The nature of alliances in Middle East: Power or identity?

This article tries to discuss this question: What is the nature of alliances and coalition in Middle East as one of the important and strategic and more conflicting regions of the world? Could we speak about the nature of alliances in Middle East as a constitution of a collective identity based on constitutive and regulatory norms like western alliances? Could we consider that identity has a low effect on alliances and instead balance of power and threat have the main role in making of Mideast alliances? Authors, as their hypothesis, contrary to Barnett view which claims the nature of alliances in Mideast is based on identity similarities, argue that alliances in Mideast is dependent on state interests and emerge from regional balance of power and as a tool to counter threats.