Obama’s defense strategy pivoted to containing China and Iran through regional allies

Evidence

The guidance document, however, refocuses attention on the Asia-Pacific area and names China and Iran as state actors that need to be contained. To deter and contain China, the United States will work with its “network of allies and partners.” Bypassing its long-term ally Pakistan, the document names India as furthering US aims in Asia. In a similar vein, the document also turns to allies in the Middle East, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, to “prevent Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon capability and counter its destabilizing policies.” — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 434

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 434
• XREF: connects to: Obama’s defense guidance continued the War on Terror via drones and special forces — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 433; Obama used multilateralism as a means of subordinating rivals under US-led order — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 501; US containment strategy treated Iran as the region’s central threat (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• US containment strategy treated Iran as the region’s central threat #expands (0.75)
• China supplied Iran’s nuclear and missile programs despite Western opposition #exemplifies (0.70) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 504