Events

Three successive U.S. Presidents have talked of the need for America to draw down its commitments to the Middle East in order to focus on Asia and great power competition with China and Russia. All have thus far failed to significantly reduce America's presence in the region, but their reluctance to intervene militarily in Syria or against Iran have left many regional leaders uncertain about its willingness and ability to protect their security and interests. How does Washington think today about American interests in the Middle East? Are we moving towards a post-American Middle East, and what would that entail?

Marc Lynch is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University and the director of the Project on Middle East Political Science. He edits the series Columbia Studies of Middle East Politics and the Monkey Cage political science blog for the Washington Post.

Marc's most recent books include The Political Science of the Middle East: Theory and Research After the Arab Uprisings and The New Arab Wars: Anarchy and Uprisings in the Middle East.