In the Middle East, Biden’s ‘little carrot, no stick’ approach isn’t working

The US president’s aggressive regional shuttle diplomacy will not yield dividends without firmer defence measures

Biden’s reluctance to act forcefully in the region is sending the wrong message to rogue actors globally

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The crew enter a Bradley fighting vehicle at a US military base at an undisclosed location in northeastern Syria on November 11, 2019. Photo: AP

Marco Vicenzino

Marco Vicenzino specialises in geopolitical risk and international business development.

Published: 7:30pm, 1 Feb 2024

The United States has been engaged in a low-intensity conflict in the Middle East for several years, which seriously escalated after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. Moreover, US President Joe Biden’s diplomatic outreach to Iran, a cornerstone of his foreign policy, has failed to achieve any concrete long-term results.

The shadow war between the US and its partners and Iran’s “axis of resistance” has been marked by a dangerous game of brinkmanship, which is now turning into a vicious downward cycle. The situation is so volatile that a full-scale regional war could break out at any point, with immense global repercussions.

The recent killing of three US soldiers in a drone attack on a US base in Jordan could be a defining moment in the unfolding conflict. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a term used to describe a loose coalition of Iranian-backed militias that oppose American support for Israel in the war in Gaza and broader US influence and presence in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.