Serwan Zangana
The United States foreign policy in the Middle East and Muslim countries is a complicated equation that changes based on the political interests of the American politicians in the region. Such policy caused the United States to be distrusted by these countries. The U.S foreign policy is similar to a pendulum “a body suspended from a fixed point so as to swing freely to and fro under the action of gravity and commonly used to regulate movement…” ( Merriam Webster). This policy swings back and forth just like pendulum from the fixed point which is Washington DC. It has created more agony and resulted in displacing millions of people in the region.
For examples, from the decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has no resolution, the disastrous situation of Afghanistan, which resulted in killing thousands of people, Iran’s nuclear situation and the sanction on the country, which mainly affects Iranian people, and now, Ukraine-Russia war. All are the result of the U.S foreign policy that changes from one point to another without a solution to establishing peace or at least reducing the tensions and the ongoing conflicts. Indeed, in each situation the innocent people are the victims.
In every U.S presidential election campaign the candidates from left and right freely promise to solve international problems in general, and especially in the Middle East. Definitely, less promises will be fulfilled after the election.
As Arab Muslims are a large part of the American society, they become the main target by the presidential candidates, particularly Democrats, during the election campaign. Through preaches about peace deals and promises to implement the so called human rights in the Middle East, the candidates attempt to capture Arab Muslims’ votes. Apparently, Election propaganda is not limited to one president or political party.
The common phrase among Americans “ same old same old” which is something or someone’s behavior that remains the same and is dreary is exactly what the American politicians are during the election campaigns. They preach the same message to the Arab Muslims in the United States. However, the Democrats have always been more successful than Republicans in winning the Arab Muslims’ vote in the United States. And the reason is, while there are more individuals in Republican Party criticizing the immigration policy and supporting a restrictive immigration law, the Democrats believe in an open border with no restriction whatsoever.
The United States foreign policy is unpredictable, which can take a sudden U turn and change a situation of the region or a country without consideration of any agreement or deal that has been made in the past. In fact the United States will never become a permanent ally with the Middle Eastern countries for the sake of the friendship only. It is less given from the U.S and more taken from these countries.
The chaotic political system in the United States is worse than it appears to the world as the majority of the politicians are accomplices in corruption. Both the Democrat and Republican Party mainly agree on maneuvering and shifting the United States policy in the Middle East. Apparently, each party operates under a different strategy and no one truly is in a position to assist in bridging the gaps and establishing peace in the region permanently. After all, every U.S politician follow the same policy, but each one has his own speed