The research object is U.S. strategy in asymmetric regional conflicts in the Middle East. The research subject is the process of formation and implementation of U.S. strategy in the conflict situation in Afghanistan and its consequences for regional and international security. The author demonstrates the confrontation between the competing coalitions of supporters of different behaviour strategies in the conflict reflecting the fundamental contradiction in U.S. political elite between the supporters of interventionism and a moderate foreign policy line. The author reveals the elements of continuity and transformation of U.S. policy in the conflict situation in Afghanistan. The research is based on the traditions of the systems approach to studying international relations and world policy. The author uses the elements of the historical-political and structural-functional analysis. The author studies the role of a personal factor in the development of foreign policy decisions using the techniques of political psychology. The author concludes that as a result of complex socio-political interactions, foreign policy of a state can markedly differ from the subjective goals and preferences of particular participants of foreign policy process. The experience of modification of U.S. strategy in Afghanistan undertaken by the Administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, shows that the basic guidelines of U.S. policy have been stable during quite a long period of time. The interpretation of the key goal in the conflict - the prevention of Afghanistan turning into a base for international terrorism - hasn’t changed for a long period of time. The reduction of involvement in the conflict, which started during Obama’s administration, is in compliance with U.S. long-term orientation to more prudent, pragmatic and selective involvement into conflicts on the periphery of the world system.