International Relations paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Relations paper - Essay Example The geopolitics is significant in modern international affairs, as it keeps the countries engaged in forming and maintaining strategic relationships with each other and makes even a single country dominate the whole world on the basis of power. The geopolitical influence that is exercised by the United States across different regions of the world remains unchallenged by any country in the world. Being the most powerful and hegemonic country in the world, it has its say in the political and economic landscape of almost every country. Understandably, United States has not achieved this dominance coincidently; rather this happens to be a fruit of continued endeavours of the country to expand its economic, political and military power across the globe. This paper evaluates and elaborates the extent of US geopolitical influence and strategic dominance over the geographically significant regions such as the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia. The geopolitical objectives of the United States mainly encompass its conventional policies to conserve a significant share of world oil, to ensure a secure supply of energy resources, to dominate its existing and potential competitors, and most importantly to protect the existence of the state of Israel from any regional threats. Most of the US influence across the world signifies the same interests. Whether it is the critical state of regional stability in the Middle East, the pipeline politics in Central Asian Caucasus region, or its strategic influence in the Southeast Asia, the United States tends to play a significant role in shaping the regional and political landscape across the world. As Bromley (2005, p226) clearly illuminates that, "the routeing of pipelines, the policing of shipping lanes and the management of regional influences all depend heavily on US geopolitical commitments." Re-mapping of the Middle East The geopolitical influence in the Middle East allows United States not only to control regional politics, but also renders the oil dependent Western World as subordinate to US imperial objectives. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the re-mapping of Middle East has remained as one of the very important strategic objectives of the United States Perthes (2004, p85) assets that, "the U.S. administration has embraced the cause of bringing a "new order" to what it calls the Greater Middle East". The post attack invasion of Iraq and the subsequent plans to curtail Iran's nuclear expansion, happen to be a part of this goal. All the US strategies employed in the Middle East's expansion as well as democratisation rests on the objective of fostering a secure region for the state of Israel. Curtailing any threats posed to the existence of Israel by any country in the Middle East and preserving US dominance happen to be on the top of the American strategic targets in the region (Cantori, p102, 200 5) Zanoyan (2003, p108) illuminates that the pre-eminent strategic objective of US presence in Iraq happens to be of the transformation of its regime into a government that is friendly to US plans in the region. In this way, US envisages not only to curtail the roots of terrorism but also to protect Israel from any potential radical Islamic threat. A regime change in Iraq also supports the US objective of strengthening Israel while culminating the ascending Palestinian