AYDIN HASAN - ASENA YATAĞAN - In the joint statement published after the meeting; It was noteworthy that the message of deterrence was given based on national legislation, indicating that a subtle and sensitive diplomacy was being carried out. Experts made the following evaluation to Milliyet about the first test given by the Mecca Alliance during its institutionalization phase:
Hot contact test
ANKASAM President Prof. Dr. Mehmet Seyfettin Erol: The extraordinary meeting in Riyadh appears as a "Hot Contact Test" of a theoretical security architecture in the field. As a matter of fact, the Houthis' attacks have brought the pact's deterrence claims into operational reality. It is going beyond diplomatic language and taking direct reactive steps such as "deployment of military force". It can be said that with this step, the Alliance has officially initiated a proactive military integration process in regional defense.
Strategic fuse box
Making the defense commitment conditional on "compliance with national legislation" is the diplomatic manifestation of the "Flexible Strength Doctrine". While this formula signals the highest level of deterrence against the Houthis and the forces behind them, it functions as a "Strategic Fuse Box" that protects member countries from being drawn into an uncontrolled war. For Türkiye, this condition allows Ankara to pass its military engagements in the region through a "Sovereignty Optimization" filter. Turkey can make "Cost-Effective Capability Allocation" such as Steel Dome or air defense and technical personnel support in defending the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia. However, while doing this, it retains the flexibility to personally control the scope and depth of operations by putting forward domestic legal processes such as the Turkish Grand National Assembly's motion mechanism, providing it with room for maneuver. Because this situation offers Ankara an area of "Selective Engagement and Intelligent Burden Sharing" shaped according to its own geopolitical priorities, without being crushed under an "automatic war trigger" within the pact (such as the strict interpretation of NATO Article 5). Thus, while Türkiye reinforces its role as a regional stability actor, it also has access to the opportunity and ability to eliminate the risk of being a front-line country of asymmetric crises.
Does not require parliamentary decision
Retired Major General Mehmet Okkan: Since it is an alliance that is still in its infancy, it has many needs. The most important part of this need is norms. In other words, there are issues where decisions need to be made and these decisions need to be fleshed out in some way. Within the scope of defense and security cooperation, the three countries have the opportunity and ability to meet some of the needs of Saudi Arabia. There are some abilities that do not require a parliamentary decision. For example, consider the concept of intelligence cooperation. No parliamentary decision is required for this. This is a decision that can be taken at the level of defense ministers or foreign ministers. On the other hand, as a similar capability, no parliamentary decision is required to meet some of the needs of that country in terms of ensuring border security or purchases related to the defense industry. As such, of course, some of the decisions taken will go directly into implementation anyway.
Deterrence is important
A retired ambassador who served in critical positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NATO and who did not want to give his name: He says 'yes, it is necessary to deploy there' without any approval process, depending on the legal process. Normally, what is strategically important is not to resist the attack, but to deter it before countering the attack. Deterrence comes before defence. It was obviously placed there as a deterrent element. The important thing is not to be together against the attack. For example, NATO's Article 5 has hardly been implemented so far.
Does this mean failure? On the contrary, it means successful. Because deterrence means strong. It was implemented once, and that was when the Twin Towers collapsed. And that is in a context related to terrorism. It can be considered in this context. Whether it is the Houthis or someone else, the important thing is that there is an attack made here. I see it as making the deterrence dimension more real by saying, "From now on, we will take precautions accordingly, in situations like this..." To increase its effect on paper by saying that this is not something that remains on paper, it is a serious thing. Because its impact is also important on paper, but it needs to be supported that way.
NATO of the Middle East
Joe Wilson, who serves as a Republican Party member in the US House of Representatives and is known for his closeness to US President Donald Trump, said in a post on his social media account, "The Mecca Defense Alliance has the potential to become the NATO of the Middle East. I am grateful to our allies Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for mobilizing the alliance against the Houthi-Iran-backed aggression."
