Is There a Vacuum in the Middle East?

A common argument against U.S. troop withdrawals points to the risk of creating strategic vacuums that rival powers could then fill to great advantage. Benjamin H. Friedman, director of policy at Defense Priorities, explains why such fears are without merit. He discusses, among many topics, the value of territory in contemporary international politics, how power generates paranoia, and whether the U.S. should reduce its force posture abroad.

Show Notes:

• Benjamin H. Friedman bio
• Benjamin H. Friedman, “Don’t Fear Vacuums: We Can Go Home,” Defense Priorities Report, December 7, 2022.
• Benjamin H. Friedman, “No, Afghanistan Did Not Hurt U.S. ‘Credibility’,” UnHerd, August 31, 2022.
• Benjamin H. Friedman, “Bad Idea: Assuming Trade Depends on the Navy,” Defense360, January 7, 2022.
• Jennifer Keister, “The Illusion of Chaos: Why Ungoverned Spaces Aren’t Ungoverned, and Why That Matters,” Cato Policy Analysis no. 766, December 9, 2014.

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