24 June 2009
Military Leaders from U.S., Gulf States Discuss Security Threats
Washington — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told military leaders from the Gulf region that today’s security environment in the Gulf poses dilemmas and opportunities that span all borders.
“They include Iran’s nuclear and missile program, terrorist networks, militias and criminal groups; Iraq’s nascent government and improved security situation; the enduring need to protect the free flow of trade and vital resources; [and the] serious security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan which ... also has implications for the Middle East,” Gates said at a U.S. Central Command conference in Washington June 23. The conference included the chiefs of defense from nations throughout the Gulf region.
Gates said that facing these issues has been easier because of widespread cooperation and collaboration, including in venues like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Gulf Security Dialogue. These forums examine a range of issues from trade and critical energy infrastructure to counterterrorism and regional stability, he said.
Many Gulf States are actively acquiring or have expressed interest in obtaining shared early warning, near-real-time information on air and missile attacks to enhance each nation’s ability to defend itself, Gates said. And most Gulf Cooperation Council states already have or will have active defense systems, he added.
“This demonstrates the GCC’s commitment to regional security and interoperability with each other and with the United States,” Gates said.
In the battle to rein in piracy, Gates said that maritime security and new and better means of cooperation have become significant issues after the high-profile acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. “As with terrorism, piracy is a problem that has serious international implications, and should be of particular concern to any nation that depends on the seas for commerce,” he said. “Last year, combined maritime forces based in Bahrain established a maritime security patrol area in the Gulf of Aden to keep shipping lanes safe.”
Gates said cooperative efforts like these bolster defensive capabilities of the region without diminishing bilateral and multilateral relationships.
MORE SUPPORT FOR AFGHANISTAN
While Afghanistan is outside the immediate Gulf region, Gates said it is a vitally important topic for Gulf security interests. And recent support Afghanistan has received from other nations, including members of the Gulf community, has been encouraging, he said.
“The application of more resources, improved cooperation, a better integrated civil, military and diplomatic strategy, and the benefit of lessons learned both in country and in Iraq, present a historic but fleeting opportunity to turn the situation in Afghanistan around. I hope you will help us take that opportunity,” he said.
Gates also said the recent Pakistan military offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley is “an encouraging first step.” He said it was vitally important for the Pakistani government to recognize that the clear and direct threat to its national security was not India, but the Taliban.
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