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Summary
This book advances a critical analysis of U. S. Middle East policy and offers alternative perspectives. It highlights areas of policy shortcomings in the wake of ongoing global and domestic changes and draws attention to the need for a new and more plausible U. S. policy.
The United States and the Middle East evaluates the roots and consequences of post-World War II diplomatic and military initiatives, including the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Palestinian question, United States relations with Iran following the Iranian revolution, Irangate, the reflagging of Kuwaiti tankers, and the war led by the United States against Iraq. The important roles of U. S. media and Middle East studies and education in influencing U. S. foreign policy are also emphasized. A concluding chapter focuses on the ongoing global restructuring and the U. S. quest for world leadership in the wake of the Persian Gulf War.
"This book candidly and convincingly explains why the United States, despite its superpower status, continues to stumble and flail from crisis to crisis in the Middle East, an international heartland acutely resistant to American understanding and political engineering."-- James A. Bill, Reves Center for International Studies, The College of William and Mary
Hooshang Amirahmadi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy Development and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University. He is the author of Revolution and Economic Transition: The Iranian Experience, published by SUNY Press, and is co-editor of Post-Revolutionary Iran.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
About the Contributors
Part 1. Introduction
Chapter 1. The United States and the Middle East: A Search for New Perspectives Hooshang Amirahmadi
Part 2. U.S. Middle East Policy In Historical Perspective
Chapter 2. U.S. Policy in the Middle East Richard Cottam
Chapter 3. U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The Tragedy of Persistence Richard Falk
Part 3. Policy Toward the Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Palestinian Question
Chapter 4. U.S. Policy toward the Arab-Israeli Conflict Naseer Aruri
Chapter 5. U.S. Policy and the Palestinian Question Joe Stork
Part 4. Policy Toward the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Irangate Fiasco
Chapter 6. U.S. Policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Case of Misperception and Reactive Behavior
Mansour Farhang
Chapter 7. Irangate: The Middle Eastern Connections Stuart Schaar
Part 5. U.S. Strategic Policy Toward the Middle East and the Persian Gulf War
Chapter 8. U.S. Strategic Policy toward the Middle East: Central Command and the Reflagging of Kuwait's Tankers Elizabeth Gamlen
Chapter 9. The Persian Gulf War: Myths and Realities Eric Davis
Part 6. U.S. Middle East Policy, Media, and Education on the Middle East
Chapter 10. Media, Public Discourse, and U.S. Policy toward the Middle East William A. Dorman
Chapter 11. Middle East Studies and U.S. Foreign Policy Richard B. Parker
Chapter 12. Middle East Studies and Education in the United States: Retrospect and Prospects Hooshang Amirahmadi, Eliane Condon, and Abraham Resnick
Part 7. Conclusions
Chapter 13. Global Restructuring, the Persian Gulf War, and the U.S. Quest for World Leadership Hooshang Amirahmadi