The Middle East region has had a long history of importance due to its strategic location, which connects three continents that has captured the interest of the Western Empires as they expanded their reach into the Eastern hemisphere. The importance of the region continued to play a key role in forming foreign policies in other parts of the world, as it became the biggest source of energy, black gold. Superpowers raced to acquire the newly discovered treasure at the lowest costs possible. The race among the superpowers gave the Middle East a new role on the world stage; all eyes pointed to the region.
The Race
The United States, one of the countries that was sure to join the race as it hoped to secure enough energy sources for purposes of national security in the early 1900’s as it became more involved in world’s affairs. However, the US didn’t join the race through official channels. American multinational corporations were the ones to rush to the front lines to gain access to the Persian oil with the blessings of US officials.
During the early 1900’s, the presence of multinational corporations such as Exxon, Texaco, and others were the only mean of American involvement in the region. The executives of those corporation played a double role as businessmen and diplomats who formed American policies in the region. A formula, which was best presented by the unlimited support the US government offered such corporations by revising some of its anti-trust laws.
Booty of War
However, the government didn’t stand on the sidelines for long before engaging directly in the early 1940’s; the region became a matter of national security and an unavoidable controversial international issue. As the United States began to reap the booties of victory in World War II; it became one of the most involved governments in the affairs of the Middle East. On the other hand, the French and British were losing their hold in region, and the inability to maintain the costly imperial and colonial holds in the region. The United States involvement in the region was legitimized due to its growing need for oil as well as a mean of fighting communism during the Cold War years; they rallied to gain international support to defeat one another.
A Jewish Homeland
Besides the issue of securing oil to feed the growing need of the developed world, another international issue became inevitable, and called for a superpower was the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. An issue, which was ignored by earlier colonial powers in the region due to its sensitive nature and consequences; an issue that threatened the future of any relationship between the Arabs and the West. The unfortunate events and horrific crimes against the Jewish people in Europe during and after World War II pressured the international community to address the issue. The American public, mobilized by Jewish Americans, pressured the Truman administration to ensure the safety of the Jewish people and support the case of establishing a Jewish homeland.
The Birth of a Bond
It is safe to say that without the support of the United States, the world wouldn’t have witnessed the birth of the state of Israel. It was a collective effort, led by the United States, which gave legitimacy to such birth in the United Nations. Since its birth, Israel enjoyed strong diplomatic backing from America and allies–the special relationship between the United States and Israel is a product of strong lobbying by friends of the Jewish state who influence the outcome of crucial presidential elections.
The unique bond between the two governments was a main source of distress in the Arab American relationship. The ongoing and strong American support of Israel didn’t rest well with Arab states as they were moving closer to newer forms of government and independence, which presented US policy makers with great challenges to balance out the interest of domestic and international affairs. Each American presidents, from Truman to the current administration had to confront and balance a hard equation of either supporting the Jewish state with its very influential lobbying power and presence in the United States, or siding with the Arab oil producing states.
