US envoy: America will not deploy everywhere, partners must step up

US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, addressed the Doha Forum, discussing the United States’ new National Security Strategy and its implications for the Middle East.

According to him, the strategy signals a shift, with the region no longer considered the top strategic priority for the US.

"The United States cannot be the world’s policeman," Whitaker said. "We cannot be this rapid deployed force that goes everywhere to settle every conflict."

He emphasised that, moving forward, the US will increasingly rely on regional allies to share security responsibilities. "We depend on partners such as Qatar to do some of the heavy lifting," he noted.

Whitaker praised Qatar as a critical partner, saying: "Qatar is probably one of our best allies outside of NATO, if not the best non-NATO ally, a country that wants to commit to modernising and making sure they have the weapons and forces that can be a net security provider. And I think that’s what we’re looking for."

He added that the US expects its allies to develop their own capabilities and maintain interoperability with American and allied forces: "We’re looking for our allies to develop themselves, to be interoperable with the US and our other allies … so that we don’t have to have aircraft carriers and battleships cruising everywhere at all times," Whitaker said.

By Tamilla Hasanova