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Primacy In The Middle East: A Case Study

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Regardless of achieving independence from importing Middle Eastern oil for domestic consumption, the U.S. must remain involved there in order to reassure its allies and continue to enforce the global economic system it has created. In the Middle East the existing system depends on maintaining the regional balance of power. Therefore, U.S. has participated in P5+1 diplomatic negotiations with Iran to limit its nuclear weapons development, used military intervention toward the defeat of Daesh before it destroys the government of Iraq, and provided military assistance to Saudi Arabia’s effort to defeat Houthi rebels in Yemen. In terms of globalized economy the U.S. can accept a multipolar economic world if it remains true to a selective engagement …show more content…

What the U.S. grand strategy should strive for is to conserve primacy as the leader in a monopolar world-order. Consequently, the U.S. energy independence affords it the flexibility to not only cut ties with Middle Eastern oil supply but compete directly with it. Oil imported from Canada or extracted by fracking the Marcellus shale within the U.S. provides a more reliable and secure supply than oil from the Middle East. Oil exports from North America could reduce European reliance on Russian oil supplies. This would strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) ability to contain Russian expansionism into Eastern Europe and preserve the monopolar status quo ante; however the U.S. is exhibiting signs of losing its ability to maintain …show more content…

is unable to avoid the economic impact of political instability in the Middle East on the price of oil. Consider whether the current low price of oil is due to domestic crude oil production, or Saudi Arabia’s attempt to flood the market in an effort to drown out the economic benefit of black market oil sales that finance Daesh. In a free market, globalized economy any commodity, oil included, will be sold to the highest bidder. Meaning, oil prices in the U.S., and therefore the domestic economy, remain susceptible to Middle East political instability. If the U.S. is going to pay down national debt, then it needs to restrain its tendency to rely on expensive military interventions in the Middle

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