Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, January 5
When President-elect Donald Trump coined his campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” perhaps he was not that wrong. America’s Middle East foreign policy has been an absolute failure under President Obama’s leadership, and the United States has never looked so weak in the eyes of the people of this region. This decline in American power paved the way for Russia to enter the Middle East. But Moscow is interested in more than just filling the vacuum created by America: its eyes are set on becoming a powerful and decisive player in the region for decades to come. This was evident, for example, in the Kremlin’s decision not to simply protect Assad at the UN Security Council by using its veto power, but also by intervening militarily and assisting his forces on the ground. Another example is Moscow’s willingness to host Palestinian fractions from Hamas and Fatah for reconciliation talks and broker a national unity agreement under their auspices. On the Turkish front, Moscow is considering ways to bring Ankara closer to its guardianship, and away from its NATO allies. Everywhere we look in the region, Russia has extended its hand for new partnerships, collaborations, and allies. The only advantage still enjoyed by the United States in the Middle East is the fact that Assad seems determined to violate almost any ceasefire agreement he signs, including the one set by his Russian allies. Just like him, the regime in Tehran is determined to thwart any diplomatic settlements to the ongoing conflict in Syria. When the only thing protecting America in the Middle East is the foolishness of its very enemies, one realizes the severity of America’s foreign policy. – Muahmad Zahid Jawal