War and peace in the Middle East
Subtitle: a critique of American policy
By: Avi Shlaim.
Publisher: Whittle Books in association with Viking
Published: 1994
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 147
Subjects: Middle East -- Foreign relations.; Middle East -- Foreign relations -- Europe.; Europe -- Foreign relations -- Middle East.; Middle East -- Foreign relations -- United States.; United States -- Foreign relations -- Middle East.
Description: The recent Israel-PLO accord is only the most recent surprise in a region whose politics often seem complex to the point of mysteriousness. How can Americans decipher the latest diplomatic tilt, rumor of war, or threat to oil supplies? Where will the Middle East's centuries-old quest for self-determination lead?

An Oxford professor of international relations finds answers in a historical context that is often overlooked. With a special focus on the last half-century, he illuminates the four phases of external involvement - the Ottoman, the European, the Superpower, and the American - that have molded the political evolution of the Middle East.

He assesses the past roles of Britain, France, and the former Soviet Union, clarifies how power and influence have shifted in the aftermath of the Cold War, and appraises both the recurrent myopia of the United States and its essential function as a mediator. Shrewd, witty, and highly readable, War and Peace in the Middle East offers invaluable insights, for the student and the general reader, into one of the most volatile subsystems of international politics.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-147).