Maliki’s controversial two-term premiership entrenched corruption and sectarianism, leading to ISIS’s rise. While Iran supported his nomination, Trump’ unequivocal opposition forced Iraq’s Shia coalition into a stark choice: withdraw his candidacy or risk major U.S. political and economic consequences.
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The strategy signals a shift from direct U.S. military management to empowering Gulf partners as primary security providers. This institutionalizes regional autonomy within a framework of U.S. strategic deterrence and prioritizes economic and technological cooperation over conflict.
Washington must pressure regional patrons—especially the UAE—and include Sudanese civil society to forge a viable peace. Without addressing the proxy dimensions and local agency, diplomatic initiatives will fail to halt the humanitarian and strategic crisis.
Brodsky advocates for comprehensive pressure and targeted strikes to exploit regime fragility, while Citrinowicz warns military action would consolidate the regime and prefers sustained sanctions to force internal change. Both agree the regime’s long-term stability is doubtful.
The system is consuming itself as the U.S. discards the legitimizing frameworks that once amplified its power. This unconstrained unilateralism prompts allies to hedge and rivals to harden, accelerating global fragmentation rather than consolidating American dominance.
For Mohammed bin Salman, the key goal of this visit is securing a formal U.S. security pact to cement Saudi Arabia’s strategic autonomy, not normalizing ties with Israel. This calculated move aims to rehabilitate his international image as a serious leader above all else.
America’s assertive China policy has cooled into defensive uncertainty, lowering tariffs and easing chip restrictions. This retreat signals a loss of confidence as policymakers confront China’s staggering dominance in green tech, infrastructure, and manufacturing scale.
Trump’s approach to China is starkly inconsistent, blending harsh threats with surprising concessions. This deliberate ambiguity keeps allies guessing and could reshape the Indo-Pacific balance of power for decades.
Trump’s 2025 strategy prioritises Gulf ties and transactional interests, reducing US commitments while reshaping Middle East responsibilities.
A study argues the U.S. missed three key chances to prevent Yemen’s war between 2011-2015, including by not restraining former President Saleh or moderating Saudi war aims. These failures, rooted in short-term priorities and flawed assumptions, enabled the Houthis’ rise to global disruptors.