In 2050, believe historians will look back on 2020 baffled as to why USA sought conflict with Iran, put up with Saudi & remained in Iraq, when US is a net exporter of oil & the great challenge to America is China.
There is a bizarre, misdirected, bipartisan obsession in DC with the Middle East based on flawed assumptions. Politicians, policy makers & think tanks inflate & sustain these conflicts of declining strategic importance to detriment of much more important US strategic interests
Iran, Iraq, Saudi - are distant states that share none of our long run interests, do not share our values nor believe in our way of government, are currently a waste of US time & resources and will matter less to US over time.
US became interested in the Middle East because of oil and in the context of Cold War competition with Soviet Union, that sustained after Cold War ended, but it is no longer valid.
If US truly evaluated it’s long term strategic interests, we’d be focused closer to home. Mexico is US #1 trade partner, could be called a failing state, many of its citizens are in the US & we will be inextricably linked to them as climate change devastation sets in.
