Strategically situated at the intersection of Africa, Asia, and Europe, the Middle East has long been an important focus of the U.S foreign policy. Security relationships between the U.S and the region are built on economic interests, common security apprehensions, and pragmatism. An article written by Rashaan Ayesh quotes the U.S Central Command to point out that the U.S has stationed at least 60,000 troops in the Middle East, maintaining a costly presence in the region.[1] The article further records that the U.S was looking to deploy an additional 3,000 troops to the region after the killing of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militia and Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S drone strike. The primary reason for choosing the article that expounds on where the U.S troops and military assets in the Middle East are stationed is to try understand how they are used as tools to provide regional stability, and influence the region that is strategically significant for the U.S security interests.
The article discusses how U.S troops and military bases are scattered across the Middle East region to provide security and stability. Heavy military presence influences the U.S foreign policy in a region the United States view strategically important for both security and economic purposes. The article also gives a breakdown on how the U.S troops are strategically positioned across the Middle East region. U.S troops and military assets presence in the Middle East benefits the U.S and Israel, both countries in geopolitical Axis 1 since maintaining peace in the region means the U.S will achieve its economic activities in the region and Israel will be peaceful. On the other hand, the presence of the troops supported the two geopolitical Axis 1 countries faces opposition from Russia and Iran, geopolitical axis 2 coalition. Russia feels the U.S is trying to instill a world order and cement its position as a superpower while Iran feels threatened and would want to claim sovereignty of the region from the oppressors (the U.S and Israel). From experiential learning, the presence of U.S troops and military assets in the Middle East has caused controversy and brought regional disputes. The U.S also feels they are facing a key national security challenge from both China and Russia. As a result, the U.S will deploy its military overseas, especially to the Middle East to exert its power and effectively compete economically, militarily, and diplomatically with her competitors. Although military deployment to the Middle East may cause tensions, especially with Iran, the U.S troops will remain in the region as the United States view the region as strategically important both for economic and security purposes.
[1] Ayesh, Rashaan. 2020. “Where U.S. Troops and Military Assets are Deployed in the Middle East”. Axios. https://www.axios.com/where-us-troops-deployed-middle-east-5e96fdb2-c7ba-4f26-90b4-7bf452f83847.html.