Reuters
Washington
President Barack Obama is expected to make a renewed US push next week to help Gulf allies create a region-wide defence system, according to US sources.
The offer could be accompanied by enhanced security commitments, new arms sales and more joint military exercises, US officials say, as Obama tries to reassure Gulf Arab countries that Washington is not abandoning them.
With little more than a week to go before Obama hosts the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council at the White House and then at Camp David, aides are discussing the options in pre-summit meetings with Arab diplomats. Officials say no final decisions on possible US proposals have been made.
Obama issued the invitation to the GCC after Iran and six world powers reached a framework agreement last month that would give Tehran sanctions relief for reining in its nuclear programme.
Obama is likely to press Gulf allies to do more to integrate their militaries and work toward a long-delayed anti-missile shield, the sources familiar with the discussions said. This could take the form of a new high-level joint working group led by the Pentagon, one of the sources said.
Gulf countries have already bought US missile defence systems such as the Patriot system built by Raytheon Co and the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
But the Obama administration is now expected to press them to implement the initiative touted in late 2013 by then-secretary of defence Chuck Hagel.
The programme allows the GCC to purchase equipment as a bloc and start knitting together radars, sensors and early warning networks with US assistance.
It was unclear specifically what Washington would offer the Gulf nations - which already operate some of the most advanced US-made weaponry - in order to advance the missile shield.
“Missile defence is absolutely critical to the GCC right now,” said Riki Ellison, founder of the non-profit Missile Defence Advocacy Alliance. “They’re not as efficient playing separately as they would be all playing as one team,” he said.
Wary that Obama might keep any new security pledges vague, Gulf states have also made clear they want this translated into concrete steps.
“This summit can’t just be a big photo-op to pretend everybody’s on the same page on Iran,” one Arab diplomat said.
Several arms sales are likely, including resupplying bombs and missiles depleted in the Saudi-led air assault in Yemen and in strikes against Islamic State militants in the US-led air campaign in Syria, the sources close to the matter said.
But Washington is widely expected to stand firm on its decision for now to withhold sales of Lockheed’s new top-flight F-35 fighter jet.
