As I write this editorial, the Middle East is preparing to arm itself with weaponry estimated to cost more than $100 billion over the next five years. This mini arms race in the Gulf is clearly in response to the heightened tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the dawning realization that Tehran will acquire the technology to make an atomic bomb.
It is a policy born out of fear, and yet we know that it will end in either disaster or waste. In the event of any conflict, the armies of the Gulf Cooperation Council are unlikely to use their new-fangled hardware. They will be politely asked to stand aside as more experienced, and more muscular, interested parties step in. The odds are that the new kit will go to rust and the only winners will be those who made a fast, not to mention very big, buck out of supplying the weapons in the first place.
But let us consider the tidy sum that most analysts predict will be spent. With the GCC shelling out most of the $100 billion, it is quite simply a lot of money that could, and should, be spent on building-up the true brand equity of the Gulf. Until now at least, these nations have shown us what can be done when Arab countries channel their energies into non-conflict projects. While the rest of the region has wasted time, and lives, in pursuing the futile dream of kicking Israel into the sea, the GCC showed that they can demonstrate Arab dignity and influence by being economic powerhouses.
This new and armed vanity must therefore be curbed. Just think of how the other, less affluent nations will feel when they see money being squandered that could otherwise go towards education, health, or research and development. It verges on the morally criminal.
We assure you it is not the path of wisdom.
