Throughout my 30-year career in the United States Air Force, I saw the rise and fall of geopolitical power around the world. Yet, one thing remained constant – the United States poured substantial treasure and military manpower into the seemingly intractable conflicts in the Middle East while desperately grasping for positive strategic outcomes. Despite our best attempts, it always seemed as though U.S. efforts were for naught. It was a sinkhole that significantly drained our finances and a quagmire that disproportionately shackled our strategic influence.
In one of my final assignments before retirement, I observed the delicate attempts of influence the United States sought in the Middle East. A month after I left my position in Baghdad as the U.S. Senior Defense Official to Iraq, the world witnessed the horrific fall of Afghanistan back into the hands of the Taliban and the complete dismantling of U.S. efforts to maintain a fragile, self-sustaining situation in that country. In that moment of feckless failure by the Biden White House and the leaders of the United States Central Command, the U.S. lost hope and emboldened its adversaries.
Yet, as we approach the four-year anniversary of that tragic self-inflicted wound in Kabul, we are witnessing meaningful change in the Middle East for the first time in decades. Americans should feel a sense of hope that the region can offer benefits to the United States rather than simply draining its resources. In the wake of President Donald Trump’s four-day visit to the Middle East and a stunning military success in the 12-Day War between Iran and Israel, we are seeing change that has created conditions for sustainable gains in the region after decades characterized by endless losses.
Instead of draining U.S. accounts in pursuit of geopolitical commitments in the region with little to show for it, as his predecessors had done for decades, President Trump established robust economic ties between the United States and Middle East power players – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emeritus, and Qatar. These deals promise to create a collaborative economic engine and source of geopolitical cooperation that will lead to tangible and lasting benefits for the United States.
Additionally, President Trump’s decision during the visit to sit down with Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, opened doors for economic benefit and geopolitical advantage. Substantial outcomes may include removing a safe haven for ISIS terrorism, eliminating a springboard for Iranian malign activity, axing an avenue for Russian strategic posturing, and alleviating an axis of concern for Israel.
Now, despite the debate about the extent of damage of Iran’s nuclear programs, the Iranian ability to project power has been drastically curtailed. Their nuclear program is severally damaged if not destroyed, their ballistic missile program stands at a small percentage of its pre-war stocks, and their proxy network has a sponsor that lacks credibility and financing to support their long-standing and quickly-diminishing arc of instability.
Maybe the most telling single act that telegraphs renewed hope in the Middle East came the morning after the ceasefire when it was announced that Syria and Israel are in talks to normalize their relations. The world is seeing an incredible geopolitical shift that only a few months ago no one thought possible!
Importantly, each of these endeavors must be carefully considered and wisely applied with an ongoing level of strategic savvy. President Trump’s team must ensure that activities in the Middle East are aligned with full-spectrum U.S. interests and objectives and that the United States avoids unnecessary entanglements with entities that are not reliable nor to be trusted. Any partnership with Qatar must be judiciously and carefully considered in light of their ongoing support for terrorist entities that are profoundly opposed to U.S. interests. Additionally, the lifting of sanctions on Syria must be accompanied by mechanisms to monitor the new government’s commitment to eschew its terrorist roots.
Nevertheless, a fresh perspective and a new playbook for the region is long overdue to avoid a situation that has been a consistent drain on U.S. finances, resources, manpower, and geopolitical attention.
In just four days, President Trump set conditions for the United States to enjoy lasting influence and enduring benefit, undoing decades of unwieldy constraints and unsustainable, unidirectional support. In twelve days, the power balance shifted significantly away from the sources of regional instability. For the first time in my adult life, Americans can envision a Middle East that benefits the United States instead of simply bankrupting us.
Brig. Gen. John Teichert (U.S. Air Force, ret.) is a leading expert on foreign affairs and military strategy. He served as commander of Joint Base Andrews and Edwards Air Force Base, was the U.S. senior defense official to Iraq, and recently retired as the assistant deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs. A prolific author and speaker, he can be followed at johnteichert.com and on LinkedIn.