Engaging in foreign policy can be morally compromising for any power. But for the Arab world's relationship with the US, where consistency is key, this usually takes the form of an adherence to values. The US is compromised as it picks and chooses its values to serve short-term goals, writes Mohammed Nosseir, such as strategic ambiguity over human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and Israel. While the permanence of Chinese and Russian governments give them an advantage when launching foreign policy projects, the US no longer has the privilege fence-sitting while its enemies make firm commitments in a multipolar world
The relationship between the Arab world and the US is transactional, meeting some needs on each side without any meaningful sharing of values or long-term goals. The shifts in foreign policy driven by American elections are part of the problem, making America an unreliable partner for Arab states. The dilemma of the US’ foreign policy is often laid in its swift change between serving its interest or abiding with its claimed values. A stance that requires the US to offer a fair and consistent approach to foreign policy that would facilitate solving some of the ongoing conflicts in the region.
The current cooperation between the two parties effectively caters to each party's needs and interests. Arab rulers need the US’s security, protecting them mainly from Iran—a status that qualifies Arab nations to meet the US interest in expanding its military sales in the Middle East. For example, Saudi Arabia, the world's second-largest importer, purchased more than three-quarters of its major weapons systems from the US. Sustaining Iranian threats means expanding US military exports to the Arab world. Meanwhile, the US has achieved energy independence; thus, Arab oil is of no value. Severing ties between the US and Arab world is no longer mutually assured economic destruction.
Although the United States has been involved in a number of political developments in the Middle East, such as building a temporary port for Gazan citizens or the Abrahamic Accord, these are fragile activities that have nothing to do with advancing peace and prosperity in the region. While Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates, which have no conflict with Israel, have signed the normalization accord, the port idea has been a flop, and the US is trying to reconstruct it again.
Whereas the United States often focuses on advancing soft power and encouraging many autocratic nations to adopt democracy, its opponents often collaborate with universal nations to develop tangible projects, such as China's Build and Road Initiative and Russia's development of a new nuclear plant for Egypt. People view these projects as more feasible and long-lasting than US rhetoric. People perceive the US as the universe's technology-driven superpower, while China and Russia are more cohesive with the Arab world.
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As the world's largest economy and superpower, the US has the capacity to implement many constructive reforms worldwide, but it is reluctant to do so.
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Meanwhile, China, which used to play the role of "world manufacturing," produced competitive products for the world under Western brands, but it has now reversed this role by developing its own brands, such as Haier, Huawei, and WeChat, which are expanding globally into new markets. Equally, China has slowly but surely began to interfere in the long-lasting conflicts in the Middle East by mediating the Saudi-Iran Deal and by hosting the Palestinian conflicting parties (Fatah and Hamas) for unity talks.
In fact, the political dynamics of the US are significantly more complex than those of Arab nations. In addition to the State Department's official role in advancing foreign affairs, Congress has its own influences. Many renowned journalists and pundits follow the political corridors of Washington, combining their thoughts to formulate foreign policies that may not always be beneficial for international affairs. The US allows foreign nations to influence its policies through lobbying, a tactic that has proven successful only for the Israeli lobby, which has been advocating for Arab-Israeli normalization at the expense of solid lasting peace in the region.
Moreover, US dynamics frequently lead to the creation of policies primarily driven by its current interests, which shape its relationship with any given nation. The US, as the world's largest economy and superpower, has the capacity to implement many constructive reforms worldwide, but it is reluctant to do so because it doesn't serve its immediate interests.
Nevertheless, the United States often offers its assistance with a variety of flawed policies, adhering to a global doctrine of ambiguity. The US has never clearly stated that it will defend Saudi Arabia if it is attacked by Iran or even Taiwan if it is invaded by China. It always wants to offer double-meaning statements that could be explained in either way; however, it is happy to sell its military weapons to their allies.
Meanwhile, in the predominantly autocratic Arab world, a single individual, the ruler, shapes its foreign policy. They are content to implement the United States' policies in the region, provided they can maintain their tenures indefinitely and feel protected from any international threat. The weakness in this relationship stems from the US's tendency to manipulate Arab rulers, exploiting their lack of democracy and violating their citizens' rights when they don't align fully with the US.
During the course of the Arab Spring in 2011, President Biden, who served as the vice president of Obama at the time, initially backed up Mubarak by stating that he was a democratically elected president, and in a few days, when the protest intensified, Obama asked Mubarak to leave immediately. The United States frequently shifts course to advance its immediate interests, often bolstered by its professed values.
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The United States used to hold a significant position in the minds of many Arab citizens, serving as a "role model" for advanced nations that prioritize professions, freedom, and the rule of law. However, these and other less significant pillars are in decline. Meanwhile, the US often asserts its status as a superpower, which is commendable, but it is important to remember that this status is driven by a single individual who is responsible for the nation's ultimate superiority. In a few months, it’s anticipated that this person will either be an elderly convicted candidate or a woman who lacks the necessary experience in managing the complexity of the Middle East.
The continued interference of the United States in each single conflict in the Middle East that included Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine without showing any single constructive progress in these conflicts has led Arab citizens to hold a strong cultural belief in conspiracy theories and often overestimate the power of the United States, blaming it for every “hostile” event in the universe. Meanwhile, limited mediation by China in the region has managed to settle a couple of disputes.
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The United States' intense support for Israel in its current war on Gaza has significantly distanced many Arab citizens from the US
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Moreover, the inconsistencies of US foreign policy due to its regular swap between Democratic and Republican administrations have led many nations to discredit American foreign policy, viewing US politics as a chaotic system with more failures than successes.
Ironically, despite facing sanctions from the US for nearly two decades, Iran has been enhancing its influence by involving Arab countries like Iraq and Syria in its alliance, along with two important proxy groups: Hazballah in Lebanon and Houthi in Yemen. Moreover, the United States' intense support for Israel in its current war on Gaza has significantly distanced many Arab citizens from the US, either directly or indirectly, by aligning them with the US-named Iran block of the axis of evil who are offering themselves as axis of resistance to the US.
The United States is a short-sighted nation that formulates foreign policies based solely on the interests of its president. It tends to rely on beneficiaries worldwide to realize its missions. The US has lost its credibility in the Arab world, either as a fair broker for the Arab-Israeli conflict or as a truly democratic nation that capitalizes on its power to make this world a better place.
Meanwhile, Arabs, similar to the rest of the world citizens, want to live in peace and prosperity that could only be achieved by applying true democracy and genuinely addressing regional conflicts.
Thus, The United States needs to review its foreign policies thoroughly, engaging more with Arab citizens and offering substantial solutions to the present conflicts instead of being a manipulator, to be able to sustain its commanding status and regain world trust. Foreign affairs depend on consistency and dependability. The Arab world needs more from the US to turn friends-with-benefits into a committed relationship.
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