American Geopolitical Strategy: Dominance through War, Peace & Proxy Conflicts

Introduction

The United States has long pursued global dominance through a sophisticated blend of military action, strategic ceasefires, and diplomatic manoeuvring. This approach, rooted in maintaining Western hegemony, is evident in its strategies toward adversaries like Iran, Russia, and China, as well as its pivot to allies like Pakistan. The 2009 Brookings Institution paper Which Path to Persia? outlines a blueprint for countering Iran, including using Israel as a proxy to maintain plausible deniability. Meanwhile, a 2025 U.S.-Pakistan military agreement signals a strategic shift in South Asia to counter Chinese and Iranian influence. Additionally, the U.S. employs ceasefires, as seen in Ukraine, not as genuine peace efforts but as tactical pauses to rearm proxies and prepare for future conflicts. This article synthesizes these elements into a comprehensive analysis of America’s strategy in its pursuit of dominance through war, peace, and geopolitical recalibration.

The 2009 Brookings Paper: Using Israel as a Proxy Against Iran

The 2009 Brookings Institution paper, Which Path to Persia?, provides a detailed framework for neutralizing Iran, identified as one of the Western world’s four great power adversaries alongside China, Russia, and North Korea. Chapter 5, titled “Leave it to Bibi: Allowing or Encouraging an Israeli Military Strike,” proposes leveraging Israel to conduct strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, thereby delaying its nuclear ambitions while shielding the U.S. from direct international backlash. The paper notes: “As in the case of American airstrikes against Iran, the goal of this policy option would be to destroy key Iranian nuclear facilities in the hope that doing so would significantly delay Iran’s acquisition of an indigenous nuclear weapons capability. However, in this case, an added element could be that the United States would encourage and perhaps even assist the Israelis in conducting the strikes themselves, in the expectation that both international criticism and Iranian retaliation would be deflected away from the United States and onto Israel.”

This strategy underscores a calculated approach to maintain plausible deniability for actions that could be deemed illegal, such as devastating Iran’s economy and infrastructure. Iran’s military, though less advanced than its counterparts, is among the most formidable in the Middle East, rivalled only by Israel. Its growing economic ties with China through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Belt and Road Initiative, and BRICS have bolstered its independence from Western influence, posing a significant challenge to U.S. interests. Iran’s support for anti-Western paramilitary groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza further exacerbates tensions, making it a key target for Western containment.

The paper also explores non-military options, such as fostering a “Velvet Revolution” to achieve regime change in Iran. This multifaceted approach reflects a long-term U.S. objective to weaken Iran’s regional influence, either through military devastation or internal destabilization. The arrival of U.S. Central Command’s commander, Michael Kurilla, in Israel on October 5, 2024, suggested close coordination with Israel and NATO allies for potential strikes, aligning with the Brookings strategy which we ultimately saw unfolding in Operation Rising Lion by Israel and Operation Midnight Hammer by USA in June 2025. A coloured revolution like the Persian Spring in Iran using Mossad agents in Iran and specifically in IRGC could be the next part of the play instigating them to revolt against the regime in Tehran. This would help US & Israel to neutralise Russia & China’s growing influence on Persian Gulf a redux of the Great Game and Anglo-Russian rivalry since 19^th Century.

Post-October 2023: Dismantling Iran’s Regional Network

Since October 7, 2023, Israel in its self-defence in response to the horrific terror attack by Hamas, has systematic targeted Iran’s regional allies, setting the stage for a direct confrontation with Tehran. Israel, with implicit Western support, neutralized Hamas in Gaza, dismantled Hezbollah in Lebanon, and worked covertly with Turkish-led militias under Ahmed Al Sharaa of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to topple the Assad regime in Syria. These actions disrupted the “Shia Crescent” connecting Iran to its allies through Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, while also pushing Russian influence out of Syria. By weakening Iran’s proxies, the West has isolated Tehran, though Russia and China have prevented the regime’s total collapse so far.

Despite these setbacks and the pushback offered by the Kremlin in Russia and Economic counter measures by China on rare earths, auto magnets etc, the U.S. neoconservatives remain focused on eliminating Russian and Chinese influence in the Persian Gulf. Temporary concessions, such as allowing Iranian oil exports to China, securing access to critical resources like uranium from Russia, rare earths, and automotive magnets from China mask the real motives of the Anglo-American bloc. However, these are likely strategic manoeuvres by USA is ploy to buy time while Israel prepares for a potential regime-change operation in Iran, aligning with the Brookings paper’s objectives.

U.S.-Pakistan Agreement: A Strategic Pivot in South Asia

Parallel to its Middle East strategy, the U.S. has pivoted toward Pakistan to counter Chinese and Iranian influence in South Asia. On June 18, 2025, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and U.S. President Donald Trump is said to have finalized an agreement granting U.S. access to Nur Khan Airbase near Islamabad and Jacobabad Airbase in Sindh for operations targeting Afghanistan and Iran. Excluding Pakistan’s civilian leadership, this deal underscores the military’s dominance in Pakistani foreign policy and revitalizes U.S.-Pakistan relations, strained under previous administrations.

The U.S. leverages Pakistan’s strategic location to counter ISIS-K in Afghanistan and prepare for potential Iranian escalation. In return, Pakistan receives maintenance for its F-16 fleet, fifth-generation fighter jets, and advanced air defence systems, reducing its reliance on Chinese technology while bolstering its economy. A controversial “Crypto Deal” with a Trump family run firm could facilitate money laundering for U.S. operations in the region, raising concerns that America could use this channel for sponsoring Narco-Terrorism, using proxies like jihadists in Pakistan against India, Iran and even legitimate targets of China as a tool of containment.

Domestically, the agreement has sparked protests in Pakistan, with critics like those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party warning of compromised sovereignty and risks of entanglement in a U.S.-Iran conflict. Regionally, it strains ties with Iran, which may view it as hostile, and alarms India, wary of Pakistan’s enhanced military capabilities. India’s rejection of U.S. mediation offers further complicates the landscape. China’s response threatening to suspend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and defence cooperation poses a significant challenge, making it difficult for Pakistan to balance its reliance on China with U.S. benefits.

Ceasefires as Strategic Pauses

The U.S. employs a strategy of ceasefires as tactical pauses to rearm proxies, as is evident in Ukraine’s conflict. In 2014, US instigated the Euro-Maidan protests with deep state agents like Victoria Nuland seeking to overthrow Viktor Yankovich who was close to Moscow seeking Ukraine’s integration into Eurasian Economic Union instead of the EU & NATO. This prompted Russia to press for annexation of Crimea after a Western-backed uprising. Thereafter Europe, led by Angela Merkel and President Hollande, brokered the Minsk Accord to save the Western-installed Kyiv government. The ceasefire allowed NATO to rearm Ukraine with private military contractors (PMC) support and weapons, preparing for a larger conflict.

Russia alarmed by NATO presence on its borders launched its “special military operation” in 2022 to demilitarize Ukraine. The West escalated arms supply to Ukraine, bleeding Russia economically by imposing sanctions on it and freezing its Euro-Dollar reserve. By 2024, with Ukraine facing a collapse on the frontlines, President Donald Trump sought a ceasefire, but Russia, aware of these Western tactics, views such pauses sceptically, specially in light Europe’s billion-dollar rearmament package which could bolster Kyiv ultimately. This pattern of calling for ceasefires when the Western proxies are weakened in a bid to buy time to resupply them reveals a calculated approach to prolong conflicts while maintaining Western interests. It underscores the U.S.’s use of “peace” as a tool for strategic dominance, complementing its military and proxy strategies.

Same Policies are followed in Middle East too where Israel struck Iran in Operation Rising Lion in June 2025 de-capitating IRGC leadership & Nuclear scientists. America also hit Iranian Nuclear Facilities pushing its nuclear program back by some years. The Iranians in response retaliated striking deep inside Israel with its ballistic missile and drones. This made Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu face heat of Iranian ballistic missiles strikes in Tel Aviv, Beersheba, Ramat Gan, Haifa, Ashdod in the 12 day war with Iran. As soon as America saw Israel getting battered and taking hits from Iran with its air defences getting overwhelmed, the Americans themselves launched Operation Midnight Hammer striking Iranian Nuclear facilities. This was a bailout for Bibi Netanyahu & using Qatar as a mediator for de-escalation with Iran. America is likely to use this period of ceasefire to re-arm Israel, ignite a Persian Spring inside Iran using Mossad compromised agents in IRGC to revolt against the regime. This is not an end to American campaign in Persia but just a pause before the next round of hostilities or regime change in Tehran.

Similar script is followed in Pakistan as well where the American Deep State uses it the Proxy Actors through Asim Munir to instigate a conflict in the region to bleed India & draw China into a regional conflagration which was ably foiled by Indian Airforce Strikes on Pakistan’s military bases on 10th May 2025. The moment the west saw its bid collapsing, the Trump Administration came running in to protect its proxy Pakistan from a bigger damage by India. Now it will use this ceasefire with India to re-arm & finance Pakistan through Crypto, Bailouts & Aid in name of Terror Co-operation, only to take on and bleed India in a bigger battle next time around. It’s clear that the West’s approach to ceasefires is less about peace and more about a clever game of survival and power.

It is like a calculated dance when their allies or proxies start losing ground, they call for a timeout, not to end the fight, but to reload and rethink. This isn’t about waving a white flag; it’s a sneaky way to buy time, pump in new weapons, and get their ducks in a row for the next round. What ties these moments together is a pattern that’s hard to ignore. Whenever West’s partners are on the ropes, they push for a ceasefire dressed up as a humanitarian gesture. Behind the scenes, though, it’s all about rearming and retraining, often with money squeezed from allies to prop up their own industries.

Once the reset is done, the conflict flares up again, bigger and bloodier than before. This feels less like a quest for peace and more like a way to wear down opponents while keeping their economic engine built on weapons and war running smooth. This strategy seems designed to hold onto power, turning every pause into a stepping stone for the next clash. It’s not about solving problems but keeping the game in play, ensuring they stay on top while others pay the price. It’s a stark reminder that in this high-stakes world, even a ceasefire can be a weapon in disguise

The Method to Madness in Persian Gulf

During the recent Israeli-American strikes on Iran’s military and nuclear installations in June 2025 we saw a distinct pattern emerge. The Americans using the proxies to maintain its regional dominance and when the proxy faces heat, the Americans rush in to cover up the mess and re-strategies. The hits Israel got from Iran’s ballistic missiles was unexpected and as Wall Street Journal reported, Israel was running low on Air Defence systems like Arrow and Irone dome. The situation needed an urgent fix and in a recent post on Truth Social President Trump confirmed that “It was America that saved Israel” and that now “Its time America saved Netanyahu from corruption trial of fraud and embezzlement”. This confirms that Israel’s vulnerability and its regional deterrence got fractured in this 12-day war with Iran and it was America which had to come and seek de-escalation with Iran through Qatar.

While America may have brokered a ceasefire yet the regime change agenda in Tehran is not gone. Washington Post has reported that the Israeli’s presented the whole plan to strike Iran to Trump Administration when PM Netanyahu visited America few months back after his inauguration in 2025. It is reported that Israel coordinated with America all along and when it struck Iran in a surprise de-capitating strikes on IRGC, its Nuclear facilities the elements within the Trump Administration were ecstatic on the blitzkrieg.

But after the Iranian response the situation changed as Netanyahu sought American intervention against Iran while the MAGA troupe lead by Steve Bannon, Tucker Carlson led the charge against PM Netanyahu calling his regime change agenda out. Bannon even went on to call Israel as a protectorate of America and it should behave like one. The Trump Administration in stark contrast to all the noise pre-election time has surrendered to the American deep state agenda so much so that even Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard disowned her own testimony to US Congress stating that there was no nuclear bomb threat from Iran.

The American intelligence as widely reported disagreed with Mossad’s inputs on Iranian nuclear program and yet Trump Administration totally dis-regarded it going ahead and bombing Iran only to later justify using opinions, joint readouts planted in media. CNN, NY Times and MSNBC all reported the leaked DIA report which said America and Israel failed to achieve its objectives of completely obliterating Iran’s Nuclear Program and that only tunnels at Fordow were bombed and core of centrifuges remained intact. The US Defence department under Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth has asked the FBI to launch an investigation into the leak conforming that the report was classified even though they do not agree with its initial damage assessment report made by US Central Command. The CIA has issued a press release; the Americans are releasing joint statement with Israel and now even Pentagon is coming out with a press conference to dismiss the leaked report and asserting that Operation Midnight Hammer was a stupendous success.

This is classical way of a PR overdrive to cover up and drown any noise of American and Israeli failure of not having achieved its desired objectives. To ascertain real damage to Iranian nuclear sites it may take weeks and months, though Trump & Netanyahu have already declared complete victory. The Iranians on the other hands are willing to negotiate seeking counsel from the Russians and the Chinese in a bid to save the regime and its agreements with China & Russia. The Iranians though are skeptical of IAEA director who it thinks not only disclosed locations of other secret enrichment sites in Iran but also probably compromised details of Iranian scientists working on its nuclear program. The Iranian parliament has recently passed a law terminating/suspending its co-operation with IAEA inspectors suspecting them to be part of western espionage.

Meanwhile the Russians continue to work with the Iranians on Bushehr Civilian Nuclear Reactor and reportedly 400 Kg of 60% enriched uranium capable of making 8-10 nuclear bombs is missing which Iran has reportedly moved out from Fordow before the US strikes. However, make no doubt that this ceasefire by US and its allies in the region is just a pause before it initiates further strikes, instigate a regime change from within aka a Persian Spring. The Israel-Iran war of 12 days has also cemented further alignments of Pakistan helping USA strategically against Iran providing logistics as well as intelligence on IRGC officials. Donald Trump even went on to suggest that Pakistan is not bad with Israel after his lunch-on meeting Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir in the White House.

America’s Strategy for Global Dominance

The strategic pivot of America towards Pakistan should be carefully watched by Iran, India, Russia, Afghanistan as well as China. The Anglo-Americans are in it to secure their hegemony and push back against the RIC (Russia, India & China) who individually and collectively are trading in non-dollar terms. India trades with Russia in Rouble-Rupees, China trades with Russia in Yuan, Iran also part of the BRICS trades Oil with China in Yuan, while China all this while is settling trade in 110 countries part of BRI in Chinese Digital Yuan through its payment system CIPS rivalling the US Dollar and bypassing the Swift. The American economy which is a hollowed out from inside having no industrial or manufacturing base, surviving on US dollar is facing stern resistance from powers like India, Japan, South Korea, China, Russia on non-trade barriers prompting Washington and its allies in the region to unleash chaos across the world.

An unexpected U.S. action, like the Iran strike, could signal to China that the U.S. might act inconsistently with its declared policies elsewhere, including the Indo-Pacific. China’s response would likely be cautious but proactive, focusing on asymmetric domains where it holds advantages, such as cyber operations or anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities. China’s growing assertiveness in response to perceived U.S. unpredictability, particularly in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, though escalation remains tempered by economic and diplomatic constraints. The U.S. strategy for dominance is multifaceted, encompassing the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond some of which is illustrated below:

1. Expel China and Russia from the Persian Gulf: By instigating regime change in Iran and flipping Pakistan as a strategic ally, the U.S. aims to eliminate Russian and Chinese influence in this critical region.

2. Flip Russia to Isolate China: Following the Kissinger Doctrine, the U.S. seeks to align with Russia to counter China, leveraging historical precedents of U.S.-Russia cooperation.

3. Offer Yalta 2.0: If the Russia-China alliance persists, the U.S. may propose a new global power-sharing agreement between Russia-China-USA, reminiscent of the 1945 Yalta Conference, to manage tensions and separate sphere of influence.

4. Seek G2 Consensus with China: To contain India’s rise, the U.S. may pursue a bilateral understanding with China and seek to influence Beijing to cut supplies of critical raw materials to India’s manufacturing for some relaxations in return on tech that China may need on semi-conductors and AI GPUs. Thereby balancing power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific attempting to cut India to size for not being a willing participant in America’s games.

5. Re-Industrialize America: By reshoring industries at the expense of Asian powers like Japan, South Korea, India, China, and Vietnam, the U.S. aims to strengthen its economic base through tariffs, capital controls, technological & financial sanctions.

6. Co-Opt Europe Against Russia: Encouraging Europe to rearm against Russia which allows the U.S. to focus on containing India and China in the Indo-Pacific while enforcing the Monroe Doctrine in the Western Hemisphere.

India’s Strategic Autonomy & Sovereignty

India on the other hand is seeking to make strategic autonomy and sovereignty as the hallmark of its foreign policy which is rubbing America the wrong way. Its non-dollar trade with Russia of Oil, Diamonds, Gas, Fertilizers; détente with China in Ladakh through Moscow’s good offices further undermines America’s strategy in Indo-Pacific region. The recent Rafale M deal with France instead of F-18 super hornets has further antagonised American military industrial complex. Even in Trade, India is refusing to relent on easing non-trade barriers like GMO food certification on Agriculture, Pharma Patents on Generics, Data Localisation norms by RBI, E-Commerce rules, doing away with urea and other subsidies including MSP.

Basically, Americans want India to be converted into a trade territory a 21^st Century form of colonisation like what East India Company did through trade in 17^th century. India for resisting and standing up for its people and sovereignty is bound to face multi-pronged attack from various powers in the region and beyond including Pakistan, China, Bangladesh. However, the Government of India and the people of India at large need to stand up together against such tactics to undermine India’s critical sovereign verticals of defence, space, food security, affordable medicines and healthcare for 1.4 billion people.

The US knows that it has just few decades before a new global power rises in the east and a multi-polar alignment emerges which could challenge the US empire that is already in its Twilight just like how the British Empire was in 1930s. Thus this ambitious strategy of US and its allies of unleashing chaos carries significant risks for region and the world at large. In the Middle East, relying on Israel as a proxy against Iran could escalate into a broader conflict, drawing in NATO allies and destabilizing the region. In South Asia, the U.S.-Pakistan agreement risks alienating India, straining Pakistan’s economy, and provoking domestic unrest. The use of ceasefires as strategic pauses, as seen in Ukraine, may erode trust in U.S. diplomacy, hardening adversaries like Russia and China.

Regionally, Pakistan faces threats from Pashtun communities in Afghanistan, Iran’s potential retaliation, and India’s concerns over its enhanced military capabilities. Pakistan’s reset with the U.S. complicates India’s position, while China’s threat to halt CPEC underscores the high stakes of Pakistan’s alignment shift. Globally, the U.S.’s pursuit of dominance through re-industrialization and containment of Asian powers could trigger economic disruptions and intensify great power rivalries.

Conclusion

The United States’ strategy for global dominance, as evidenced by the 2009 Brookings paper, the 2025 U.S.-Pakistan agreement, its tactical use of ceasefires in Ukraine, and its role in Iran-Israel 12-day war in June 2025 reflects a calculated blend of war, peace, and proxy conflicts. By leveraging Israel against Iran, pivoting to Pakistan, and manipulating ceasefires, the U.S. seeks to counter adversaries, secure strategic regions, and reassert its primacy. However, this approach risks regional escalation, strained alliances, and global instability. As the U.S. navigates this complex geopolitical landscape, its actions will shape the future of the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond, with profound implications for global order.

Countries in the East, particularly the RIC (Russia, India, China) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) blocs, can counter U.S. hegemony by strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing trade, and promoting a multipolar world order. By deepening economic ties through initiatives like the Eurasian Economic Union, BRICS Bank, RCEP etc these nations can reduce reliance on Western financial systems and foster self-sufficiency. Strategic coordination within RIC can align their geopolitical interests to counterbalance U.S. influence, while BRICS can expand its membership and trade frameworks to amplify the Global South’s voice. By emphasizing multipolarity, these countries can advocate for inclusive global governance, leveraging platforms to build resilient regional alliances that could challenge U.S.-led unipolar dominance.