尽管保持全球能源价格稳定和与以色列联盟的需要意味着美国无法从中东烦恼中彻底脱身， 但战略重点向亚洲的转移早在奥巴马的首届任期内已经开始，克林顿甚至早在美国从伊拉克撤军前就宣布了美国战略重点的转移。
Although maintaining stable global energy prices and its alliance with Israel means that the US cannot cut itself off completely from the Middle East’s troubles, the shift in focus to Asia began early in Obama’s first administration, with Clinton announcing America’s strategic reorientation even before US troops began withdrawing from Iraq.