Dr Muhammad Khan
WITH the brokering of a deal between Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE), President Trump achieved a major mile-stone in the US foreign policy for the Middle Eastern region. The deal will be signed in Washington on September 15, 2020 in the presence of many other Arab leaders and dignitaries from all over the globe. While negotiating this deal, President Trump hoped that, all other regional countries will have similar deals with the state of Israel, which was once considered as an occupier of the Arab land by these Arab monarchs. There has been no opposition from Arab world except few voices from Iran and Turkey. Even before, the formal signing of the Israel-UAE deal, Bahrain has also normalized its relationship with Israel. President Trump announced this desire of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa through a Twitter, after having the consent of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump said in a statement, “This is truly a historic day,” expecting other regional states of GCC to follow the suit. Indeed, Trump never expected the fragility and excitement of the regional states to be closer to Israel, thus had to say, “It’s unthinkable that this could happen and so fast.” He expects joining rest of the states in this unholy alliance soon.
Whereas, this entire development, taking place in the Middle East, speaks a great success of the United States foreign policy towards this region, it also speaks the fragility of the regional states and policies of monarchs towards their sovereignties and regional integration. In 2016, many people in United States and elsewhere criticized election of Donald Trump as President of sole super power. The development in Middle East is a great response to the critics. These developments also indicate the vision and planning behind selection / election of US Presidents and the consistency in US policies towards various global issues and interests abroad. Indeed, it was surprise for many in United States (U.S) and elsewhere at global level once Donald Trump won the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016. Trump received 304 and Hillary Clinton 227, as 7 faithless electors, 2 pledged to Trump and 5 to Clinton, voted for other candidates. The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election in US. During the election campaign, Trump was hardly a favourite Presidential candidate for most of the US natives. But, victory of Donald Trump was desired and essential for those who wanted to implement the long-awaited agendas both at home in United States as well as at the global level. Banning entry into US of the people of a particular belief and faith and racial discrimination at home made President Trump unpopular among the immigrants and for elegant natives but most appropriate for those who brought him to the power.
After having brought radical changes in the US foreign and domestic policies on above-mentioned issues, President Trump focused on Middle East. The immediate step was creating a fissure among the Muslim states of Arab world at multiple levels. One: expanding the existing gulf between Sunni monarchs of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state and Islamic Republic of Iran, exploiting their current fault-lines. Two: creating a fissure within the GCC states, based on tactical issues having no significance. Three: influencing all regional countries through a policy of divide and rule. On May 21, 2017 President Trump addressed representatives of Muslim countries in Riyadh and apparently emphasized unity among Muslims against the terrorist organizations and terrorism. But, targeted some of the Muslim states which indeed, was an intrinsic contradiction in his speech; saying and desire. In fact, his speech was the formal beginning of rivalry and enmity among the Muslims states of Arab world and even GCC. The gulf continued between these states with each passing day. Whereas, the origin of terrorist organizations in Middle East can be traced from their strategic usage by major powers, the depiction was quite contrary.
These terrorist organizations were created with lot of deliberations for creating a cause which ultimately used for create effect; a cause and effect relationship. Militancy and terrorism is an anti-thesis of Islam and Muslims, thus has to be analysed in the perspective of its prospective beneficiary. After creating the split among the GCC states, United States received major consignments for the purchase of arms and ammunition from the new rivals of Middle Eastern region. While these Arab states isolate and fight among themselves, US defence industrial complex earn lot of money through their consignments. Through the projection of terrorism and terrorist organizations as the real threat for the region, United States and its regional allies were able to put the Palestine issue under the carpet. Today, Palatine is hardly an issue for the Arab world, thus they are in hurry to normalize their relationship with state of Israel, the illegal occupier of Arab land in violation of UN resolutions. This all is because of the successful foreign policy of United States under President Donald Trump. After his successful mission in Middle East, President Trump may embark upon to resolve other global disputes, following the suit. This would allow him a second term, a repeat of November 2016.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
