Shifting role of US in Middle East is like ‘raising a teenager’, ambassador says

US ambassador to Turkey and Trump’s special envoy for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, compared the shifting role of the United States in the Middle East to "raising a teenager" during his speech at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar. Barrack stated that the US no longer serves as the world guarantor for eight decades, as it is no longer involved in providing security in exchange for oil. He described the US's new approach as "transitioning" to a different stance, emphasizing that it is not leaving the region.

Barrack highlighted that the US is distancing itself from the old "grand bargain" between the Arabian Gulf and the US, moving away from owning or controlling the region. Conflict and controversy were advantageous for the West, as they could manipulate fossil fuels for their own benefit. He further explained that the more unstable the region was, the more the West could exploit the situation for their advantage.

The Gulf states had lobbied the US not to attack Iran alongside Israel earlier this year, but their requests were denied by Washington. In response to the Iranian attacks on the Gulf states, Barrack emphasized that the US security umbrella established after World War II is no longer applicable. He asserted that each country in the region must rely on their own regional alliances, which is what has been happening.

Barrack also mentioned that the US supports regional efforts to replace the old US security framework, such as the Mecca Pact. However, he cautioned that kinetic action in Yemen has proven ineffective and unlikely to succeed. He emphasized that there is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen, and the US will not get involved in a ground kinetic battle there. Barrack's remarks come amid concerns that the region may be on the brink of a new conflict, with leaders in Qatar and Egypt warning of potential unrest.