US Strategy after Cold War

After the collapse of communism America has to reduce its global activities and overseas military presence and avoid becoming involved in international affairs to strengthen its role at home. In this regards, as Richard N. Haass has argued, the theme most central to the minimalist or neo-isolationist perspective, however, was economy. Some US scholars show the reasons like, possible renewed Russia, the emergence of China, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism attacks, drug trafficking, economic globalization and particularly political Islam as the international threats, for which United States should not step back from the global arena. Based on such vision in the framework of "grand strategy" and "enlargement" Washington tried to expand its influence and presence around the world in general and the Islamic World in particular.

US Strategy in Cold War Period

USA has not kept a single policy towards the Islamic nations during and after the Cold War. It has been changed from time to time and nation to nation. During the Cold War, for instance, USA was a supporter of some Islamic movements that acted as an instrument in the fight against the Soviet Union and its supporter, whereas, in other countries America stood- against the same movements. In the 1980s, Washington openly backed the Afghan Mujahedin in their struggle against the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. They originally received their training from the CIA during that period. Washington tried to arm the Islamic groups in the country. However, after the Cold War in late 1990 America strived to overthrow the Taliban regime, though its people mostly belonged to the Mujahedin.