Everyone says the U.S. should “pivot to Asia.” Yet every time, the Middle East drags Washington back. Oil, Israel, terrorism, Iran—these anchors never let go. Biden promised to reduce commitments, but American bases still stretch across the region. It’s not incompetence, it’s structural. Political scientists call it “path dependency”: once you build alliances, bases, and military aid pipelines, they gain their own momentum. The Middle East isn’t a choice anymore. It’s a trap. And every president falls into it. #Lifehacks #USPolitics