Geostrategic Flashpoint: The Eastern Mediterranean

The Eastern Mediterranean forms a geostrategic seam between Europe and the Middle East. For over seventy years, the region represented a strategic anchor for the United States, which understood its importance both to strengthening Europe and to limiting instability in the Middle East. Today, the United States and its allies are struggling to adapt a coherent Eastern Mediterranean regional policy that acknowledges dramatically new economic, political, and security realities while ensuring that the region remains transatlantically anchored.  As Syria enters its seventh year of conflict, Russia and Iran deepen their military footprints in the region, and NATO ally Turkey radically alters its domestic and external policies, the strategic importance of the region to the United States is growing while U.S. influence there appears to be waning. To assess regional security challenges and discuss NATO and U.S. Navy operational approaches to the Eastern Mediterranean, we are pleased to host Admiral James G. Foggo, III, commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples; commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; and commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa, for a timely conversation. Jon Alterman and Heather Conley will offer reflections and observations on a recently concluded CSIS research project on the Eastern Mediterranean.

This conversation is made possible by support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.