The Mecca Pact’s Credibility Gap
Collective-defense pacts are meant to make war less likely. Poorly designed ones can do the opposite.
If allies make sweeping promises without the military integration, decision-making mechanisms, and escalation controls needed to carry them out, they may invite adversaries to test the boundaries of these promises.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, signed on Aug. 7 amid intensifying regional conflict, represents a significant but uncertain development in the region.
The agreement declares that an attack on one member will be treated as an attack on all three, establishing a broad commitment to collective deterrence.
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