Member-only story
How The Cold War Sucked The US Into the Middle East For Good
The Eisenhower Doctrine
The Cold War has touched nearly every facet of American life. The ripples from the decades-long conflict continue to reverberate throughout the world to this day. From the war in Ukraine to the United States’ presence in the Middle East, the ghosts of the Cold War continue to rise from their graves.
The United States’ constant meddling in the Middle East has drawn ire from moderate Americans and international observers for decades. The United States has put its fingers in nearly every country in the region, from Lebanon to Israel to Iran and Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Syria. There are still thousands of American soldiers dotted around the region in (illegal) postings protecting American “interests.”
The strong pull of the Middle East is yet another hangover from the Cold War that simply will not abate. Obviously, due to the ubiquitous nature of oil in the modern economy, the Middle East was always going to draw international attention. But the current obsession with meddling in Middle Eastern regimes has roots going all the way back to World War I and a declaration made by President Eisenhower in 1957.
