According to the article, Mr Obama’s and Mr Trump’s rival’s Hillary Clinton’s word view included the belief that strengthening the position and assertiveness of the USA internationally, could actually “contribute to tension, instability and outright conflict.” From this belief stemmed the idea that dedicating resources to defence schemes and national security, would create more problems and little solution.
Most of the international challenges that call for immediate attention from Mr Trump are based within the Middle East – he is faced with rapidly spreading Radical Islam and terrorist groups; ISIS are challenging the boundaries set in place following World War I, namely in Iraq and Syria; there is danger of upheaval from Kurds who wish to declare a Kurdistan. Yemen has completely fallen apart as a country.
Closer to Europe, in Turkey, the president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is forcing the country to turn from a secular constitution, establishing his “own concept of a caliphate.” And Russia now has a high influence within the Middle East – much more prominent than at any point since the 1970s.
These are just some of the problems in the Middle East. Mr Trump is also faced with the continuous challenge from Taliban and the Al Qaeda, specifically in Afghanistan.
While Mr Obama enhanced the dealings of Iran by his policies, Mr Trump should make defeating ISIS his goal, but avoid benefiting Iran by his actions, as the country remains a state supporter of terrorism, exhibiting questionable behaviour internationally.
Thanks to the USA-Iran Nuclear Deal, Iran has become more unstable. Named as one of the top state supporters of terrorism in the report that was released by the USA State Department, Iran is benefiting from “unfrozen assets and renewed trade and investment, especially from Europe,” and its behaviour has only become worse since the deal was signed.
Since the deal, Iran’s behaviour has been causing upheaval in the international oil market too. Saudi Arabia, Iran’s rival Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) producer, has called for help from OPEC to stabilise the oil market. Iran has pumped 250,000 barrels each day from the area near the Karoun River, compared to 65,000 barrels that it was producing in 2013, according to a report by Shana, Oil Ministry’s news service. Mohsen Ghamsari said in September, that Iran was expected to reach this high target only by the end of the year.
Khalid Al-Falih, The Energy Minister for Saudi Arabia, called on OPEC to “implement a proposed cut in crude production for OPEC countries”, according to a recent report by the Saudi Press Agency. OPEC members are scheduled to meet on November 30 to discuss plans on how to limit the oil output from the group.
As an immediate first step, Mr Trump should “abrogate the Iran nuclear deal in his first days in office” which will require determination and ample amounts of diplomacy.
