United States Policy in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract This article examines the United States’ approach to the Eastern Mediterranean. Despite reducing its military commitment and deciding to pursue a policy less inclined to use military force, the US has neither withdrawn its military presence completely nor abandoned its allies in the region. Instead, it has recalibrated its involvement, limiting its engagement and related costs to reallocate resources to the Asia Pacific. However, the US still seeks to prevent Russia and China from co-opting its partners in the Eastern Mediterranean, just as it strives to combat terrorism there. So, Washington seeks to maintain the status quo provided by the current balance of its regional allies and to prevent Russia and China from establishing strategic relations with one or more of those regional actors. However, the US track record in achieving those objectives is mixed, especially when comparing the performances of different administrations.