An Analysis of U.S. Foreign Policy Toward the Middle East in the New Clinton Administration
Author: Chu Chang Pi-chu
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
In the 1996 Presidential Election, Bill Clinton was re-elected as the President of the United States. As the result of a changing of hands in the foreign policy-making departments in the second-term of the Clinton Administration, speculations abounded as to whether or not this would lead to a change in the U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East. On the basis of a comprehensive analysis, we have come to the conclusion that certain tactical re-adjustments aside, the fundamental U.S. policy toward the Middle East would remain unchanged. Specifically, in order to maintain geo-political, political, military, trade and economic interests in the Middle East, foreign policy measures taken in the first term of the Clinton Administration would remain to be effective, e.g., to play a dominant role in the Middle East peace process, to attempt a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace agreement, to prevent Russia, Western European countries and Japan from meddling in Midde Eastern affairs, to support Israel and Egypt, to deploy military forces in the Persian Gulf region as a stabilizing force in the Middle East, to fight against such regional powers as Iraq and Iran and to contain radical Islamic expansions.