Speyside wrote:TW , I think it was poor foreign policy of the administration's of George, Bill, George, and Barack that lead to destabilization.
You'll have to go further back than GHWB. It's difficult to pinpoint bad foreign policy over time. So many variables that you can't account for as the years pass. We tend to go back and blame politicians we don't like decades after decisions were made for short- or medium-term tactics and strategies. What may be successful in the short term (say 10 years or so), or given us an immediate effect (Mujahadeen support against the Soviets, for example), sometimes have longer term impacts that would be impossible to foresee. It's not bad policy, it's that we aren't soothsayers.
So, sure, our FP has contributed, but not as much as some want to believe and not as little as those who think the actions of the US have no negative consequences.
In an area of the world that has never been, and probably will never be, politically stable, it seems short sighted to give much blame. That said, since 2001, we have taken a lot more interest and been far more active than ever. Most of those decisions and actions will have far reaching consequences for years. I can't say any have been inherently good or bad, but they will all have unforeseen consequences.
So there's the most unequivocal three paragraphs of the day....