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The Middle East Collapse
(Wall Street Journal) Henry A. Kissinger - Russia's unilateral military action in Syria is the latest symptom of the disintegration of the American role in stabilizing the Middle East order that emerged from the Arab-Israeli war of 1973. Four states in the region have ceased to function as sovereign. Libya, Yemen, Syria and Iraq have become targets for nonstate movements seeking to impose their rule. The remaining Sunni states feel threatened by both the religious fervor of ISIS as well as by Shiite Iran. American policy is on the verge of losing the ability to shape events. The U.S. is now opposed to, or at odds in some way or another with, all parties in the region: with Egypt on human rights; with Saudi Arabia over Yemen; with each of the Syrian parties over different objectives. Russia, Iran, ISIS and various terrorist organizations have moved into this vacuum. The writer served as national-security adviser and secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford.