MESOP TODAYS ANALYSIS : INSS Insight No. 864 by Oded Eran

The American Conundrums in the Middle East, as Reflected in the Clinton-Trump Debate – by Oded Eran, INSS – Tel Aviv – 26 Oct 2016

In their second televised debate, which focused on US foreign policy issues, first and foremost Syria, Clinton and Trump disagreed on the identity of the enemy, how to reach a resolution in Syria and Iraq, and the role the United States should play in resolving the refugee crisis triggered by the fighting in these states. The difference between the two presidential candidates is deeply ideological and not merely tactical, and carries with it long term ramifications, assuming that the policies articulated by each candidate will be implemented once she or he enters the White House.

Trump more than hinted that the total defeat of the Islamic State legitimates using Assad and Russia. Clinton stressed a key point: she is adamantly opposed to the use of US military force on the ground, and favors assistance to the locals and targeted killings. • The lofty aspirations of Presidents G. W. Bush and Obama, aimed at solidifying a democratic civil society and developing a dialogue among cultures and religions, were shattered by the regional reality even before the Arab Spring. Any strategy that the United States now chooses will be heavily affected by cooperation with states and state-like entities in the Middle East, though at times this principle will force Washington to choose between interests and values.

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