For more than a decade, the U.S. has dangled the prospect of a dramatic policy shift to Asia, only to fall short of this promise — and President Donald Trump’s administration may not be an exception to what is now becoming more of a rule than an aberration.
Trump’s decision to unleash the awesome power of the U.S. military on three key Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, followed by Trump’s surprise announcement days later of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, has raised the stakes for Asian nations, which are watching with great interest how the Middle East conflict unfolds.
A drawn-out conflict could once again see the United States ensnared in the region. But the nature of the U.S. strikes — which observers have framed as “perhaps the most consequential decision of Trump’s second-term presidency” — could mean even a quick de-escalation of hostilities will have lasting ramifications that will impact Asia.
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