U.S. soldiers patrol the countryside of Rmeilan in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province on June 7, 2023. (Credit: Delil Souleiman/AFP)
On paper, everything points to the end of the era of American interventionism in the Middle East. In its new National Security Strategy (NSS), released Dec. 5, the White House redefines its relationship with a region in which its sustained political and military meddling long shaped U.S. foreign policy.The Middle East "is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was," the document reads. "The days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over."With these words, the U.S. claims to no longer "prioritize the Middle East" — particularly due to its own increased energy independence — through a reevaluation of its military posture worldwide in order to "address urgent threats...
On paper, everything points to the end of the era of American interventionism in the Middle East. In its new National Security Strategy (NSS), released Dec. 5, the White House redefines its relationship with a region in which its sustained political and military meddling long shaped U.S. foreign policy.The Middle East "is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was," the document reads. "The days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over."With these words, the U.S. claims to no longer "prioritize the Middle East" — particularly due to its own increased energy independence — through a reevaluation of its military posture worldwide in order to "address urgent...
