S1E4: America's Middle East Military Strategy After 9/11. Was War Our Only Option?

Losing an American ally & the Carter Doctrine! In yesterday's conversation with Dr. Bacevich, we discussed how America's military strategy transitioned from fighting Nazis and fascists, and later fighting proxy wars against communists, to fighting in the Middle East. In this episode, Dr. Bacevich tells us about the fall of America's prime ally in the Middle East - the Shah of Iran. And he explains the Carter Doctrine, including the irony of America's military potentially supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran! He'll also talk about our Middle East wars against terrorism - America's wars for more than 20 years! I ask him these questions: in response to 9/11, aside from war (actually two wars), did America have other military options?  Also, has our military presence in the Middle East paid off? We love to get your answer to these questions: Do you think fighting Middle East terrorists in open wars, such as we did after 9/11, or how Israel is conducting its war against Hamas now, is the effective way to stop terrorism? And if not, then, how do you think we should stop terrorism, particularly in the Middle East? ⁠⁠click here to answer⁠⁠ This question form will expire on Th., Feb. 8, 2024. My guest for this episode, which was recorded in early January 2024, is Dr. Andrew Bacevich, co-founder and Chairman of the ⁠Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft⁠. He is Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at⁠ Boston University⁠. He is a graduate of West Point, a Vietnam War Veteran, and a retired colonel of the US Army. Dr. Bacevich is the author, co-author, or editor of more than a dozen books, including the following: The New American Militarism, The Limits of Power, Paths of Dissent: Soldiers Speak Out against America’s Forever Wars, and America’s War for the Greater Middle East Also, listen to History for Ms. Haley at S4E5 of the History Behind News podcast. I hope you enjoy these episodes. Adel Aali Host, ⁠⁠Unravelling the Middle East⁠⁠ Host, ⁠⁠History Behind News Podcast ⁠⁠ Unravelling the Middle East podcast is a production of the History Behind News program. Music attributions: 1. Opening and closing music of the program: Santur: Peyman Heydarian playing on the Santur some Iranian music. Recorded with a Sony PCM-D50 at the School of Oriental and African Studies of London on April 7th 2011. Music available on at ⁠⁠⁠https://freesound.org/people/xserra/sounds/125654/⁠⁠⁠ Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0 DEED) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This music has been cut in shorter pieces and its volume has been adjusted in different portions of our program. 2. Background music to guest introduction: The Desert | The Grand Score ⁠⁠⁠https://www.free-stock-music.com/alexander-nakarada-the-desert.html⁠⁠⁠ The Desert | The Grand Score by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | ⁠⁠⁠https://creatorchords.com⁠⁠⁠ Music promoted by ⁠⁠⁠https://www.free-stock-music.com⁠⁠⁠ Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) ⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠ The volume and lengths of this piece have been modified. 3. Background music to promoting History Behind News episodes: The Success by Keys of Moon | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music promoted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.free-stock-music.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The volume and lengths of this piece have been modified. IMAGE: Middle East map by ⁠MapChart.net:⁠ ⁠https://www.mapchart.net/world.html⁠. License is CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/⁠.