Description

Over the last twenty years, U.S. engagement in the Middle East has waxed and waned. From a focus on combatting Islamic Terrorism and Regime Change in Iraq, through the drawing of blurred redlines and attempts to make amends for past U.S. misdeeds, to the America First and Abraham Accords, to the present efforts to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal, U.S. policy in the Middle East has confused the leaders of that region as it has shifted focus from one pre-eminent issue to another. At times the focus on a particular issue, fighting terrorism for example, has obscured the essential and foundational elements of U.S. strategic interests.

This class will present a quick overview of the outcomes of shifting U.S. policies and address how those shifts aligned or not with U.S. strategic goals. It will suggest that different American leaders have lost sight of U.S. strategic interests such as regional political/military stability and the uninterrupted flow of energy resources from the region to world markets. The underlying assumption will be that too often U.S. foreign policy leadership has allowed an over-emphasis on a particular goal to detract from safeguarding ongoing U.S. strategic interests. Drawing on his service in the region as a Foreign Service Officer specializing in Political-Military affairs, the instructor will share his experiences that illustrate how the U.S. has not always managed well its own strategic interests in the region.

The format will be one of short presentation with opportunity for the audience/students to ask questions that reflect their particular interests regarding the subject matter.