The USA has a significant effect on the Middle East in a very long time. When we look at
history, we encounter the effect of the USA on the Middle East in the 1920s, after founding
oil in there. The USA took part in the Middle East with the companies which are related to
products of the oil. However, the most active attitudes of the USA was seen after the Second
World War years. Especially, after establishing Israel in 1948, although their relationship got
along slowly, the USA got a policy on the Middle East which was being a leader and
providing security and stability. In this writing, we will look at the USA’s plans on the Middle
East, relations of Israel and the USA, and agreement between Israel, Bahrain, and the United
Arab Emirates.
After the Second World War, there were two powerful states which were the USSR and the
USA. Also, the USA wanted that the USSR could not come into the Middle East area and
change any regulations there. Moreover, the USA was seen as the leader of the West bloc in
the Cold War years, and the USA had to get areas of the oil that had economic and strategic
significance. Also, from 1980 to 1988 Iraq and Iran got war, and because of the USA’s
publishing of the Carter Doctrine which defends that if any state got any intervention on the
Persian Gulf, the USA could take part in that issue, the USA helped Iraq with not only giving
weapons but also helping production of the biological weapons. However, the USA changed
that policy with following in wake of balance policy between these countries. Here, the
USA’s main aim was that not determining which state was powerful, and at the end of the
war, the USA’s want was occurred with anyone’s not gaining war. Moreover, during the Cold
War years, the USA took part in the Middle East, but it was not as much as after the 9/11
attack. After that attack, the USA developed a strategy which was called the National Security
Strategy of the USA. According to that, the most significant point of international politics is
that being more secure and better. Also, to apply that strategy the USA invaded both
Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition to these, in today Greater Middle East project which is
related to Morocco, Mauritania, Central Asia, Mongolia, Caucasus, Turkey, the Arab world,
and Somalia’s legal, political, educational, economical, social, and security dimensions of the
“Islamic world” and claims transformation strategy aims for a long-term change in these
areas.
The USA was the first state to recognize the state of Israel which was founded in 1948.
However, it would not be correct to say that their relationship is progressing very quickly and

that they were as close as they are today. We can say that after the Iran Revolution in 1979,
the negotiations between the USA and Israel increased and the strategic relationship
developed accordingly. In addition, after the declining influence of Britain in the Middle East
after the 1960s, the changes in the Arabs, Israel’s strongness in the Arab Wars, and the USA’s
support for domestic policy interests, there has been increasing rapprochement with Israel. It
is even possible to see Israel as the most important ally outside of NATO. Today, we can say
that the common interests of the USA and Israel continue due to the threats posed by Iran’s
development.
On 15th September 2020, agreements were signed between Israel and the United Arab
Emirates, and Israel and Bahrain. The USA had an effect on that attempt of these countries,
the USA provided that living in that process faster and in a month. According to that
agreement, these countries will appoint an envoy to each other, and they will try to make
partnerships in economic, social, and political areas. Also, the conflict and problems between
Israel and Arabs can be got rid of with that kind of agreement. On the other hand, the visual
reason for that agreement’s signing is the threat of Iran. In today, there are three blocks which
are Turkey and Qatar; Iran, Syria, Hezballah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, and several
militants in Iraq; Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. From these blocs,
we examine second and third ones. From the second bloc, Iran is the reason for the worries in
both in the USA and in the third bloc because of having nuclear threat. Therefore, the USA
made a meeting in Warsaw in February 2019 with Israel and UAE. Then, September 2020
Israel, Bahrain, and UAE came together and signed agreements about partnership. When we
come to why the USA took part in these, we can answer that with the instability of the region,
preventing regional imbalances of powers and smoothing tradition of the Gulf can be made by
the partnership of the USA with the local ones, this is also good for the USA’s own interests
which we were mentioned before.
To conclude, the USA has an effect on the Middle East since the 1920s, and the
significance of the Middle East to the USA never decrease, on the other hand, after the 9/11
terrorist attack it increased. Moreover, Israel was founded in 1948 and the first recognition
was provided by the USA. In the beginning, their relationship has made the process not fast,
but then with the threat of Iran increased, they became very close. Also, the USA tried to
provide not only good relations to Israel with neighborhoods but also own interests which
were related to instability of the region, preventing regional imbalances of powers and
smoothing tradition of the Gulf.

This article is written by Buse Bakkaloğlu