Author: Joe Kent
Affiliation: Retired US Army Special Forces Warrant Officer
Organization/Publisher: Comparative Strategy (Routledge)
Date/Place: November 6, 2020/UK
Type of Literature: Journal Article
Number of Pages: 11
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01495933.2020.1826842?journalCode=ucst20
Keywords: US Invasion, Middle East, Russia, Iran
Brief:
The US has adopted an overt strategy to counter the offshore threat of terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The military invasions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria were costly episodes of this strategy initiated by President George W. Bush and continued by Barrack Obama. The election of Trump brought a tectonic shift in US foreign policy regarding the Middle East, i.e. a minimum presence of troops on the ground and capability enhancement of local governments. According to this study, in its foreign policy pursuit post-9/11, the US has trapped itself in the complex geopolitics of the Middle East while hunting terrorist organizations. Russia and Iran have emerged as new threats to counter traditional hegemonic designs of the US. The paper elaborates the outcomes of the US’ strategy in the Middle East and emphasizes on the essential change. The author suggests that the US should adopt a covert strategy regarding its engagements in the Middle East and stresses on diplomacy rather than full-fledged military involvement.
By: Muhammad Taimoor Bin Tanveer, CIGA Senior Research Associate
