Hasan Waheed & Shirin Akhter
Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency in January 2025 ushers in another chapter of aggressive interventionism in West Asia. His administration’s policies prioritize economic and military advantages while deepening regional instability. From unflinching support for Israel’s occupation to suffocating sanctions on Iran, every move serves the Interests of the arms industry, corporate powerhouses, and strategic dominance.
However, the costs of these policies are not borne by West Asian nations alone. While the region grapples with escalating violence, displacement, and economic devastation, the US public faces the consequences of a war economy that drains resources away from vital social needs.
Palestine: Strengthening occupation, weakening resistance
Nowhere is this interventionist strategy more evident than in Palestine, where Washington’s unwavering backing of Israel has emboldened its leadership to expand settlements and escalate military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. With Trump’s return, any remaining diplomatic restraint has vanished, allowing Israel to intensify land annexations, home demolitions, and collective punishment with complete impunity.
The siege on Gaza has worsened, trapping millions in a cycle of poverty, destruction, and restricted access to humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, resistance movements like Hamas remain designated as terrorist organisations, despite their electoral legitimacy in 2006. The US employs similar tactics against Hizbullah in Lebanon, branding democratically supported movements as security threats while shielding Israel from any scrutiny.
This systematic suppression is not just about crushing armed resistance; it is about dismantling Palestinian political agency altogether. By normalizing apartheid conditions, Israel ensures that Palestinians remain politically and economically disenfranchised, with no path to sovereignty. The deliberate economic strangulation of Palestinian territories further cements this reality, making survival a daily struggle while stripping away any meaningful avenue for self-determination.
Iran: Economic warfare as a tool of control
While Israel continues its expansionist policies with Washington’s full backing, Trump’s approach to Iran follows a different yet equally destructive path, of economic warfare. Sanctions targeting Tehran have intensified, causing inflation, job losses, and a sharp decline in living standards for millions of Iranians. Officially framed as efforts to curb Iran’s regional influence, these sanctions function as collective punishment, destabilising the country’s economy.
Rather than isolating Iran, these coercive measures have pushed Tehran closer to China and Russia, strengthening economic and military ties outside Western influence. Iran, in turn, has focused on bolstering its domestic weapons industry, making significant advancements in missile technology and drone warfare capabilities. However, this militarisation, rather than deterring conflict, has fuelled an arms race that benefits only the global defence industry while ensuring sustained volatility in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz: A flashpoint for global tensions
Nowhere is this instability more apparent than in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments and one of the most volatile flashpoints under Trump’s foreign policy. Escalating tensions with Iran have heightened the risk of a blockade that could send shockwaves through international markets, affecting energy prices worldwide.
Iran, anticipating such threats, has sought alternative land-based trade routes, but Persian Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain acutely vulnerable. Despite this looming risk, Washington’s response has been one of militarization—flooding the region with arms while failing to address the root causes of instability. The strategy is clear: maintain a fragile balance of power where conflict remains an ever-present possibility, ensuring continued U.S. dominance in the region.
Israel’s expanding role in US strategy
This policy of controlled crisis extends beyond Iran, shaping Washington’s broader approach to West Asia. Israel remains central to U.S. strategic interests, serving as both a military stronghold and a key player in countering regional adversaries. Trump has further strengthened this alliance, pouring billions into military aid while broadening the Abraham Accords, a geopolitical manoeuver designed to isolate Iran and further sideline Palestinian aspirations.
Far from fostering regional peace, these agreements entrench existing power imbalances, allowing Israel to pursue expansionist policies while Arab states realign their priorities under U.S. pressure. The unchecked military build-up in Israel, coupled with diplomatic cover from Washington, ensures that occupation policies remain unchallenged while normalizing the systematic oppression of Palestinians.
Profiting from perpetual war
At the heart of these policies lies an economic incentive structure that rewards conflict. Trump’s approach to West Asia is not guided by diplomacy or stability; it is shaped by interests that thrive on war and destruction. The primary beneficiaries of this war-driven agenda are clear:
Weapons manufacturers: US defence contractors secure lucrative deals as military spending skyrockets across the region.
Energy markets: Sanctions and geopolitical tensions allow Washington to manipulate global oil prices, maintaining economic leverage over rival economies.
Strategic hegemony: Keeping West Asia in a state of controlled crisis ensures that no regional power can challenge U.S. influence.
This perpetual war economy extends its reach far beyond West Asia, dictating global power structures while enriching corporate elites.
The domestic cost: War over welfare
While Trump’s policies serve elite interests, they come at a heavy cost to ordinary Americans. Military spending continues to absorb vast portions of the federal budget, diverting funds from crucial sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Economic sanctions on Iran also limit American business opportunities, shutting off a consumer market of over 80 million people.
The prioritization of war over welfare reflects a deeply entrenched system in which corporate profits dictate policy, leaving citizens to bear the social and economic burden. American taxpayers unknowingly fund endless wars, while their government cuts back on social programs that could improve their daily lives.
Trump’s return to power signals a continuation of interventionist policies that prioritize war, occupation, and economic coercion over diplomacy and justice. The ramifications extend far beyond West Asia, these strategies reinforce a global order that thrives on exploitation, entrenching cycles of violence and economic disparity.
For millions in the region, this means intensified oppression and deeper instability. For American citizens, it means a government that prioritizes corporate interests over public well-being.
Challenging this system requires more than condemnation—it demands sustained resistance and a global push towards policies that centre justice, sovereignty, and human dignity. Without such efforts, war will remain the default, and peace will remain a distant illusion.
