Implications of Trump’s Global Strategy in the Middle East and South Asia

Under Trump administration U.S. foreign policy has undergone drastic change. U.S. has moved away from championing globalization and multilateralism, weakened Trans-Atlantic relations, adopted a confrontational policy with China, and changed its posture towards the Middle East and South Asia. The latter is an important component of the new US foreign policy. The Trump administration is looking to build a new alliance system in the Middle East, rooted in close ties with Gulf countries to combat terrorism, contain Iran, and create a strategic bloc that would also bolster US’s global position vis-à-vis China and Russia. The strategy is designed to change the balance of power in the Middle East in favor of the US-led alliance. That shift has diplomatic, military but also economic implications. It will force changes in status of Iran, but also Turkey and Pakistan; and as a result also have implications for India's role in South Asia and in balancing China. The success of this strategy could change the Middle East in fundamental ways, but is contingent on how domestic politics in the US and a number of regional issues, most important, Syria and Afghanistan, will end. This talk delves into the above topics in greater detail.

Speakers

• Vali Nasr, Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies

Hosted by

• NYU Abu Dhabi Institute