很多美国人包括白宫人士认为是时候脱身中东问题。因为作为一个Outsider很难于混乱中维持秩序。 但中东仍然很重要，原因如下 ：
恐怖主义在中东蔓延，最终会不可避免蔓延至西方世界。IS的崛起已经很好的证明了这一点。
- 石油。尽管有了页岩的帮助美国本土已经实现了石油的自给自足。但中东仍然控制了全球1/3的原油，对中东局势失去控制意味着美国霸主地位不保。
- 核扩散。伊朗核问题是焦点，如果此次核判依然无法成功，则美国可能使用武力。
What Americans should do to Saudi Arabia?
So Western leaders should maintain the ties but ditch the sycophancy. Their friendship should be more conditional on reform—specifically the taming of Saudi Arabia’s savage religious judiciary. Visits like Mr Obama’s should follow the same pattern as they do in Russia or China: they should include formal protests about human rights and public meetings with dissidents, with non-Wahhabis (including the Shias), and with women. After all, friends speak plainly. Supplicants who kiss the gold-braided gown are mere courtiers.