President Barack Obama declared the pivot
to Asia as he decided to withdraw from Iraq
and Afghanistan.
However, the Middle East needs further attention and involvement by the United States. In
the final debate on foreign policy for the forthcoming presidential election on
October 22, both candidates focused extensively on the Middle
East. It is true that the rise of China
is growing increasingly critical issue in national security, and more resources
are required in the Asia pacific region. But
that does not mean that the United States
should lessen its presence in the Middle East.
The War on Terror has not ended, and defense balance of eastern and western
Eurasia must be reconsidered in view of the Arab Spring, nuclear ambition of Iran, civil war in Syria,
and the US embassy attack in
Libya.
Let me examine inescapable role of the United States in the Middle
East. The underlying idea of the pivot to Asia is to stop
overstretch in the Middle East and Central Asia by the Bush administration, and
thereby, to shift personnel and resources to the Asia
pacific region. However, the assassination of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in
Libya has revealed that Al
Qaeda has found another base there after severely beaten in Iraq and Afghanistan. Though weakened, terrorists
still murders people in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Fred Hiatt, Editorial Page Editor of the Washington Post, points out that Obama
dismisses the vital implication of 9-11 beyond Al Qaeda that the Middle East stability cannot be achieved unless Muslims
adapt themselves to globalization and universal human rights. He says “This isn’t America’s
struggle, but it is a struggle America
can’t ignore.”Also, as he insists,
the United States must be
ready to intervene to support freedom fighters in the Middle
East when necessary. However, as seen in Afghanistan, Obama is obsessed with the
timetable rather than completing the mission (“No escape from the Middle East”; Washington Post; October 7, 2012).
How was the presidential debate of foreign policy
on October 22? The final debate focused on the Middle East, and spent little
time on China.
Both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were careful to avoid mentioning something
provocative that would raise doubts to their supreme commander credentials
among voters. As a result, the gap had been narrowed in the debate. However,
focal differences were found on the Middle East.
Martin Indyk, Vice President of the Brookings Institution, mentions the
following points. Obama wants to shift attention to Asia as he sees that the US economy will be less dependent oil import
from the Middle East while more dependent on rising markets in Asia. Unlike his predecessor, Middle
East democracy is not the primary issue for Obama. On the other
hand, Romney explores more interventionist policy in view of widespread unrest in
the region, and he does not accept the viewpoint that less dependence on Middle East oil means less importance of this region to US
national security. See the video below.
In support of continual US presence in the Middle East, Senator John
McCain criticized that the Obama administration has ruined the achievements in Iraq due to
reckless withdrawal. Also, he warned of the spread of Al Qaeda terrorism in
North Africa from Libya to Mali.
See the video below.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
The rise of China
and growing interstate rivalries necessitate steady US presence in the Asia Pacific region.
But that does not mean that the United States
should curtail involvement in the Middle East.
Senator John McCain repeatedly argues that it America’s indifference to the Middle
East that left the region terrorist home ground, and ultimately, led to 9-11 attacks.
The problem is beyond oil. Leaving extremism, terrorism, autocracy, and nuclear
proliferation in this region will inflict tremendous costs to global security, and
“It is a struggle that America
can’t ignore” ti fight against those challenges.