Chris Murphy is regarded as a progressive and that is so. There once was breed of the species known as Peace Democrats. They are in the main extinct as the Democrat Party is effectively a war party.
Surprisingly, however, The Senator's article of February 19, 2021, America’s Middle East Policy Is Outdated and Dangerous; A New Approach to the Gulf States Needs a Better Foundation is not a bad effort for a guy who has been a bit hawkish in other places.
He is calling for restraint and getting along with Iran and letting Yemen live. Whether or not it is so we can bug others is a question:
NO COLD WAR REDUX
In pursuing this new course, some sky-will-fall adherents to the status quo will argue that if the Biden administration drives too hard a bargain, Gulf leaders will turn away from the United States and toward China or Russia. This argument is a red herring, one that plays on a misunderstanding of both the irreplaceability of military alignment with the United States and the willingness of China and Russia to get their hands dirty in Middle Eastern politics. This isn’t the Cold War: Russia has little to offer in the region, and as global oil usage continues to fall, Moscow will inevitably compete with Gulf countries for buyers. Although China will continue to look for economic opportunities in the region, it will be unwilling to play a real security role anytime in the near future. The Chinese navy isn’t going to come to the aid of a Gulf country under attack. If the Bahrainis, Emiratis, or Saudis threaten to turn to other powers, Washington can afford to call their bluff.
Ultimately, restraint is nice, but there is a question to ask, Why do we have to be there at all? Does any of this actually make life better for your average American citizen?
The Neutralist has been asking this question for decades now and no one on team war has come up with an answer.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2021-02-19/americas-middle-east-policy-outdated-and-dangerous
