Although the effects of United States foreign policy, were both positive and negative, the United States successfully achieved all the goals set forth by its' foreign policy. .
Maintaining relations with moderate Arab states played a major role in American foreign policy during the Yom Kippur War. Although this policy, in the short run, proved to be unsuccessful, positive results are evident in later years. American relations concerning Middle Eastern Arab states were primarily of economic interest, however political motivations did exist. Maintaining relations with these Arab states during the conflict was vital, to secure American oil interests in the region. Politically, maintaining relations with Arab nations would deaden the threat of Soviet influences in the region. If the Soviets or their radical allies succeeded, they would acquire a stranglehold on the area's resources, the economies of major industrial nations will be jeopardized (Chai). However, America's commitment to the protection of Israel, was the result of this policy, because of the "strategic service that Israel performs . . .acting as a barrier to Soviet penetration of the Middle East. As a result of the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict, when the United States initiated it's relief aid program for Israel, "oil producing states boldly used oil a weapon, including embargoing oil for the United States,"" (Shilper 37). Not only having an effect on the United States, the embargo, "made numerous nations find it advisable to scold Israel regularly . and vote for hostile U.N. resolutions,"" (Shipler 37). Not only did the "oil- states embargo American oil, but they also financed the Soviet military aid to Syria and Egypt, amounting to nearly three billion dollars (Tillman 50). The United States, without sacrificing Israel, for major political reasons, had to repair relations with Arab nations, and did so successfully over a few years.
