It’s time for America to reassert political dominance overseas

By Martin Frost & Fred Zeidman
RealClearWire
https://www.realclearwire.com/

As the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, China has been quietly and aggressively increasing its role as a global power player. While China has been heavily affected by COVID-19, President Xi used this opportunity to change vital energy supply routes, reconfigure allies, and broker conversations with previously sworn enemies. This does not bode well for America’s hegemony in Europe and the Middle East. And energy is the key to this critical geopolitical situation. 

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia were historically hostile, dating back generations to ongoing Shi’a-Sunni discord, and it was China who helped broker talks between both nations. The result is resuming diplomatic relations and reopening previously closed embassies in the capital cities of Tehran and Riyadh. Besides arbitrating in the North and South Korea dispute, China has played little-to-no role in engaging in international disputes outside of its own neighborhood. It’s another sign that China’s diplomatic clout is growing to match its economic footprint.

This Iranian-Saudi deal negotiated by China is a far cry from the United States’ traditional role in the Middle East. Having most recently brokered the historic Abraham Accords in 2020 – normalizing ties between two major Gulf countries of the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain, Sudan, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the State of Israel – America has been and should be the established mediator in the region, not the Chinese. Very troublingly, it begs the question of whether the Saudis are prepared to move forward with a potential normalization agreement with Israel.

In its quest to assert its diplomatic arm, China has also taken this opportunity to bolster ties with the globally increasingly isolated Russia by increasing its energy supply. “Russia is prepared to increase uninterrupted oil supplies to support the development of the Chinese economy,” Putin said after a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow.

This is a dangerous alliance for the United States and its allies. Per S&P Global, “Russia has significantly increased oil deliveries to China since invading Ukraine, reaching a record high of 2.01 million b/d in February, according to China’s General Administration of Customs data released March 20.” The ramifications of this mutually beneficial deal are stark. China is directly funding Putin’s hostility toward Ukraine, while providing a needed energy supply chain.

America and its allies should be very troubled by these developments.

First and foremost, America must combat this encroaching Chinese threat by continuing to assert its dominance in the region, strengthening alliances, and continuing to provide aid and assistance to our allies overseas. We must stand strong with our allies in Taiwan and Ukraine as nations like China and Russia threaten their right to self-determination.

There is no doubt that ceding international diplomacy to China and Russia would be highly detrimental to U.S. national security. Fortunately, America’s strength is multifaceted, and our strong military, compounded with our natural resources as an energy superpower, empowers America to act with strength overseas. America must approach this threat carefully and offer American energy exports as a mechanism to temper the need for Russian energy. America must re-engage our allies in the Middle East and revert to our historical role as a power broker in mediating tensions in the region, and more so, we must stand united against China, Russia, and Iran, who threaten the global order and use energy as a tool to assert their global interests. Through the use of possible sanctions, increased military support, and economic cooperation, America must secure its role as a global superpower.

Martin Frost served 26 years as a Democratic congressman from the 24th District of Texas (Dallas-Ft. Worth) from 1979 to 2005. He serves as secretary and director for the Council for a Secure America.

Fred Zeidman is the co-chair and director of Council for a Secure America, and he served as chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council from 2002-2010. Mr. Zeidman also is chairman emeritus of the University of Texas Health Science System Houston.