The Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) will be formed next year, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said yesterday, according to Reuters. The NATO-style Arab military alliance — that is expected to consist of forces from Egypt, Saudi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar — was proposed by US President Donald Trump earlier this year as a way to confront Iran’s influence in the region. US State Secretary Mike Pompeo met with foreign ministers from the Gulf states, Jordan, and Egypt last month to begin talks on the alliance.

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