US And The Middle East

The Middle East has long been a region of great importance and interest to the United States, and the discovery of oil in the region in the 1930s only heightened that interest. The California Arabian Standard Oil Company (CASOC), a US oil company, discovered oil in the dammam oil well in 1938, which would go on to have a significant impact on the region’s political and economic landscape. With the economic power of oil, the US became involved in the politics and economies of Middle Eastern countries, leading to a complex relationship that persists to this day.

The Saudi government was one of the first in the Middle East to allow the US to set up military bases and airstrips in the country, in exchange for the economic benefits of oil revenue. The US even convinced the Saudis to let US troops on Saudi soil in the grounds of protection of oil resources. The Saudi government allowed the US to establish mini-towns that were like America, which the Saudis referred to as “Aramco cities,” named after the oil company that operated there. However, this relationship was not without its challenges, and tensions between the US and Middle Eastern countries have persisted to this day.

One of the most notable examples of tension is the 1953 Iranian coup d’état, which was instigated by the US to remove a democratically elected leader who was aligned with the Soviet Union. The democratically elected leader of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh, was overthrown and replaced by the monarchical rule of the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. This event had far-reaching consequences for the region, leading to the establishment of a theocracy in Iran that was deeply hostile to the US. Eventually, he Shah was replaced by theocracy led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, this regime hated the US, even instigated war and funded and supported NSAs. An important factor in the US’s relationship with the Middle East is the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US. In recent years, tensions between the two countries have escalated, with the US withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and imposing economic sanctions on Iran.The US has also been a key player in negotiations with Iran over the country’s nuclear program. US involvement in the Middle East has been met with mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a necessary intervention and others criticizing it as an imposition of Western values and an exacerbation of existing conflicts.

In addition to political tensions, the US’s support for Israel has also been a source of conflict with Middle Eastern countries. The oil crisis of the 1970s,which was triggered by an oil embargo imposed by Arab countries in response to the US’s support for Israel in the Yom Kippur War, highlighted the vulnerability of the US to geopolitical events that could disrupt oil supplies and prices. The embargo caused a significant reduction in oil supply and led to skyrocketing oil prices and long lines at gas stations in the United States. The crisis had a major impact on the US economy, which was heavily dependent on oil imports at the time. The oil crisis of the 1970s demonstrated the vulnerability of the US and other countries to geopolitical events that could disrupt oil supplies and prices, and it had a lasting impact on energy policy and security.

In more recent times, the US’s military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have also impacted the relationship between the US and Middle Eastern countries. The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a particularly controversial event, and it led to widespread protests and violence in the region. The war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001, is still ongoing, and it has had a significant impact on the security situation in the region. The stated rationale for the invasion was to eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that were allegedly possessed by the Iraqi government led by Saddam Hussein. However, after the invasion, no such weapons were found, leading to widespread criticism and accusations of deception by the US government. The invasion of Iraq was launched in March 2003 with a massive military campaign that quickly overthrew the Iraqi government and captured Baghdad. The US-led coalition forces faced little resistance from the Iraqi military, but as the occupation continued, they encountered a fierce insurgency that lasted for years. The insurgency was fueled by a variety of factors, including sectarian tensions, a power vacuum created by the removal of Saddam Hussein, and the presence of foreign troops in Iraq. The insurgency resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of US soldiers. The invasion of Iraq also had significant geopolitical implications, particularly in the Middle East. It destabilized the region and created a power vacuum that allowed extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and later ISIS to gain a foothold. It also strained relations between the US and its allies, especially in Europe, where many countries opposed the invasion. The war also sparked a global anti-war movement and led to widespread protests around the world.

The invasion of Iraq was also costly, both in terms of human lives and financial resources. The US spent over a trillion dollars on the war effort and suffered the loss of over 4,500 soldiers, while estimates of Iraqi casualties range from hundreds of thousands to over a million. The war also had long-term economic consequences for the US and the middle east, contributing to the national debt and diverting resources away from other priorities. Despite years of military presence and billions of dollars spent on reconstruction, Iraq remains a fragile and unstable nation to this day. Sectarian tensions continue to simmer, and the government has struggled to provide basic services and maintain security. The invasion of Iraq remains a deeply divisive issue, with opinions on its legacy and impact varying widely. While some argue that it was necessary to remove a brutal dictator and protect US national security, others maintain that it was an unjust and unnecessary war that caused more harm than good.

Despite these challenges, the US remains a major player in the Middle East, with its military presence and economic influence continuing to shape the region. However, the relationship between the US and Middle Eastern countries remains complex and dynamic, as geopolitical events and shifting global power dynamics continue to reshape the region’s political and economic landscape.