Matt Duss, the executive vice president of the Center for International Policy, was recently on “The Bottom Line,” with Steve Clemons. He spoke to the dramatic changes currently taking place in U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East. His perspectives come in the wake of Donald Trump’s historic visit to the region. Amidst much speculation about what this visit could mean for Yemen, Iran, and Syria, we break down its key components.
During Trump’s visit, the United States announced a new policy towards Yemen, Iran and Syria. This was a pretty undeniable turning point from old policies. Now, analysts, advocates and leaders are pushing back on this dramatic change. They fear its long-term consequences on regional stability and humanitarian efforts. Duss emphasized how huge the difference would be if the U.S. policy were reconfigured, especially on these countries. Such a change would have disastrous consequences for humanitarian assistance and conflict resolution efforts.
Undoubtedly one of the most immediately alarming topics, as Duss pointed out, was the situation in Gaza. He also condemned the U.S.-Israeli plan for focusing humanitarian assistance. It facilitates actions that could lead to egregious humanitarian catastrophes. Duss stated that this strategy could enable Israel to “force the ethnic cleansing of a huge part of Gaza’s population.” This claim is a testament to how bad it’s gotten in Gaza. Starvation is currently being used as a tool of war, making the most basic existence impossible for its citizens.
In his smart analysis, Duss further warned that the Democratic Party needs to be aware of these moves by Trump on foreign policy. He commented, “The Democrats have completely left the antiwar, pro-diplomacy, pro-peace lane open for Donald Trump to fill.” He argues that the party has not properly addressed critical questions around foreign intervention and peace diplomacy. This miscalculation would play directly into Trump’s hands with voters who crave the new, out-of-the-box approach.
Duss’s insights open up a hopeful but fraught new world for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He underscores important limits and challenges within humanitarian aid as well as militarized interventions. The current crises in Yemen and Syria are more than just an aggravating factor. U.S. leaders would do well to consider the increasing dangers of this incendiary mood toward Iran.
