Introduction .............................................. 2
II. "Winds of Change" in the Middle East ...................... 3
III. New Threats and Challenges to USCENTCOM's Mission ...... 11
IV. Adequacy of the Current Military Strategy, Joint Doctrine,
and U.S. Force Structure ................................ 15
V. Recommendations .......................................... 18
VI. Notes ................................................... 20
VII. Bibliography ........................................... 22
The Middle East has long been the site of international difficulties. In the past, U.S. involvement in the region was related mainly to the protection of oil interests and the maintenance of relations with Israel. Although these concerns are still enduring, there are also many changes taking place in the Middle East environment. These changes will have a strong impact on the future role of the U.S. military in the area.
The breakdown of the Soviet Union and the subsequent ending of the Cold War have resulted in the Middle East no longer being a center for superpower conflict. However, although the threat of Soviet expansionism has been eliminated, there continues to be a problem in terms of Iran and Iraq seeking control over the oil supplies of their neighboring countries. The situation in Iraq has been particularly troublesome in recent years. For example, the nation launched an aggressive attack on Kuwait in late 1990, thereby precipitating the Persian Gulf Crisis. Iraq has also been implicated in acts of state-sponsored terrorism and has been found guilty of failing to comply with U.N. resolutions requiring the removal of weapons systems.
Recently, the concern has arisen that proposed reductions in the defense budget will make it impossible for the U.S. Central Command to fulfill its mission of protecting U.S. interests in the Middle East. However, adjustments in strategy and ...