In October 2016, the Iraqi-led Battle of Mosul began, which freed the city from the control of the Islamic State—the group’s last major stronghold. During his eight-year term, President Obama’s foreign policy strategy largely focused on long-term threats. And, when it comes to the Middle East, aside from the U.S.-led air war against ISIS, the administration has significantly pulled back in the region. But has an obsession of avoiding past mistakes like Iraq or Vietnam backfired? What’s next for Syria, Egypt, Libya and other countries struggling in the fallout from the Arab Spring, and what role should the next presidential administration have in the region moving forward?
