If Trump wants to win in the Middle East, he must focus on security, not grand visions

President Trump’s plans for the Middle East are now coming into view, and they appear to be quite grand.

His proposal to take over Gaza indicates he is thinking in transformational terms about the region. Like other presidents before him, Trump is looking at what appear to be propitious conditions on the ground—namely, a strengthened Israel and a seriously weakened Iran and Russia—to craft ambitious initiatives meant to bring peace and order to this conflict-ridden region. Gaza will soon become the “Riviera of the Middle East,” according to Trump.

But it is a big mistake to focus on grand plans for transformation rather than U.S. national security interests. Trump should step away from it, if he’s smart.

History shows that grand visions for the Middle East almost always come with unintended negative consequences for the U.S. Just look at former President George W. Bush’s democracy agenda and the war in Iraq. A Gaza takeover will look much the same.

Read at The Hill

Author

William
Walldorf

Senior Fellow

Defense Priorities