The United States’ focus on Russia and China is being pulled back to the Middle East due to attacks on American forces in Syria.
U.S. focus its attention again in the Middle East. (Photo: FOX News)
Biden Administration Deals Again in the Middle East
The recent drone strikes carried out by militants in Syria resulted in the death of one American contractor, and the Biden administration is once again dealing with a region that it has been trying to extricate itself from, according to an article published in The Hill.
Geopolitical shifts are happening across the area from Libya to Afghanistan, such as the renewal of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran that were brokered by China, Russian-mediated negotiations between the Saudis and Syria to mend alliances, and the failed talks between Iran and the United States to restart the Iran nuclear deal.
Experts say that these realignments mean that Washington needs to come up with a new diplomatic plan for the region soon, or risk losing its influence to rivals Moscow and Beijing in the face of a more dangerous Iran.
U.S. Remain Dominant in Middle East
While the United States remains the dominant political and military force in the Middle East, its position has become more precarious in the last half-decade following the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018.
In a report published in Aol, Washington has also made it clear that it intends to shift its focus away from actively chasing terrorist groups such as the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and ISIS in favor of tackling threats from Russia and China.
However, Washington’s commitment to the Middle East is continuously tested by threats from Iran, including more than 80 attacks backed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on U.S. forces in Syria since January 2021, according to U.S. Central Command head Gen. Erik Kurilla.
The failure of the Iran nuclear talks has also brought Tehran closer to producing a nuclear weapon, with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley warning that Iran could produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon in less than two weeks.
Experts Express View on How U.S. Address the Situation in the Middle East
Experts say that if Washington does not address the situation in the Middle East and come up with a new plan, it risks not only undermining its own deterrence but also facing challenges from Iran in ways that threaten U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.
The U.S. military has responded to these attacks in four instances, including a retaliatory airstrike in Syria on Iranian-affiliated facilities last week. The recent drone attack that killed the American contractor came just hours before Kurilla was set to testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
