America’s Return to the Middle East
Al-Ittihad, UAE, June 22
Ever since 2011, when former President Barack Obama decided to withdraw all US forces from Iraq, the United States has been on a larger path of separating itself from the Middle East. The withdrawal from Iraq was followed by the withdrawal from Afghanistan and America’s pivot to Southeast Asia. Of course, there were voices within the American political system that spoke out against this decision. Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015, welcomed President Obama’s announcement at that time, and said: “The officials in Iran should know that the spring that bloomed in this Middle East is about to blossom in their country as well.” Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned of the dangers of this unilateral withdrawal and expressed his fears that “this decision will result in situations that will re-affect our country.” Graham’s vision was the one that unfortunately materialized into reality. It seems as if the goal of the US military presence in the Middle East is to maintain energy security, oil production and supply, and US interests in general. The Arabs had no problem with the US withdrawal but they were keen on developing strategic partnerships and alliances consisting of mutual assurances, similar to those that exist among those between NATO members. Therefore, the Arab world in general, and Gulf states in particular, turned to other powers for cooperation. One of the first tests came with the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War and its impact on the energy market. Saudi Arabia and the UAE refused to politicize their oil production. They also refused to engage in political polarization and insisted, instead, on promoting a balanced position that called for peace and contributed to humanitarian relief. This is what I believe caused the US administration to carefully reconsider its policy toward the region. It is expected that President Biden’s upcoming visit to the region will usher in a new era of Arab-American relations. The decision of King Salman bin Abdulaziz to enhance the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, which President Biden is expected to attend, to include Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq is a testament to the unity of the Arab world. In the upcoming summit, it is likely that President Biden will discuss the global energy markets, the role of the Arab and Gulf states in it, and the repercussions of the war in Ukraine on the price of oil. The Arab states, in turn, will want to understand where the US is headed with Iran, following the collapse of the nuclear talks in Vienna. –Riad Naasan Agha (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
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