• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

Saudi-led Islamic military coalition is dangerously flawed – here’s why

Tracy Keeling by Tracy Keeling
7 June 2016
in Global, UK
Reading Time: 3 mins read
169 3
A A
0
Home Global
320
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Saudi Arabia has announced the formation of an Islamic military coalition to fight terrorism. On the surface, this seems productive. Saudi Arabia, and others, have long faced criticism for not doing enough to combat the threat of ISIS (Daesh), so moves to step up their efforts are welcome. Until, that is, you look at who has been excluded from the coalition, most notably Iran.

The new initiative involves 34 countries which, according to a statement published on SPA, the official Saudi news agency, have:

decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations centre based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations.

According to an article in The Guardian, the Saudi crown prince and defence minister, Mohammed bin Salman, said the campaign will seek to “fight terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan,” and:

There will be international coordination with major powers and international organisations … in terms of operations in Syria and Iraq. We can’t undertake these operations without coordinating with legitimacy in this place and the international community.

Well, quite. However, a way to give real legitimacy to the operations would be to invite those countries to join the alliance. Creating an “Islamic” coalition that doesn’t include all the countries in which Islam is the predominant religion seems half-baked. So why is it happening?

Amin Shalaby, the executive director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, has a suggestion. Speaking to Sputnik News on the matter, he observed:

it is clear that the Islamic Coalition is represented by Sunni countries only; will it not play into the hands of the conflict between Sunnis and Shiites? This is the most dangerous potential development for the region at the moment.

This is not entirely true. Bahrain, for example, which is in the coalition, has a large Shia population. There is, though, an overwhelming majority of Sunni representation in the group. If this were used to stoke conflict between Sunni and Shia, it would be very dangerous indeed.

Terrorist groups like Daesh are adept at exploiting sectarian divides for their own ends. In fact, the countries in which the group has most flourished are Iraq, Syria and Libya. These countries are deeply divided right now, largely due to western interventions.

In light of this, it is clear that exacerbating divisions will not aid the cause of the newly formed coalition in its fight against terrorism. However, it may help the Saudis in their long-standing rivalry, over hegemony, with Iran.

The Saudi kingdom is officially Sunni, and the Iranian government officially Shia, and these religious differences have been employed at times to increase influence. This Vox piece explains:

For Saudi leaders, it’s not that they hate Shias so much as that they see this as a tool for countering Iran by motivating Sunnis in the region to fear and resist Iranian influence.

And Iranian influence is relatively strong right now. They are supporting Iraqi forces in their fight against Daesh. They are providing support in the Syrian conflict through “humanitarian aid and military consultations” and were recently included in the Syrian peace talks in Vienna. There has also been a landmark deal agreed between the US and Iran, which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he believes

will lead to greater mutual understanding and cooperation on the many serious security challenges in the Middle East

This cooperation and understanding is essential in the region right now, to create a united front against extremist groups. If the Saudi-led coalition is merely a vehicle to further their factional authority, it will serve to strengthen Daesh – as does the Saudi-spawned Wahhabi ideology itself. This new alliance should be treated with caution.

Image via Youtube

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

A UK watchdog is investigating the manufacturer of Nurofen over ‘misleading packaging’

Next Post

The Telegraph gets truly desperate with this latest smear on Corbyn

Next Post

The Telegraph gets truly desperate with this latest smear on Corbyn

These Irish women refuse to be ashamed about their abortions

These Irish women refuse to be ashamed about their abortions

Why has the UK media declared war on anyone who doesn’t want to launch one?

Why has the UK media declared war on anyone who doesn't want to launch one?

Serena Williams crowned sportsperson of the year, then came the backlash

Serena Williams crowned sportsperson of the year, then came the backlash

Pandas

If we don't stop interfering in the sex lives of pandas, we might lose them forever

Horoscope today: your 24-hour briefing for life, love, and more
Horoscopes

Horoscope today: your 24-hour briefing for life, love, and more

by Steve Topple
21 May 2025
DWP open source banking
Analysis

The DWP is quietly trying to get a private company to connect it to disabled people’s bank accounts

by Steve Topple
20 May 2025
gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

by Alaa Shamali
20 May 2025
Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer
Lifestyle

Our friends at Pauzeradio have got the perfect Reggae clothing line for this summer

by Steve Topple
20 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

Horoscope today: your 24-hour briefing for life, love, and more
Horoscopes
Steve Topple

Horoscope today: your 24-hour briefing for life, love, and more

DWP open source banking
Analysis
Steve Topple

The DWP is quietly trying to get a private company to connect it to disabled people’s bank accounts

gideon's chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

Gideon’s Chariots: leaked plan shows Israel intentionally pushing Gaza to famine and forced displacement

Gideon's Chariots Gaza
Analysis
Alaa Shamali

“عربات جدعون.. مخطط إسرائيلي يقود غزة نحو مجاعة مُمنهجة وتهجير قسري

ADVERTISEMENT
Analysis
Nathan Spears

Vote for the Press Photograph of the Year 2024

Image by Burkard Meyendriesch from Pixabay
Feature
Nathan Spears

Why Santiago Ways is the Leading Choice for Walking the Camino de Santiago

Environment
Nathan Spears

EU elections point to growing public desire for new policymaking approach in Brussels