The US-Coalition counterattack began with intense diplomatic effort in Pakistan coupled with military action in Afghanistan in 2001, putting those two states into play. The 2003 invasion of Iraq toppled a known terror-sponsor and regional threat, putting Iraq into play. The Saudi government, which covertly supported the Iraq war, began to take an increasingly harsh line against al Qaeda terrorists operating within its borders as those terrorists increasingly threatened the Saudi regime and its oil industry. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia all became fronts in the war on terrorism, with US personnel either engaged in combat within their borders or assisting indigenous troops engaged with al Qaeda forces, or operating from within those states to engage enemy forces outside of them. All four are in play, but could still end up back in the terrorist camp depending on events.

Diplomatically, the US constructed a pair of alliances to curb nuclear proliferation, the Proliferation Security Initiative and Caspian Guard. Member states include Russia; Azerbaijan, just north of Iran along the western edge of the Caspian Sea; and Kazakhstan, on the northern end of the Caspian Sea. All three are noted with light blue dots. These anti-proliferation alliances are intended to cut off Iran's ability to move men and equipment via the Caspian Sea while building better working relationships between the three newly allied states and the US. Geographically, they encircle the Caspian Sea along with US allies Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan became true US allies during the Afghan war, allowing the US to base personnel within their borders for the first time in history. The initial stated purposes for these alliances was to allow better search and rescue of US personnel within Afghanistan, but it's likely that both alliances were also aimed at building better long-term relationships and hemming Iran in from its north.