The Mecca Pact: Not a Sunni Cordon, But a Funeral for American Hegemony in the Gulf

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, creating a mutual defense pact that many interpret as a Sunni cordon around Iran following this year's devastating war. This pact represents a seismic shift away from American security dependency, with Gulf states finally building their own strategic autonomy after decades of being failed by Washington's empty promises…