The U.S. military can't quit the Middle East

The meme "Born too late to deploy to the Middle East, Born too early to deploy to the Middle East, Born just in time to deploy to the Middle East" reflects the US's entanglement in the region despite promises to pivot to the Chinese and Russian threat. The US has expended taxpayer dollars and lives in the Middle East for decades, with recent surprise strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities being the latest example. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is concerned about Beijing and Moscow's global ambitions, but resources needed for that competition are in high demand in the Middle East. There is a disconnect between the US's national defense strategies and what happens on the ground, with the US episodically prioritizing the Middle East over China. The US has not been good at ensuring that enough effort is put into the Middle East to prevent things from spiraling out of control. Pentagon officials and military leaders have been hinting at this dynamic, with some lobbying for prioritizing China over Europe and the Middle East. The Middle East is a region where terrorism, nuclear weapons, energy supplies, and weak border control come together, continually drawing the US into conflict. The US lacks a multi-war military and has been reactive in its approach to the region. The US has used significant resources in the Middle East, including over $1 billion in munitions and losing aircraft, and it's not clear when or if the US will be able to pivot away from the region.