Updated January 27, 2023
The Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan:
Selected Issues for the 118th Congress
U.S. interests and policy in an evolving Middle East and
identified Iran as a multifaceted threat to the United States.
North Africa (MENA) region are changing, as U.S. national
Iran seeks to erode U.S. influence in the Middle East while
security strategy prioritizes competition with China and
projecting power in neighboring states through a variety of
Russia and as the United States has withdrawn some
means, including the development of advanced missile and
military forces from long-standing regional conflicts. The
unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities; support for a number
118th Congress may review U.S. approaches to the MENA
of partner governments and armed groups; closer ties with
region as Members consider proposals to fund and
Russia and China; and an advancing nuclear program.
authorize U.S. programs and exercise oversight of foreign
In response, Congress has authorized sanctions and required
policy, defense, intelligence, and assistance initiatives.
legislative review of agreements over Iran’s nuclear
The United States has devoted significant resources,
program. The 2015 nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan
including the deployment of military forces, to combat
of Action, or JCPOA) imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear
terrorist threats and stabilize parts of the MENA region
program in exchange for relief from most U.S. and
since 2001. The Biden Administration has said it seeks to
international sanctions. The Trump Administration
build a cooperative network of MENA partner countries
withdrew the United States from the accord in 2018. The
and enable them to meet shared challenges. According to
Biden Administration sought to revive the accord, but those
the 2022 National Security Strategy, the Administration
indirect talks stalled. Some Members have called on the
intends to bolster the resilience and capabilities of MENA
Biden Administration to formally terminate JCPOA
partners and believes that a “more integrated Middle East
negotiations. The Biden Administration reportedly is
that empowers our allies and partners will advance regional
resistant to ending those negotiations, but U.S. officials
peace and prosperity, while reducing the resource demands
have emphasized they are not actively pursuing them.
the region makes on the United States over the long term.”
The Administration also has stated, “the United States will
Figure 1. Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan
not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom
of navigation through the Middle East’s waterways,
including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab, nor
tolerate efforts by any country to dominate another – or the
region – through military buildups, incursions, or threats.”
The 118th Congress will likely face both long-standing and
emergent issues in the MENA region. These include the
multilateral impasse with the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran)
over its nuclear program; concern over Iran’s support for
armed groups across the MENA region; unrest in Iran;
leadership transitions in Israel and perhaps among

Palestinian groups; and the potential for renewed Taliban
Source: CRS, using State Department and ESRI data.
rule in Afghanistan to allow global terrorists to reconstitute
The September 2022 death of a young woman named
their capabilities.
Mahsa Amini sparked protests that have challenged the
Conflict, tension, and crises in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya,
Iranian government’s authority. In response, the Biden
and Lebanon pose enduring risks to the region’s stability
Administration has expressed public support for the
and generate demands on U.S. foreign aid, diplomacy, and
protesters; sanctioned dozens of individuals and entities
military resources. Tunisia, the one “Arab Spring” country
involved in the violent crackdown against the
that established a multiparty democracy, is becoming
demonstrators; and sought to facilitate Iranians’ internet
increasingly authoritarian amid an economic crisis. Egypt
access. Members of Congress are likely to oversee and seek
also faces economic pressure and has sought support from
to shape U.S. policy responses to the protests.
Arab Gulf states. Across the region, economic recovery and
U.S. policymakers also have expressed concern about Iran’s
growth prospects are uneven, affecting MENA countries’
provision of weaponry to Russia for use in Ukraine.
ability to grapple with challenges posed by climate change,
demographic pressures, and new technologies.
Israel and the Palestinians
Israel’s security and its efforts to peacefully resolve
Iran
disputes with the Palestinians have been decades-long U.S.
Since the 1979 establishment of the Islamic Republic,
policy priorities. Congress has required the executive
successive U.S. Administrations and Congresses have
branch to certify that arms sales to MENA countries will
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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The Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan: Selected Issues for the 118th Congress
not adversely affect Israel’s “qualitative military edge” over
their relocation, remains a concern. Many are still in
neighboring militaries. Since FY2019, Congress annually
Afghanistan but seek to leave; others are in third countries
has appropriated $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing
pending processing for entry to the United States.
and an additional $500 million for U.S.-Israel missile
Taliban actions led to dramatic reversals in the rights of
defense programs. Some Members of Congress have sought
women and girls in Afghanistan, a longtime bipartisan
to augment or expedite aid or arms sales in response to
policy concern. The Taliban have prohibited girls and
expressed Israeli needs.
women from attending secondary schools and universities
In many respects, U.S.-Israel cooperation has steadily
and curtailed women’s roles, including with many
grown. For example, U.S. officials have helped Israel build
nongovernmental organizations.
upon diplomatic advances such as the 2020-2021 Abraham
Since 2021, Afghanistan, already one of the world’s poorest
Accords (involving the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and
countries, has faced intersecting humanitarian and
Morocco) by encouraging Arab states and other countries to
economic crises. The cut-off of international development
cooperate strategically, economically, and culturally with
Israel on matters of mutual interest. Israel’s 2021
assistance, U.S. sanctions on the Taliban, and the U.S. hold
integration into U.S. Central Command’s area of
on Afghan central bank assets have contributed to these
challenges. The Biden Administration and many in
responsibility has bolstered opportunities for the U.S.
Congress seek to ameliorate these crises, but without taking
military to work with Israel and some Arab states on air
any action that boosts the Taliban’s position or that may be
defense coordination to counter Iran, though obstacles
perceived as doing so. Pursuing these policies in tandem
remain to more formal alignment and intelligence sharing.
may prove complicated given the Taliban’s apparent
However, Israeli authorities’ control over Palestinian life in
willingness to resist international pressure at the cost of
East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip
considerable humanitarian and economic suffering.
complicate Israel’s relations with the United States. The
Congressional oversight of U.S. Afghanistan policy could
Biden Administration supports a negotiated two-state
feature reporting requirements, additional hearings, and
solution, but is not actively pursuing talks. In efforts to keep
ongoing and new investigations. Future reports from the
diplomatic options open and help de-escalate ongoing
congressionally-created Afghanistan War Commission and
violence and unrest, the Administration has criticized steps
other bodies may offer lessons for legislators.
taken by both Israelis (settlement expansion, settler
violence, Palestinian home demolitions and evictions) and
“The future of the Middle East will be defined as much
Palestinians (incitement to violence and payments for
by climate, technological, and demographic changes as
individuals imprisoned for acts of terrorism). After a lull in
by traditional security matters.”
aid for the Palestinians during the Trump Administration,
Congress and the Biden Administration resumed some
- U.S. National Security Strategy, October 2022
economic, humanitarian, and security assistance. In light of
continued Israeli-Palestinian tensions, some Members of
Instability and Change in the MENA Region
Congress seek to add limits, conditions, or other oversight
Unrest, conflict, and change have swept the MENA region
measures to aid for either or both sides.
over the last two decades, miring some countries in
U.S. concerns about leadership in Israel, the West Bank,
stalemate and suffering but opening new possibilities for
and Gaza could affect deliberations in the 118th Congress.
others. Shared challenges also are emerging. The 2022
In December 2022, Benjamin Netanyahu formed a
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt
highlighted the MENA region as among the world’s most
government featuring ultra-nationalist coalition partners
who appear poised to play a direct role in managing
water-stressed and vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has shaken glob
sensitive Israeli-Palestinian interactions at Jerusalem holy
al
sites and elsewhere. Restive Palestinian groups in the West
energy and food markets and is demonstrating how events
Bank appear to be vying for control partly in anticipation of
beyond the region may impose costs and consequences on
the potential departure of 87-year-old Palestinian Authority
MENA societies. Some U.S. partners, such as the assertive
President Mahmoud Abbas. The Sunni Islamist group
leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, seek
Hamas (a U.S.-designated terrorist organization) maintains
global influence and at times challenge U.S. preferences,
de facto rule in Gaza and occasionally appears to use
including through closer ties with Russia and China.
violence in contentious Israeli-Palestinian situations to
As the United States adjusts its regional presence and
boost its domestic popularity.
priorities and seeks cooperation from MENA partners,
Afghanistan
Congress may reexamine patterns of U.S. engagement and
The aftershocks of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
assistance and evaluate the effectiveness of the executive
and the Taliban return to power continue to reverberate.
branch’s approaches to advancing varied U.S. interests.
Members of Congress have monitored the Taliban’s
Christopher M. Blanchard, Coordinator, Specialist in
renewed rule, the status of the Islamic State, and Al Qaeda,
and U.S. efforts to counter these groups from “over the
Middle Eastern Affairs
horizon.” The 2022 National Defense Strategy states these
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
groups “have had their capabilities degraded, but some may
Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs
be able to reconstitute them in short order.”
Jeremy M. Sharp, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs
Clayton Thomas, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs
The status of tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked
Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs
for the United States, and ongoing U.S. efforts to secure
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The Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan: Selected Issues for the 118th Congress

IF12268


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12268 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED

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