In this episode of Defense Uncut, hosts Bilal Khan and Aseem Islam analyze the new Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The discussion moves beyond surface-level speculation, such as claims of a "nuclear umbrella," which the hosts argue would be highly destabilizing and unacceptable to the United States.

Instead, they propose the agreement was likely signed with Washington's knowledge, if not at its recommendation. The core of the analysis suggests the pact is a key component of a broader US strategy to disengage from the Middle East in order to focus on China. This move aims to pacify two contentious regions—the Middle East and South Asia—in a single, cost-effective maneuver.