Open AccessUS Middle East Policy Shift: Trump’s Administration Divergency
Author(s) -
Matthias Beck
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
vestnik rossijskogo universiteta družby narodov. seriâ gosudarstvennoe i municipalʹnoe upravlenie/vestnik rossijskogo universiteta družby narodov. seriâ: gosudarstvennoe i municipalʹnoe upravlenie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2411-1228
pISSN - 2312-8313
DOI - 10.22363/2312-8313-2019-6-4-296-311
Subject(s) - geopolitics , middle east , autocracy , international relations , politics , political science , administration (probate law) , democracy , political economy , comparative politics , foreign policy , realism , positive economics , sociology , economics , epistemology , law , philosophy
Middle East is one of the most volatile geopolitical hotspots in the world. US administration approach towards the region is crucial for geopolitical relations between great powers, regional stability, moreover projects leverages and friction for political developments far beyond its geographical definition. Main research objective takes a comparative prospective between administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump and their approaches towards the region. Key hypothesis is that approach of Donald Trump differs from the one of Barack Obama. Sub-hypothesis is: was US influence in the Middle East more profound and sinewy, during Obama administration and his “universal liberalism” - theoretical approach, or Trump administration Hobbesian realism, zero-sum and “make the job done” is more potent for new geopolitical constellation of power. Further, autocratic dictators or Islamist forces, is democracy in the Middle East increasing or decreasing US influence in the region. This article determines effects of how different theoretical, personal and operational dynamics influence political developments on multiple levels. Identifies vectors and modality of US relations with key countries in the region during both administrations. Analysis in this article lies in the realist school of thought in international politics and uses comparative methods of Comparative politics in political science.