Arab homeland." He said Egypt's national strategy focuses on development in all sectors with the aim of achieving prosperity, promoting relations with the Arab world and affirming commitment to the Arab League charter. It also includes commitment to peace and to the peaceful resolution of international problems, "although we may resort to armed conflict to deal with any situation that touches on our national security or to defend our national interests against direct threats," Tantawi added. The Egyptian strategy also focuses on promoting the country's regional and international role, and banishing weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East, he said. Speaking before the national security committee of the People's Assembly, the defence minister had said that peace does not mean relaxation. "The use of military force is no longer confined to war, combat and bloodshed," he said. "It is also used to impose peace. So, military force, which is a necessity for war, is also a necessity for peace." Tantawi also said that "any threat, whether direct or indirect, to an Arab or African country is a threat to our national security." He warned that the "continuing Arab divisions and the absence of inter-Arab reconciliation create a climate for the regional powers that seek hegemony to achieve their objectives." Numerous calls have been made in the past for Arab alliances in the economic, political and military fields. But Tantawi's call has been seen as having greater significance because it reflects Egyptian concern for the possible consequences of continuing inter-Arab divisions. A collective Arab defence pact was signed in 1950, but it remains ink on paper. The October 1973 War was the only time a group of Arab states achieved some sort of military alliance. An offshoot of the war was the Arab Industrialisation Authority which, unfortunately, collapsed after Egypt signed the 1978 Camp David peace agreements with Israel. Then the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait dealt a fatal blow to any possibility of inter-Arab military alliance. One result of the war was the birth of the Damascus Declaration, a grouping that includes the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, plus Egypt and Syria. But the failure of the Declaration to achieve any degree of coordination among its eight members has resulted in the continuing presence of foreign troops on the territory of some Gulf states with the aim of protecting them against Iraqi threats. So, is an Arab military alliance viable? According to Maj. Gen. (retr'd) Abdel-Rahman El-Hawwari, a joint Arab military command should be revived to make plans for joint training, military production and possibly an Arab rapid deployment force. "But for this force to be successful, only Arab states that wish to subscribe to it should be allowed to take part," he said. "And marginal Arab states that do not have any significant military force should be excluded." El-Hawwari said the principal obstacle is the preference for foreign protection by some Arab states. "We have seen how the effectiveness of the Damascus Declaration, which would have arranged Arab protection for its member-states, has been paralysed," he said. "The argument that Iran was the reason is not convincing. The truth is that some Arab states rejected an Egyptian-Syrian military presence and opted instead for American protection." Lt. Gen. (retr'd) Hassan Abu Se'da argued that Tantawi's call for an Arab military alliance is a step in the right direction, but questioned its viability in the face of continuing inter-Arab divisions. "This is a political decision, in the first place," he said. "But the confusion we have seen in connection with organising an Arab summit makes us question whether such a big decision, as the establishment of a joint Arab military force can be taken," he said. There are also fears that other regional powers, such as Iran, Israel and Turkey, would oppose such a move. But Abu Se'da said: "This is an Arab decision that does not require the approval of others. Who opposed the establishment of NATO?" Amin Howeidi, a former defence minister, said the establishment of an Arab military alliance does not conflict with the Arab commitment to peace as a strategic option. "Military force is the deterrent that protects peace and gives it continuity and momentum," he said.
