US Role in the Middle East - Research Paper Example

 US Role in Middle East An Analysis Introduction The Middle East is considered as an oil rich region with countries in this area controlling a significant supply of oil to the world. Since oil and other energy resources hold paramount importance for West as major world economies depend upon them, it is critical that political stability is maintained in the region. Due to this strategic significance, this region is of critical importance not only for the US but also for other powers of the world including Russia, UK, France and Germany. Though the role of the US in this region was relatively minimal before the Second World War, it gradually evolved. Over a certain period of time, the US influence has increased in the Middle East in order to ensure that stability is maintained in the region. To achieve the objectives of strengthening democracy, achieving stability as well as economic development, United States has remained one of the most instrumental players in the region. However, it is critical to note that the overall role of the US is not just maintaining stability but also to gain more and more control of oil and other energy resources available in the region. Therefore, the economic interest is perceived as one of the key reasons as to why the US and other powers actively pursue stability within the region. However, it is critical that the US and other super powers should not directly be involved in the overall affairs of the Middle East as their involvement is largely driven by their self-interests rather than welfare of people living in the region. This paper will argue that US involvement in Middle East is largely based upon its economic interests. Middle East and the West Like most of the world, the Middle East also remained under the occupation of colonial forces and the region as a whole has its own history of fighting colonialism. However, years of stereotyping and general dissent against Islam, western powers including the US continued to pursue in order to further their own national interests. Years of economic interests in the region and the deliberate role of the US in the region has created a negative impression about the Middle East and Arabs. Even films made in modern times have depicted Arabs as bad people from rogue states with evil objectives. (Shah) Therefore, many see the role of US in Middle East from a cultural and historical perspective because this was the region, which effectively fought against during Crusades and occupied parts of Europe. This historical fear has necessitated for the West to adapt policies to deliberately keep the region under privileged by imposing non-democratic governments. To maintain its hold and control over the region, the West has remained instrumental in imposing non-elected dictators as leaders of these countries. Most of the countries in the Region were forced into direct or indirect wars either to fight with each other or to fight with communism. Elites and dictators of different countries were provided military support to strengthen their control over power and in return, the US and other Western powers sought unrestricted access to oil and other energy resources. As a result of this intervention, the Middle East has become one of the most militarized regions in the world. Wars between Iraq and Iran and subsequent Gulf Wars and overthrowing of different regimes are seen as a step towards stamping and solidifying the hold of America in the region. The US so far has pursued the policy of using force in the region to achieve its objectives besides continued to support Israel in the region. ( Bennis) Stability and Economic Interests As discussed above. The Middle East and Gulf Region are oil rich and provide the bulk of oil supplies to the world. Western and developed economies largely rely on oil as the major source of energy to run their economies, therefore, maintaining stability is one of the key reasons as to why America and other countries take interest in the same. US influence especially in the region was minimal before the discovery of oil and it was oil which forced the US to re-evaluate its interests in the region and take steps which can further its interests. Forming of relationships with countries like Saudi Arabia and subsequent establishment of Saudi-Aramco, the oil giant in Saudi Arabia is seen as a step towards getting control of the oil resources in the region. It is critical to understand that maintaining status quo as well as political stability through Kings and Monarchs served American interests over the years. Since the US see Middle East as the key region for oil supplies, its relationships with the Kings and Monarchs has helped them to consolidate their hold on power. However, this has remained only beneficial for America as the US has taken no concrete efforts to stabilize the situation in regions like Palestine where more than 3 million people are fighting against Israeli rule. (Hunter) Overall governance in the Middle East is not democratic in nature with citizens having minimal or low rights. Though most of the countries in the region are oil rich, the elites of the region spend a large sum of oil money and as such, ordinary citizens do not enjoy the same level of rights and amenities. Growing US influence and its tactics to actually increase the hold over power by the kings and monarchs can actually perpetuate their power, hence; inflict more misery and pain for ordinary citizens with no rights. America’s constant support for Israel has virtually forced millions of Palestinians to live in camps. The overall condition in the camps is inhumane and lack of political will has further worsened the situation for people who are looking for going back to their own country but could not do because of the political involvement of US in the region. Constant conflict with Israel and the way Palestinians are living is considered as a result of direct US support to Israel and protective cover it provides to its interests. Thus, US interests in the region are not only based upon securing its economic interests but also provide a protective shield to Israel so that it can survive. (Powell) Levy argues that as long as US remains in the region, there will be relatively low growth and development. The Middle East as a region has lacked the development and growth and as such US involvement is considered as one of the key reasons as to why governments failed to properly initiate development and welfare reforms. Wars between countries, internal rife as well as issues like extremism have continuously restricted the potential of the region and resultantly there is very little economic development. Despite having rich resources, the Middle East is considered as the second most backward region in the world after Africa. This situation indicates that US involvement and its support of the corrupt and non-democratic forces in the region is quite detrimental for the overall economic development in the region. Sub-Conclusion The above discussion indicates that the US and other Western powers want stability in the region in order to further their own economic interests. The constant subjugation of masses by corrupt and undemocratic governments in the region is perceived to be duly supported by the US. In order to ensure constant supply of oil and other energy resources, the US has helped perpetuate rules of kings and monarchs. Transition towards Democracy Probably one of the key reasons as to why the US focuses on seeking stability in the region is to perpetuate the rule of few. However, this has resulted into non-development of democracy in the region and millions of Arabs actually failed to properly enjoy democracy and rights given under democracy. Most of the Arabs are either living under civilian or a tyrannical dictator . Countries like Morocco and Jordon have enjoyed full support from the US whereas individual citizens have been suppressed to a point where they are even afraid to raise their voice against the dictatorship and perpetual rule of few. Mostly, citizens remain aloof from the state because of the fear of being vindicated if the voice of dissent is rose. Therefore, most people remain silent and do not protest or being silenced just to ensure that the stability in the region in maintained. Though through Arab spring people have risen against the dictatorships, however, constant support from America to countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait suggests that the US may be targeting only those regimes which are against its interests. The case of Libya may be considered in point where the West decided to attack the country without any significant reason whereas it has continued to allow the slaughter of innocent citizens in countries like Syria where every voice of opposition is silenced. Sub-Conclusion Though the US pursue stability in the region, this policy seems to disallow democracy to take its roots. Lack of democratic institutions in the region has allowed people to remain suppressive and all the voices of dissent are suppressed. What is critical to understand that US has supported countries like Morocco and Jordan to continue to use non-democratic governments to keep people in poverty and subjugation. The US’s involvement requires stability in the region and due to this democracy was unable to take its roots in the region and people suffered resultantly. Giving People Choice and Power If the US really wants to keep its presence in the region and wishes to maintain stability, it needs to help bring change in the region. By letting people fight on their own for the democracy and their rights, the US can actually help the region to remain a peaceful and stable region. (Mamilton) The overall notion of stability in the region is considered as unjust because supporting stability has actually fostered dictatorships and tyranny, which has further forced people to live in abject poverty and suppression. Therefore, stability has only supported the interest of America and other Western forces while at the same time, it has ignored the rights of the local people towards their welfare and well-being. Constant US support has only marginalized citizens of different countries in the Middle East and as a result a general resentment exists against US in masses. Supporting dictatorships and tyranny has allowed the US to actually distance common people from the government and democracy. The pick and choose policy in the region in terms of favoring certain rulers and opposing others which were relatively hostile to US interests. For example, US first attempted to overthrow the government of Saddam Hussein during first the Gulf War as Iraq posed a direct threat to US interests in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Later on, US build hype based on wrong information about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and attacked it. Saddam Hussein was subsequently captured and killed whereas US imposed another government of its own choice while allowing the bloodshed of innocent Iraqi people. The case of Moammar Gadhafi is similar in the sense that he was also a direct challenge to US interests in the region. It is also critical to note that the US has kept the region highly militarized with most of US firms selling arms in the region. US superiority in the region is also largely based upon the fact that US provides arms and military support to governments in the region. Excessive reliance on US as the major supplier of arms puts the US in a dictating position in the region. Common people in the region therefore view the military support by US as one of the key reasons behind almost every problem faced by common people in the region. The emergence of Islamic militant groups as well as terrorism is largely seen as a result of this policy. Constant poverty and other economic hardships have forced people to adapt militancy as one way of forcing the US out of the region and regain much needed freedom to decide on their own. The US focus on maintaining stability as well as political status quo has created an environment where dissent and opposition is brutally suppressed. The only way forward is based upon giving people the power and freedom to decide about their own rights and democracy. Like Egypt and Yemen, people have the power, will and wisdom to decide on their own and stability within the region will be further strengthened if democracy takes its roots in the region. Sub-Conclusion Though America has been actively pursuing stability in the region to further its economic interests, however, because its policies, it has actually helped perpetuating and corrupt dictatorships. In order to achieve stability in the region, it is critical that the people of the region are given the freedom and choice to actually decide on their own. The transition towards democracy can be painful, however, it will actually allow people to participate and decide their own fate. US interests in the region and support for Israel have given rise to Islamic militancy in the region. However, this could only be defeated if US help common people to decide their own fate rather than supporting corrupt dictatorships. Letting people decide on their own will bring much needed stability within the region. Conclusion The above discussion suggests that Western interests in the region started to consolidate after the Second World War when oil was discovered in the region. The bulk availability and discovery of oil has increased the overall strategic significance of this region as most of developed economies in the West dependent upon oil as the major and cheap source of energy. Due to this reason, America and other Western powers actually started to interfere in the affairs of the Middle East and changes were made at the political and government level. US deliberately pursued the policy of supporting and installing non-elected military and civilian dictators as leaders of most of the countries in the region. The obvious reason was to achieve much needed political stability in the region so that US can actively take care of its economic interests in the region. Underlying this focus on achieving peace and stability in the region was based upon securing economic interests of US. As a result of this policy, ordinary citizens were suppressed and almost every voice of dissent and opposition was suppressed by force. US not only provided arms and military support to dictators in the region but also militarized the region in a bid to keep different countries in the region at war with each other. Iraq-Iran war was supported by America with the provision of arms to Iraq to fight against Iran. Systematic overthrow of hostile governments such as that of Saddam Hussein as well as Gadhafi indicates that the US can go to any length in order to safeguard its interests in the region. The only way through which the US can actually achieve stability in the region is to allow common people to decide their own fate. The US should not be directly involved in the affairs of countries in the region but rather allow people to decide upon on their own interests. Works Cited Bennis, Phyllis. Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict - A primer. Northampton: Olive Branch Press, 2007. Print. Hunter, Robert E. "The United States Role in the Middle East." Current History (1990): 49-89. Print. Levy, Gideon. The Middle East does not need stability. 10 February 2011. Web. 10 April 2012 . Mamilton, Lee H. "Challenges for United States Policy in the Middle East." The Middle East Journal (1989): 7. Print. Powell, Colin L. "United States' position on terrorists: Peace in the Middle East." Vital Speaches of the Day (2001): 130-135. Print. Shah, Anup. Middle East. 6 December 2011. Web. 19 April 2012 . "Why is the U.S, in the Middle East?" The Oil and Gas Journal (1990): 21. Print. 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