RIYADH (Middle East Eye) – Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence minister Prince Turki al-Faisal says regional states are questioning the United States’ role in the Middle East after two decades of military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan resulted in failures.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Atlantic Council on Tuesday, Prince Turki said the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, as well as the planned withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, was putting Washington’s influence in the region in question and the Middle East was suffering from “strategic confusion”.
“This failed experience in Afghanistan, and I would say semi-failed experience in Iraq, are responsible for the perceived failure or defeat, if you like, of a great power, the United States, and the greatest military alliance, NATO, in sustaining a regime and project of their creation,” he said.
“The United States was the dominant power for the last seven decades. Therefore, doubts about its role and commitments to preserve regional security are accumulating and resulting in a continued strategic regional confusion, which leads to more conflicts and crises.
“No region in the world fears the danger of this strategic confusion more than the Middle East region.”
Since coming into office earlier this year, U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled a shift from the Middle East towards confronting Russia and China.
In addition to withdrawing from Afghanistan in August, the U.S. has announced a plan to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq. Prince Turki previously criticized the manner in which the U.S. withdrew from Kabul and warned that American weapons could fall into the hands of terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda.
Washington has also moved to withdraw a number of Patriot missile batteries from Saudi Arabia.
“The United States abandoning its responsibility to its friends and allies is not a recipe for peace and security in the region,” Prince Turki said.