RIYADH, Aug 19: The United States is closely looking at its allies in the region, and according to reports here there is a growing perception among some think-tanks that the traditional allies in the region , such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt, are no more playing that role properly.

Hence, the US defence companies are reportedly planning to reduce their dependence on Saudi Arabia within the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Saudi daily Al Watan has reported.

The companies are looking at other states in the region as an alternative to Saudi Arabia with the hope that it can maintain a long-term relationship with them. In order to achieve their objectives major American defence companies have adopted a project calling it the Western Gulf Alliance or the GCC-1+1 Project.

It will mean the GCC minus Saudi Arabia and plus the pro-West Jordan in the six member bloc. The report pointed out that the first of a series of meetings in this regard was held on July 25 in which American academics, retired generals and analysts discussed the role of Jordan as a country that the US could rely on in the future.