The Soft Power of the United States Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East 2011-2021 a case study (Jordan & Egypt)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the soft power of US foreign policy toward the Middle East region through a study of the cases of Jordan and Egypt, as well as to analyze the tools used by the US to enhance its ability to preserve its vital interests in the Middle East. The study took an analytical-descriptive approach in gathering information about soft power, such as the foundations, components, and strategies employed by the United States of America in the Middle East region. The case study approach will focus on the soft power of US foreign policy in Jordan and Egypt as two special cases, and will then discuss, describe, and analyze the policy's goals and strategies. The researcher will also use a comparative approach to demonstrate the differences in soft power used in Jordan and Egypt, as well as the impact and outcomes of each on the two Middle Eastern countries. The study revealed numerous findings, the most notable of which was that the United States followed a policy of loans, aid, and grants, allowing it to impose its conditions on the country receiving the aid. The geopolitical burdens of both the Jordanian and Egyptian states were the primary factors in the two countries' orientation toward this aid and acceptance of the United States' cultural, technical, and other programs. The Jordanian and Egyptian economies' weaknesses, limitations, and heavy reliance on the service sector, as well as their limited domestic product and high rates of poverty and unemployment, drove the response to soft power tools such as financial aid, economic, technical, and cultural programs, and scientific exchange, implying that the two countries are closely linked with the United States and international and regional coordination. ​ Keywords: soft power, American foreign policy, the Middle East, Jordan, Egypt.