President Obama's Agenda in Riyadh, Berlin, and London

The President visited Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Germany. These meetings highlight the challenges that the US created when becoming involved in Middle Eastern affairs. Syria and Iran are two countries that the United States and its allies want to either invade or undermine. However,, there is a realignment in strategic partnerships. The Obama administration has become increasingly frustrated with Israel's failure to make peace with the Palestinians. What also adds to the tension is that Israel continues to build more settlements and Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the Golan Heights will remain a part of Israel. President Obama believes in going back to the pre-1967 borders. Secretary of State John Kerry has made attempts at initiating talks; all have failed. The United States has other options. It would seem as if the United States is tilting more toward Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies as more reliable allies. Israel will become more isolated as the United States favors Arab nations. The reason is not altruistic, but a means of advancing an agenda. The United States wants to either damage or remove Russia from the Middle East. Syria and Iran are becoming even more close to Russia given the situation of intense conflict. The Obama administration wants the removal of President Assad, but does not want a long term military engagement. This has caused a level of anger with Saudi Arabia, which wants more US support against both Iran and Syria. The war against ISIS continues to escalate with more US  military advisors entering Iraq. This meant that President Obama had to consult both his British and German counterparts. The increase in refugees and the violence they face on the European continent has to be on of the worse human rights disasters of the 21st century. The agenda is now clear. The United States wants to go ahead with a regional war, buttress its Gulf allies, and make Europe even more economically dependent.
       The President wanted to reach a consensus with his Gulf Arab allies. Riyadh and Washington are growing apart in a diplomatic sense. The military objectives are similar, but there are obvious differences in desired outcomes. The United States has attempted regime change and Syria, which was stopped by Russian military intervention. The Saudi government wants Assad deposed directly through ground invasion, but they will not do this without American assistance. Saudi Arabia has shown that it can be formidable when invading Yemen. It has also stopped democratic movements in Bahrain through military force. A new since of national pride has emerged and the kingdom wants to show it is a powerful regional country. There are two countries that are blocking it. Iran and Israel are two regional powers that Saudi Arabia realizes are competitors. The only reason it appears that Saudi Arabia cooperates with Israel is because both have support from the United States. The Obama administration seems to be moving more toward Saudi Arabia rather than Israel. The country has caused problems for the United States. The attack on Gaza, West bank settlement expansion, and efforts to sabotage the Iran nuclear deal have vexed the US president. President Obama did not even bother to visit Israel while he was in the Middle East. This was done not only to shun Prime Minister Netanyahu, but to demonstrate a more Arab tilting foreign policy. The reason is the Gulf nations are better equipped to fight ISIS than Israel, because the country is more focused on harassing its Palestinian population. The United States always favors a country that is militarily strong and can enforce its objectives. Israel is weakening from isolation and international attention to a deteriorating human rights situation. President Obama wants the GCC states to do ground combat against ISIS, while supporting the weak government of Iraq. The United States will then send more military advisors. Air strikes will continue until ISIS is destroyed. This plan has major flaws, which the President was attempting to convince GCC leaders to follow.

There is too much tension over Iran and Syria. Oman does not have a hostile attitude to either Syria or Iran and would most likely not become involved in a collective conflict. The United States still wishes for the removal of Bashar Al-Assad, but sees a military option is not possible as long as Russia is a factor. The US continues to arm what it refers to as "moderate opposition." The United States now it wants a "democratic transition,"  which essentially means leaders that are approved by the United States to rule Syria. Saudi Arabia wants Assad removed under no conditions and a Sunni ruled state with the Kingdom's favor being top priority. The reason Saudi Arabia will not engage ISIS fully is that it has funded extremists in Iraq and Syria. Their goal is to remove Syria there by creating a strike at Iran. President Obama obviously wants a mass regional war, but with Arabs doing most of the fighting. The United States would then rearrange the post-war Middle East to its preferred design.Saudi Arabia is conscious of this and would rather fight with other GCC countries so it gets the most out of war. President Obama's final visit to Saudi Arabia was more than a discussion of ISIS :it is a design for partition of the region. This will have dangerous consequences if it is successful. At the moment, there is too much disagreement among allies to get a mass war started.  

       The President's agenda was also economic. If he wants to wage a larger war the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Germany must be economically stable. Low oil prices have caused issues in the Saudi Kingdom. Iranian oil being reintroduced into the market, free from sanctions has caused problems. OPEC countries have not agreed to cut back production. High oil prices means high revenue for the state. Iran and Saudi Arabia could go to war on the accusation that both are waging economic warfare against one another. This loss of revenue will mean a cut to social services, if noting is done. Europe has been on the decline due to a debt crisis. The UK has even question why bother to remain in the European Union. UK citizens will eventually vote  in referendum either to remain or exit.Unemployment and increasing poverty have been constant challenges to the UK during the European debt crisis. Fiscal austerity has not worked to end economic decline. It merely punishes the average citizen to fix what a wealthy  fancier   class caused. Germany appears to be the economic power house, but there is more beneath the surface. If China does not improve the situation with its slow down, then this will effect Germany. China is a major trading partner with Germany and at the moment is the economic strength of the Eurozone. Germany has been working with Greece on bailout plans over the past three years. President Obama wants a unified and strong European economy. It will be necessary if the US wants to pursue the mass regional war in the Middle East. The obstacle is that Germany does not believe in breaking economic ties with Russia. The US has imposed sanctions over the political crisis in Ukraine. Unlike the UK or France, Germany has attempted negotiation. Imposing sanctions on Russia only harms the world economy, because it stops international corporations from opening markets there. Germany could seize on this change and make its self more powerful. The United States and UK would probably not want a more powerful Germany. President Obama then presented the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. This as he claimed would get rid of meddlesome regulations, allow for closer trade ties, and protect workers rights. This is not true. The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership operates similar to NAFTA or TPP. The establishment of neoliberal capitalism, privatization, and globalization will result in a country economically dependent. Unemployment, cuts to social services, and upheaval will be the result of failed economic policy. 

There were protests during and before President Obama's visit. This was not give attention or analysis by mainstream media outlets. The reason is that this trade deal is suppose to be a success or a new hope for a crumbling European economy. This could have not been pushed through at anytime. It had to be at a point in which Angela Merkel was most vulnerable politically. The United States and the UK want a stable Germany for the sake of the EU, but not a Germany that could surpass both countries economically. Germany has become what Japan has in the East: a former militarist nation rebuilding itself not through force, but industry and business. The recent trade deal could reverse the gains made after reunification. This provides an advantage to the United States having one of Europe's most powerful economies become reliant. 

       The Obama administration also attempted to repair ties with the UK. The tension lies with the intervention in Libya. President Obama had previously stated that it was the UK's fault for the disastrous outcome. This had to have angered David Cameron, who realized that the US had a decades long ant-Qaddafi policy. President Obama continues to not take responsibility for the crisis that was created by an act of aggressive war by the NATO alliance. Hillary Clinton and William Hague were two foreign policy officials actively promoting aggressive war to the public as a humanitarian service. Now that militias, paramilitary groups, and terrorist organizations are partitioning the country the President acts as if there was never US involvement. His visit to London was not only to prevent Britain from leaving the EU, but to solidify a weakened Anglo-American axis .  He praised the country for being a "stable force." The President describe the US-UK relationship as something special. Prime Minister Cameron is critical to US ambitions in Syria. He was an enthusiastic supporter for a military strike against Bashar Al-Assad. Parliament had blocked his efforts at regime change. Most of the discussion involved what to do about a crumbling Libya. There are two rival governments fighting for control. The UN brokered agreement will not last and Libya has become a failed state. President Obama after blaming Britain, later said that the Libya intervention was a mistake. 

 

It seems as if the President is trying to salvage a legacy that has already been tarnished. These feeble attempts demonstrate that the moral authority the US claims to have is a myth. The Arab spring was not a revolution, but a series of regime changes that the West capitalized on. The US hoped on the band wagon with the UK and France to attack nations that were no threat. The aftermath has caused a weakening of the EU. Britain's exit could cause other nations to do the same.President Obama wants a united Europe to be directed at Russia. Although the Soviet Union no longer exists, the Russian Federation is still powerful. The United States wants to have a monopoly on geopolitical power. Russia and China are effectively stopping the United States from doing whatever it wants. Seeing as the UK has been considered the leading power in Europe, ties are critical. If the US is to pursue an anti-Russian policy the UK must remain in the EU. The turn against Russia is a diplomatic mistake, but the United States wants the whole of Europe to follow it. Prime Minister Cameron needs an existential  threat to deflect the public's attention from the Panama Papers and the economic decline. Political vulnerability is a perfect time to cement better ties. President Obama wants the UK in the EU so that the two countries can make attacks on Syria, Iraq, or even Russia. 

        President Obama wants to make Germany more active in his interventionist foreign policy. Germany has become overrun with migrants from Africa and the Middle East. There are challenges in regards to integration, resources, and a backlash of far right extremism. Germany refused to become involved in the NATO war in Libya. However, it has been taking more refugees from that war than any other European nation. President Obama when in Berlin urged tolerance for the refugees . This was contradictory, because the United States has taken less refugees than Europe as a whole. Condemning Germany is hypocritical considering there is more intense racism and Isamophobia  in the United States under an African American presidents watch. Ideally, President Obama wants Germany to engage in war in the Middle East, take as many refugees as possible, and turn against Russia. Germany does not favor intense sanctions against Russia, because of business ties it has. The possibility of expanding trade deals there is something Germany does not want to let go. Chancellor Angela Merkel has faced the biggest challenge to her rule with the migrant crisis.It is clear that President Obama wants a stable Germany, but not too strong. The UK  and France traditionally were opposed to a potent Germany. The US feels it has found a way to balance these fears and old rivalries through trade deals. If Germany is financially dependent on the US, then it will keep it in check. Germany pursuing an independent policy in regards to Russia and Syria could stop US objectives. All the Western European nations and a few Eastern European nations the US wants to be allied in a general anti-Russian Federation coalition. 

This attempt may not be successful. Chancellor Merkel realizes that her political influence could be slipping and a move closer to the United States could damage it further. The situation could get worse with the Iraqi government collapsing. That means more migrants and refugees heading to Germany.The United States by not contributing to the assistance to Germany in the refugee crisis adds pressure. Germany could manipulated into military action as a method to stop the flow of migrant traffic. The United States could make the argument that if Germany follows others into war with Syria, it will end the mass migration. If the US is successful in doing this it will have German economic power on its side.  

        The President's visit to Riyadh, Berlin, and London had multiple objectives. First it was to ensure that Europe as a continent would remained united in the context of EU policy. Saudi Arabia has become a greater regional power in West Asia. This seems to be the ally the US wants to fight ISIS along with other GCC states. Israel has become more of a liability and it seems this administration is moving further away from it. Gulf monarchies are being favored over Netanyahu's government. His policies drove the US and Israel further apart by encouraging anti-Arab racism and rapid expansion of settlements. There was a reason President Obama did not visit Israel. It would be of very little help in the fight against ISIS or efforts to build an Arab coalition. The President by sending military advisors has signaled that this is going to be a long term involvement. Syria now faces a partition from major world powers, terrorist organizations, and the Gulf monarchies. Simultaneously both Iraq and Syria are having a civil war combined with balkanization . President' Obama's general agenda  is to have Arab and European nations fight ISIS with a low level of US assistance, while benefiting economically. This is an intricate web of imperialism, but it will have negative repercussions. Iraq's government has weakened so that it could descend into an even larger war. The increase of refugees has created the worse human rights disaster to date . Racism and religious persecution are becoming socially acceptable in European nations. Anti-Arab and anti-African right-wing parties are making parliamentary gains across the continent. Combined with high unemployment and economic collapse refugees are a easy scapegoat. These challenges are the direct result of NATO action in Libya. President Obama still promotes regime change and nation building as US foreign policy. The difference is that he wants allies to contribute to it, rather than have America do it unilaterally. What effect his actions have on future US policy will not be known for years to come.