Mohey Mowafy, Journal op-ed contributor

A recent article by John Indike (Wall Street Journal) asked this most valuable and troubling question “Why does the Middle East always seem to suck the U.S. back in?” Just in our recent history (let’s say starting from Ronald Regan’s presidency), basically every American president struggled to formulate a successful and stable relationship with that region.

The question, “Why do we need to be there, anyway?” has never been answered satisfactorily, let alone consistently. The “old” classical reasons were to protect oil production and assure its safe arrival to our shores. However, that reason alone has begun to lose its priority as of late. We are also committed to the safety and survival of the state of Israel. This is and has been our commitment for decades, and it is incredibly useful.

However, while it is still very much in America’s national interest to support the security of the Jewish state, its survival is no longer in question. Decades of American economic and military largess and close security cooperation have made it possible for Israel to defend itself by itself. We are right to be concerned by Iran’s repeated threats to destroy Israel, but it is today’s nuclear-armed Israel that has the means to crush Iran, not the other way around.

Recently, Mr. Trump’s “action,” starting with assigning his son in law to tailor a peace plan which he boasted as “the deal of the century”, in addition to throwing his weight to bolster his friend, Netanyahu, as he plotted to annex the West Bank.

While, so far, that reckless adventure has been opposed by many, it will not be a minor detail in the dynamics of the entire region should it happen. Although the saga of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has exhausted the psyche of everyone involved and everyone interested, and everyone affected. Until a binding treaty is reached with a crystal-clear list of consequences for anyone who violates it, this perpetual nightmare will surely continue unabated. Perhaps the most challenging obstacle, is the lack of involvement of the other affected players such as the EU.

It is becoming painfully clear that we cannot do it alone, but it is also clear that we must be involved. We need a sustainable Middle East strategy based on a more realistic assessment of our interests. It is time to eschew never-ending wars and grandiose objectives.

One of the most serious and potentially devastating consequences of our current posture could be losing it all. That is what we are currently witnessing. As we pull out of the region, others will undoubtedly successfully replace us. By others I mean significant foes. Russia has been stepping in for decades to bolster the Assad regime and protect its only base in the region (located in Syria).

But most clearly Putin is no longer limiting his ambitions to Syria only. He is now flexing Russian muscles dangerously in Libya, which also happened to be a nest for ISIS leftovers. And due to the current hostile “dynamics” we have with China, she, too, is moving in that region (plus many other regions) methodically and fast.

Any influence we lose anywhere will be impossible to regain. It is yet to be seen what China will do to respond to the retaliatory moves by mostly England, or by our closing of their consulate in Texas.

Maybe it really is a mad, mad, mad, mad world.

Editor’s note: Mohey Mowafy is a retired Northern Michigan University professor who resides in the Marquette area.