Why has the Middle East emerged as a particularly important and troubl

Why has the Middle East emerged as a particularly important and troubled area for American foreign policy? Why hasn’t the United States been more successful in its conduct of diplomacy there?

What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER
The Middle East is important because of its location and its oil. The region sits astride the major air, water, and land transportation links between East and West. Western industrial nations have become heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, and the price of that oil dramatically affects their economies. The United States has been unsuccessful at unraveling the myriad political, economic, religious, and ethnic conflicts that have been part of the region’s long history.