The Effects of U.S Foreign Policy in the Middle East

The Effects of U.S Foreign Policy in the Middle East

Over the past decades, U.S policy has played a key role in the politics of the Middle East.

From coup and dethroning of shah of Iran in the 1950s and 1970s, to the Gulf War of 1991,

destruction of Iraq on the pretext of possessing nuclear weapons, US policy has had a profound

effect on the relationships of the neighboring countries in the region on one side and anti-

Americanism trend on the other which resulted in terrorist attacks on September 11th. A

devastating and shocking incident in which thousands of people lost their lives and Americans

are still concerned about the subsequent ones. These pieces of evidence like the above-mentioned

well demonstrate that the U.S policy in the region has been wrong. Aiming at creating chaos and

consequently looting resources, U.S intervention in the name of anti-terrorism or supporting

human rights is definitely leading to more hostility and aggression and instability both in the

region and the U.S.

American attacks made in the name of anti-terrorism and human rights create instability

in the region. After the September 11th shocking attacks and arresting some suspects from the

Middle Eastern countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, Americans dreamt of uprooting

terrorism in the region and bring dramatic changes which would lead to more stability. For

example, one of the dramatic changes was to invade Iraq because their possession of weapons of

mass destruction was a major threat to the peace of the region and the world; Saddam Hussein

was accused of supporting al-Qaeda and Iraqi government abused human rights. Not only did the

dreams of destroying terrorism and sustaining human rights come true, but violence among

various groups soon ended in the fights between many Sunnis and Shiites, and eventually a new

faction of Al-Qaeda emerged in Iraq. As a result, many Iraqis including Shiites, Kurds, and

Sunnis were killed by American forces and suicide bombings or their human rights were more

abused in prisons like Abu Ghreib. According to WikiLeaks, 109,032 violent deaths including

66,081 civilian deaths from January 2004 to December 2009 have been reported. Such brutal

killings tarnish the true image of America in the region and a prominent journalist from New

York times said, "If the United States wants to improve its image in the Islamic world, it should

stop killing Muslims." Such political interventions provide the ground for chaos, displacement

and murder of people and causes infamy for the U.S in the world.

Instability created by Americans is largely because they have no interest in supporting

stability at all. There is no doubt that interest lies in chaos and instability which enables them to

fish in the troubled waters. The problem is that American foreign policy has always focused on

America's presence and domination in the region rather than peace and stability of the region.

Washington's policymakers always try to analyze in advance what the future will hold for U.S

interests