The Middle East just built its own NATO — and signed America’s exit ticket

The Mecca Agreement and regional pipeline bypasses confirm that Middle Eastern self-reliance, as a multinational region, is no longer theoretical.

Three months ago, I discussed the transitions underway across the Middle East amid the Iran war. With continual delays and memorandums, it looked as though Iran was running the show. That reading missed what was happening behind the scenes: those delays gave regional allies room to coalesce around the economic and tactical security infrastructure built for long-term peace. Endgame: peace across the entire Middle East.