Abstract
Whereas George W. Bush sought to expand U.S. influence within the Greater Middle East, Barack Obama curtailed Washington’s role in the region. Although the 44th president’s overall foreign policy mirrored, in many ways, that of the 2nd Bush term, skeptics deplored and even mocked Obama’s policies. Unfazed, Obama persisted with his policy of retrenchment, which proved especially unpopular with America’s interventionists, whether conservative or liberal. Obama’s preference for a reactive position, with the United States in tow rather than in front, stunned and upset its Arab Gulf allies, which expected their primary benefactor and protector to continue taking on their rivals and enemies (e.g., Iran). Simply put, after years of futility in the Greater Middle East, Obama reversed the course of U.S. policy. Supporters touted the wisdom of this bold move; detractors underscored its shortsightedness.
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O’Reilly, M.J., Renfro, W.B. (2022). The Perils of Retrenchment: Barack Obama’s Middle East Policies. In: Grossman, M., Matthews, R.E., Schortgen, F. (eds) Achievements and Legacy of the Obama Presidency. The Evolving American Presidency. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89529-7_10
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