Chuxi Obama's Middle East Policy And Its Direction

The Middle East, because of its location in the junction of Europe, Asia andAfrica, has an very important strategic position. In the Middle East, where theresource of energy is very rich, is the world’s major oil and gas producing andexporting region. However, because of too many nations, religions and historyproblems in this region, the Middle East is a hotspot where there are the mostcomplex contradictions, the most violent force and the most local conflicts, especiallyIsraeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq issue, Afghanistan issue, and the Iranian nuclear issue.In this case, American government always attaches great importance to the MiddleEast. Although different policy on the Middle East, the purpose of the Americangovernments is to protect U.S. interests and strategic objectives in the Middle East.The trend of the American policy on the Middle East has his great effect on thestability and security of the region.The assist will begin with the review of the policies of American governments onthe Middle East since the Second World War, the text will analyze changes ofObama’s Middle East policy and the extend of development in the wave of the "ArabSpring". Bogged down in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars because of the radical policyof George W. Bush, with the profound impact of the global financial crisis, at thebeginning of Obama’s administration, he had to adjust his policy on the Middle Eastto a relatively pragmatic method and pursue strategic contraction. He made effortsto use the "soft power", the multilateralism, dialogue and consultation to resolve theproblems, in order to improve the image of the U.S. in the Middle East and in theworld, and improve the relations with the Arab and Islamic world. Besides, Obamafocus on resolving the hot issues in the Middle East, for example, the withdrawal fromIraq, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the Middle East peace process. But suddenly, thedemocratic revolution-the "Arab Spring" occurred first in Tunisia, and quickly spreadto the entire West Asian and North African region, resulting in the continued volatilityof the region. Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the pro-US Arabcountries have been deeply involved, the stability and the national strength of these countries were severely affected. Iran, benefited from the "Arab Spring", made theIranian nuclear issue becoming once again the regional focus, and the situation inSyria was becoming a stage of wrestling between the U.S. and Russia, even betweenthe U.S. and Iran. In this case, the Obama administration must re-adjust its MiddleEast policy, strengthen gradually the interference on the Iranian nuclear issue and thesituation in Libya an Syria, slowdown the strategic contraction of the U.S. in theMiddle East. Although the national power of the U.S. has been weaken, and the U.S.will continue the strategic contraction in the world and in the Middle East, theposition of the U.S. in the world will not be changed, the interests and strategicobjectives in the Middle East of the U.S. will not be changed, the American policy onthe Middle East will always be pragmatic and complex.