Overview: America in the Middle East
I introduce this week’s topic of America in the Middle East by hewing a little more closely to the news cycle than usual in the podcast, and that’s because the last couple of weeks have seen some pretty incredible developments in the Trump administrations approach to the MENA region.
Of greatest focus in the US, is Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria and the withdrawal of American forces in the contested space, opening up Kurdish fighters to Turkish aggression and causing a general realignment not only in the Syrian conflict, but in how Americans talk about the Middle East. If you had told me 10 years ago that Republicans would (largely) be arguing to get troops out of the Middle East and Democrats would be arguing to keep them, I would’ve laughed. No longer.
In the general upheaval, the really big question is, “Just why does America get so invested in the Middle East and its conflicts?” Critics of US foreign policy will say it’s because of the oil, “No blood for oil,” being a common slogan heard when the deployment of US troops to the region is in question. But is America in the Middle East just for the oil? And if so, why is that even the case? This is a short, introductory primer to America’s interest in the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region.
Conversation Starters
What responsibility does America have to protect strategic resources and the global commons? What could happen if we were to stop protecting it? Which other countries would step in, if any? Why do you think that’s the case?
For some insight into how differing American perspectives could answer this question, check out Episode 7: On America’s Place in the World.
The spoken and written word (podcasts and reading)
For an excellent overview of America’s longstanding fascination with the Middle East, check out Michael Oren’s Power Faith and Fantasy.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration provides a lot of helpful information the global oil market, production, and trade. They also keep tabs on America’s import and export of oil.
The Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law has an interesting piece on oil production in Persian Gulf specifically and where it gets exported to.
The last word
No fancy quote or anything, just a quick note to say that the next podcast episode, Episode 11, will be introducing a new format for the Tim Talks Politics podcast: my first interview! Stay tuned!
Terrific analysis and details!
This week I’ve heard some references about the different Kurdish groups and the important differences between them vis-a-vis U.S. policy, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey. I would very much enjoy your take on that if you have an opinion.