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US influence waning in Middle East?

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    Traditional allies defecting from US

  • Duration 6:51
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-- secretary of state Clinton on the last leg of her Europe Middle East tour and today she's in Israel holding talks with leaders there.

On the changes sweeping the region including Syria and Iran first up on -- tour -- on the Middle East before she got to Israel.

With Egypt where she met for the first time with the country's new president and member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

-- was once a bed -- ally of the United States not to by the way.

Quite an ally Israel but that might not be such a sure bet this time around egyptians in the street pelted Clinton's car with tomatoes and burned American flags.

President will hot and more see again they've fled their man who's a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Is on the record.

As calling Israelis vampires and killers I -- the fast changing Middle -- the United States is forced to consider a new question who our friends.

And who are enemies.

-- now Aaron Miller former advisor to six secretaries of state and author of can America have another great president.

And Pat Buchanan is Austin with us former senior advisor to three presidents.

And author suicide and superpower welcome to you both nice -- today.

And we haven't had that breaking news as well that I -- -- -- in today's again we're just working to confirm a lot of the news that an American vessel fired on a ship.

Right off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and -- and -- tops in the past about the risk of accidental war.

Giving the tensions in the Middle East and again working on the details of that but.

But how high of a risky thing that truly is right now.

I'm not church much or risk at all what Middle East -- usually don't happen by accident they're proceeded by a trail of events misunderstandings.

Which are usually triggered by some of that now clearly after the USS Cole in Yemen.

The US navy needs to be incredibly vigilant particularly with respect to small craft and -- he's approaching boats so.

I suspect discretion was the better part of valor here whether this was a running in -- inspired.

Weather was an al-Qaeda operation always off the coast UAE -- -- virtually impossible to say but I don't believe.

Were headed for another war at least not yet pat your thoughts and that's.

-- Jenna I disagree to some extent I think Iranian militants.

And in their parliament they want the Iranian government you're basically block -- the straits of -- us.

I don't think Iranian government and the -- are that foolish.

But I think there's a possibility.

That some Iranian boats -- individuals.

Could act -- if there's a shooting incident with the American navy.

Or is if there -- any attempt to close the straits of for most.

I think politically that would have an enormous impact in the United States and it would be of enormous benefit to the commander in chief Barack Obama.

A US engagement with Iranian patrol boats or within a -- where -- Iranian ships.

I think would be winner for the president in November.

Some a political ramifications of course of August.

These happenings in the Middle East -- on that note let's get back to also what were -- to discuss here today about who our friends are who are enemies are and it seems like there might be a shift in the region.

I say they carefully because it's tough to predict exactly with these changes will bring over the next several years but -- if there was a conflict with Iran.

Who are friends who will come to our aid in that region.

Are -- that the likely suspects if you will in Israel and -- like they worked with several years ago or not.

I mean I think we have a serious problem the United States is neither admired feared or respected as much as it needs to be in this region in over the course of the last eighteen months.

We've seen our our traditional friend certainly the Arab autocrat so Mubarak then Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen.

Basically go to the way go the way in the don't we've also seen our adversaries Khaddafi.

Saddam.

And not yet but soon I suspect and hope.

Musharraf side pass away as well also America's off balance right now they're clearly we we have an ally in Israel.

Although the relationship is far from perfect and we will probably do our best to keep the Israelis out of any.

Military confrontation that we were involved in in large part in order to preserve our credibility.

On the Arab street so I suspect.

Other than a couple European powers.

Whatever the Arab secretly want with -- respect to our capacity to destroy Iran's nuclear sites we're gonna get very little open support.

By our so called Arab friends.

-- you have said that the United States is as diminished.

Its power its power of the -- is diminished in this region but -- also say how we're handling the Iran issue had been relatively successful so far.

Why.

What say look first let's take four nations take Turkey.

Kick Egypt kick Saudi Arabia take Pakistan.

Think -- exactly right.

US influence is really added a -- gear these folks really pay less and less attention to the United States.

However if you get to the Persian gulf Iran is sort of universally detested by the American people and if they should try something militarily.

And the United States' fifth fleet is dominant in the gulf.

If that happens and you have a fighting collision with a -- I agree with -- we're gonna get much help but we're not gonna need to Montreal you don't want the Israelis involve themselves and -- But if -- given that collision.

There's no doubt that the United States I think eventually would prevail after some kind of battle.

And politically the American people have always risen to support the president in terms of engagement.

But let me ask you both this final question and we're gonna have to -- -- appear both of you say that are influence in this region has diminished.

So that pat starting with you how -- are -- Well I think need our influence is going down because frankly the monarch in the dictators in the desperate to we supported because they were in power.

There are being overthrown -- there -- an Arab and Islamic revolution going on it is hostile to westerners it is deeply hostile to Israel we are supportive of Israel.

This tied in this revolution is on a roll.

You know as Victor Hugo said Dick -- his greatest they are don't have the might of -- idea whose time has come.

And that time has come in the Middle East.

-- the space for America in this region absolutely I would agree with -- is shrinking and our capacity to wage war effectively.

Although on Iran I do agree with -- that should we bring our military forced him to bear we will prevail.

But are also our efforts to do diplomacy to do -- making -- store accomplice in this region.

Is going to be greatly reduced I think we have to get used to the -- -- for the first time the Arabs own their own politics.

And there may not be much to a place for the United States in those politics at least for the foreseeable future.

Is is so good at next conversation about how we can regain some of that influence in the region with so many new regimes -- and pat nice to have you today.

Thank you you play her.

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