Obama Goes Big in the Middle East
There is nothing in the resumé of President Barack Obama to suggest that he considers himself a strategic thinker when it comes to foreign affairs. Unlike President Nixon and his policy muse Henry Kissinger, or even Jimmy Carter who brokered the strategic partnership between Israel and Egypt, Obama has yet to evince much interest in remaking the world. Foreign affairs under his watch has been more about disengaging — from Iraq and Afghanistan in particular — than in grandiose designs for a new world order.
However, in the Middle East Obama may be drawn into a becoming a key and enthusiastic architect in the region's strategic transformation. After years of thinking small, tinkering without great impact at the margins of Middle East affairs, he may well find himself today in history's sweet spot — well-placed to be “present at the creation” of a new regional strategic agenda.
Thinking big can be contagious. What began as an all but unintentional, successful effort to destroy Syria's chemical weapons arsenal has already created an atmosphere supportive of re-engagement with Iran. A resolution of Israel's key territorial differences with the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims would also be well-served by progress on these fronts.
Obama's disinterest in Syria and his ambivalence about the country's future beyond an aspiration to end the Assad regime are history. The Geneva framework that is evolving in the wake of the successful decommissioning of Damascus' chemical weapons arsenal does not offer simple solutions, but the prospect of a resolution is greater because of the record of successful US-Russian-Iranian cooperation on this file.
Now deeply engaged in solving the Syrian war, Washington, with the support of its European allies, has begun to engage Iran in a process which, if successful, would result in US recognition of the legitimacy of basic Iranian security concerns in the region … and vice versa. This is the core challenge facing all the parties and its resolution will transform relations not only between Iran and the West, but also among antagonists throughout the region. The burdens and the opportunities will not only be Washington's. Imagine what changes will be required in the “axis of resistance” in an environment conditioned by a deal on Syria and a diplomatic path to Iran's economic and strategic cooperation with the West.
Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/obama-goes-big-on-mideast-syria-iran-israel-palestinians.html##ixzz2k1S7ykYq
