  We develop a grand unified theory of matter and forces based on the gauge
symmetry $SU(5)_L\times SU(5)_R$ with parity interchanging the two factor
groups. Our main motivation for such a construction is to realize a minimal GUT
embedding of left-right symmetric models that provide a parity solution to the
strong CP problem without the axion. We show how the gauge couplings unify with
an intermediate gauge symmetry $SU(3)_{cL}\times SU(2)_{2L}\times
U(1)_{L}\times SU(5)_R$, and establish its consistency with proton decay
constraints. The model correctly reproduces the observed fermion masses and
mixings and leads to naturally light Dirac neutrinos with their Yukawa
couplings suppressed by a factor $M_I/M_G$, the ratio of the intermediate scale
to the GUT scale. We call this mechanism type II-Dirac seesaw. Furthermore, the
model predicts $\delta_{CP} = \pm (130.4 \pm 1.2)^\circ $ and $m_{\nu_1} =
(4.8-8.4)$ meV for the Dirac CP phase and the lightest neutrino mass. We
demonstrate how the model solves the strong CP problem via parity symmetry.
