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New ideas at Idex for regional peace

The rules of engagement have changed and there's a different type of war being fought.

There's a lot of activity at the annual arms fair being held in Abu Dhabi with the UAE leading the race in weapons purchases. The country is expected to hand out contracts worth Dh20 billion by the end of this edition of Idex, the region's largest event of its kind. This is to be expected with regional tensions caused by an assertive Iran and its role in poking its nose into the affairs of Gulf nations. Tehran may deny this but a large body of evidence points to the regime's increased meddling in the affairs of countries like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen. The trouble is sectarian in nature, which is not in the larger interest of the Middle East. The UAE has remained an oasis of tolerance in the middle of a region that remains parched of ideas at settling disputes. Talks have not yielded just results and solutions are distant. The conflict in Yemen is simmering as Iran comes in from the cold and pushes its conventional power in the region while promoting its brand of insurgencies through proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis.
The rules of engagement have changed and there's a different type of war being fought. Some experts call it asymmetric warfare that does not require a large military to meet objectives on the ground. Technology will play a large part in the deployment of this strategy. Drones, smaller, nimbler weaponry, attack aircraft that evade radar, heat-sensing missiles, missile defence systems and other remote-controlled weapons are set to define modern warfare, or statecraft, if one wishes to call it that. Statecraft is subtler and wiser, but could be equally effective in negating the effect of one's foe. The idea is to keep the enemy guessing, but the UAE is clear that its weapons are for defence. They are cutting edge and court the best technology on offer. More importantly, it is to deter any form of aggression, overt or covert - mainly from Iran and its proxies who are inimical to its interests. The country will spend what it takes to keep its borders secure. On Monday, it entered into a deal with Russia for missiles that could cut through enemy defences and battle armour. A total of Dh6 billion worth of contracts were signed on day 2 of the event, but what's significant about the deal is that Moscow is a traditional ally of Tehran. The Iranians and Russians fought on President Assad's side in Syria. They are the reason for him staying in power. But deft diplomacy was at play at Idex on Monday - a tactical ploy to lure Russia away from the Iranian sphere of influence. It's called state-craft, which requires wisdom and fewer weapons.