Transformation and Smartization of the U.S Military Power Strategy in the Persian Gulf Region (2001-2022)

The present study aims to answer how transformation and smartization of the U.S military power strategy has been conducted in the Persian Gulf region since 2001. The research relies on the hypothesis that consequences and high costs of the U.S military strategies during the presidency of George W. Bush, under the influence of hard power, made later presidents in the country to follow the strategy of smart power. Along with military presence, they also attempted to rebuild the U.S deteriorated image in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region by some strategies like diplomacy, trade, foreign assistance, and propagation of their values. The research method was content analysis and the results showed that consequences of the U.S military intervention in the Persian Gulf revealed strategic limitations of Washington’s hard power policy during the Bush presidency. Thus, Barack Obama and later presidents in the country emphasized on the simultaneous use of hard and soft power, under the title of smart power. Although their approaches were different, their most important smart and common objective was to intelligently change power balance in the Persian Gulf region, in favor of the U.S and against Iran, by coalition between Israel and Arabic countries especially Saudi Arabia and UAE in the region.