US policy in the Middle East - Assignment Example

US foreign policy in the Middle East U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East have always been defined by its national security and economic intereststhat includes containing terror groups, access to Middle East oil, checking regional hegemonic powers and prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Prior to 9/11, US foreign policy can be categorized as passive by making alliances and cajoling and pleading its leaders to make peace. After 9/11 terror attack in the US, foreign policy in the Middle East transformed dramatically by using military might to assert itself and shift the balance of power to its favor.

President Obama may be less “cavalier” than his predecessor Bush but his employment of military assets and personnel in his foreign policy is still present. They however share the same method by giving aids, forging a network of security alliances that includes Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and others (it recently broke tie with Egypt after the military coup d’etat) and also by brokering peace between Israel and Palestine. These policies of forging and keeping strategic alliances are still present today as well as U.S. traditional role of brokering peace between Israel and Palestine.

For example, in the recent debacle with Syria’s use of chemical weapons, U.S. threatened to “punish” Assad’s regime that such use of chemical weapons will not go unpunished. Such threat was not only US interest to maintain its status as the moral guardian and policeman of the word but also in keeping of one of its major allies interest – Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia had been a staunch supporter of bombing Assad’s forces in Syria in its support of the Sunni dominated rebels and even pledged to foot the bill of the attack.

Russia’s proposal of surrendering the chemical weapons however worked that thwarted the US supposed attack. This of course did not sit well with Saudi Arabia and complained to the US that it is not doing enough to help the Sunni dominated rebels in Syria. Here we could see the traditional role of US policy of cajoling the leaders of its allies in the Middle East as a way of keeping them as allies. Obama administration’s foreign policy in the Middle East is said to be less “militaristic” compared to his predecessor President Bush who always capitalized on military might and economic sanction to impose its will on its enemies.

For example, the recent indication willingness of Iran to negotiate about its nuclear capability was welcomed by the US. This opportunity to just “talk” was even done amid the strong opposition of its closest allies in the region – Israel and Saudi Arabia. Israel’s disagreement over the development to start talking with Iran was obvious with its Prime Minister Netanyahu describing the talk as a bad deal. Saudi on the other hand thinks that this is not a way to go in dealing with Tehran’s development of nuclear technology but rather wanted a more aggressive way to stop them.

US however proceeded to talk with Iran knowing that it already has strong ties with Israel and Saudi Arabia. This act of U.S. however is consistent with its interest of keeping weapons of mass destructions in check. US can afford not to yield with its traditional allies (such as Saudi Arabia, Israel) foreign policy preferences because it has already established a deeper relationship with them to the point that many of its citizens also had American lineage by virtue of pedigree (marriage), education (many Saudi technocrats go to the US to study) and length of friendship.

These special "interest groups" such as Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, fortify US alliance in the region that simple disagreement over foreign policy will not create any drawback on its relationship. In sum, US policy in the Middle East can be summarized as follows. First, it will use all elements of power from soft power to military force in securing its interest in the region. Second, it will defend its allies from external aggression such as what happened to Kuwait. Third, maintain the free flow of energy from the Middle East to the world and of course to America.

Fourth, to fight terrorism and dismantle their network and lastly, to control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Gaskell, 2013). Reference National Journal. (n.d.). NationalJournal.com. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://www.nationaljournal.com/national-security/obama-outlines-five-tenants-for-u-s-foreign-policy-in-middle-east-20130924