This book, first published in 1991, examines in detail superpower-client relations in the Middle East. The Middle East, with its protracted and seemingly insoluble conflict and complex patterns of loyalty and hostility, is the ideal setting for the study of such relationships. Using the USSR and Syria, and the USA and Israel as case studies, this book illuminates the extent of superpower influence on client states but also the real constraints on their exercise of that influence. In analysing specific contexts over this period, the authors advance that tension between goals and constraints often favours the client state and that superpower relations are not those of dominance and subordination but bargaining relations in which clients have great leverage.

This book, first published in 1991, examines in detail superpower-client relations in the Middle East. The Middle East, with its protracted and seemingly insoluble conflict and complex patterns of loyalty and hostility, is the ideal setting for the study of such relationships. Using the USSR and Syria, and the USA and Israel as case studies, this book illuminates the extent of superpower influence on client states but also the real constraints on their exercise of that influence. In analysing specific contexts over this period, the authors advance that tension between goals and constraints often favours the client state and that superpower relations are not those of dominance and subordination but bargaining relations in which clients have great leverage.

Middle Eastern politics of the 1990s have been characterized by a drive towards peace. Whether this is successful or not will depend on the negotiating process. These articles discuss the challenges, and provide some practical advice on how risks of failure could be avoided.

This is an excellent first book by a young Lebanese scholar. He brings analytical sophistication and detailed knowledge of a wide variety of sources to bear on a crucial period when the Cold War was being fought out in the Middle East. He is quick to note that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union was particularly successful in exerting its influence in the region. In addition, the local powers quickly learned to exploit the superpower rivalry. He also vividly conveys how the Israeli challenge exacerbated inter-Arab relations. Finally, relying on Arabic sources, he gives a glimpse into the internal decision-making of Egypt and other Arab states, noting that they often overestimated their importance to outside powers. This well-researched and objective study is a welcome addition to serious history written by Middle East scholars from the region. -- from Foreign Affairs (May/June 1995).

From "the foremost U.S. historian of the modern Middle East" ("L.A. Times") comes a powerful argument that the global conflicts now playing out explosively in the Middle East were significantly shaped by the Cold War era.

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. This text aims to fill a gap in the field of Middle Eastern political studies by combining international relations theory with concrete case studies. It begins with an overview of the rules and features of the Middle East regional system—the arena in which the local states, including Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Israel and the Arab states of Syria, Jordan and Iraq, operate. The book goes on to analyse foreign-policy-making in key states, illustrating how systemic determinants constrain this policy-making, and how these constraints are dealt with in distinctive ways depending on the particular domestic features of the individual states. Finally, it goes on to look at the outcomes of state policies by examining several major conflicts including the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Gulf War, and the system of regional alignment. The study assesses the impact of international penetration in the region, including the historic reasons behind the formation of the regional state system. It also analyses the continued role of external great powers, such as the United States and the former Soviet Union, and explains the process by which the region has become incorporated into the global capitalist market.

Key documents and essential facts, combined with a strong theoretical framework - this new textbook clarifies the Gulf War of 1991, puts it in the context of the changing international order and identifies long-term consequences.

The volume deals with competition among regional and external players for the redistribution of power and international status in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on Russia’s renewed role and the implications for US interests. Over the last few years, a crisis of legitimacy has beset the liberal international order. In this context, the configuration of regional orders has come into question, as in the extreme case of the current collapse in the Middle East. The idea of a “Russian resurgence” in the Middle East set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination. This volume, a joint publication by ISPI and the Atlantic Council, gathers analysis on Washington’s and Moscow’s policy choices in the MENA region and develops case studies of the two powers’ engagament in the countries beset by major crises.

A comparative historical examination of the international systemic and societal origins and effects of Al Qaeda and similar historical actors.

This book explores efforts being made to create Russian-American cooperation in managing recurrent conflict in the Middle East. Theoretical, historical, and policy sections provide the framework for chapters that represent the most current, multinational thinking on issues of war prevention, crisis avoidance, and conflict resolution. The contributo