Abstract:
The hegemony of the United States (US) in the international order is a widely accepted truth in today’s world.
During the Cold War era, the US predominance was greatly curtailed by the power of the Soviet Union and
after the Soviet Union’s disintegration, the US rose to power as the undisputed hegemon in the international
order. Through the years that followed, the US has been able to influence internal politics of many states
using its preponderant power. The Middle East has been and still continues to be a region of great
importance in US foreign policy. Since the British forces withdrew from the Middle East, the US has
attempted to ensure its preeminence in this strategically important region. Therefore, the US implements
various foreign policy strategies which are aimed at enhancing its influence in the Middle East. The main
objective of this study is to analyze the foreign policy strategies that the US implements towards the Middle
East and examine whether the US foreign policy strategies towards the Middle East serve in safeguarding its
hegemonic position in the world order. This study adopts a qualitative methodology and is mainly based on
secondary data. An extensive literature survey was conducted and the information and data collected are
analyzed in a theoretical perspective. The Hegemonic Stability Theory, Realism, Offensive Realism and
Offense-Defense Theory are the main theories that are incorporated in data analysis. In the analysis, US
foreign policy towards Iran, Iraq, Israel-Palestine is given prominence. As per the study, the US foreign
policy strategies towards the Middle East serve in safeguarding the US hegemony in the world order.
However, the US foreign policy strategies towards the Middle Eastern region have a negative impact on the
image of the US as a benevolent hegemon.
