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Peninsula Shield Force... Symbol of GCC unity

KUWAIT, May 24 (KUNA) -- The Peninsula Shield Force represents the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries' unity on all levels, protecting their region against all dangers.
The establishment of the force was announced in the third GCC summit in Manama in 1982. The decision came upon recommendations from GCC defense ministers, who saw the need for the region to possess the ability to safeguard its own peace and stability.
The GCC military committee, established in 1981 to follow up on the security conditions in the region, stressed the need of military cooperation between the countries, member of the consultative authority of the GCC Supreme Council Abdullah Beshara told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Sunday.
Thus, the Shield Force was established as a "warning" to all those who seek to interfere in Arabian Gulf affairs or destabilize its peace, said Beshara, also a former Secretary General of the GCC between 1981 and 1993.
Meanwhile, Beshara noted that GCC; a main provider and exporter of oil to the world, hold the key to a stabilized Middle East, as the recent military operations in Yemen "Decisive Storm" and "Renewal of Hope", are part of the force's mission to protect the region, said Beshara.
The operations were executed since the GCC states sensed a threat to its stability, posed by some extremist groups in Yemen, who were putting southern Saudi Arabia at danger, he explained.
Political Sciences Professor at Kuwait University Abdullah Al-Ghanim on his part noted that the first major role of the Force was during the war to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion in 1991.
The second prominent role was during the incident to destabilize Bahrain a few years ago, said Al-Ghanim, adding that the GCC had recently expanded the Force's mission to cover marine security.
Military cooperation between GCC countries is of great importance these days, especially with the current security crisis in Yemen, Iraq and Syria and the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict. (end) hrz.ag