A Pan-Arab Army: Myth or Reality? (Javad Heirannia, Iran Review)

With regard to the idea of forming a Pan-Arab army as the military arm of the Arab League security organization, it must be noted that it would be enticing to take simple religious and ethnic configurations in the Middle East as a basis for the existence of mutual security dependence. If Arabs vs. “others” (Jews and Iranians) as well as the Ottoman legacy, which is based on adversity between Turks and Arabs, are taken as two main existing foci in the region, it would lead to an ethnic approach to current insecurity in the region. Religion can be also added to this process. From a religious viewpoint, Israel is different from its Arab neighbors, most of whose people are either Muslims or Christians, while Iran represents Shias in the Sunni – Shia divide of the Muslim world.

http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/A-Pan-Arab-Army-Myth-or-Reality-.htm