Handbook of US-Middle East Relations: Formative Factors and Regional Perspectives(Routledge International Handbooks)

One of the main tasks facing the Barack Obama Administration in the USA is that of improving the image of the country in the Middle East region. During the George W. Bush Administration, US relations with most countries in the region declined to an all-time low. There is, among the general publics of many countries considered central to the US efforts to combat terrorism, a deep distrust of the USA. Even in countries, such as Kuwait, that have long been considered relatively pro-American, support for the US has declined dramatically. Central to improved US–Middle East relations is a better understanding of the critical factors shaping views and perspectives throughout the broader Middle East. To this end, this Handbook of US–Middle East Relations draws on the insights and experiences of many of the leading experts in the field. The thirty-five essays in this volume examine US–Middle East relations from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. • The first section provides a broad overview of many of the key issues and policies that have helped, either directly or indirectly, to shape US relationships with the region as a whole, including economics, oil, war, globalization and Islamic groups. • The second section examines perceptions of US–Middle East relationships from various perspectives, both within and outside the region. • The third section focuses on the unique aspects of the US relationship with each of the region’s countries. In all, the essays in this volume cover the whole spectrum of US–Middle East relations. The editor and authors hope that they will help shed light on this vital, yet still often misunderstood, region of the world. The book does not represent any particular political or ideological position. Instead, each author has sought objectively to seek a deeper understanding of the complexity and subtlety of forces that have all too often eluded US policymakers.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: Overview/Setting 1. Introduction Robert E. Looney 2. International Relations John Tirman 3. Beyond Iraq: Lasting Issues for the US in the Middle East Lawrence J. Korb and Daniel de Wit 4. The US Foreign Aid Policy to the Middle East Hilton Root, Yan Li and Kanishka Balasuriya 5. US Relations with International Organizations Rodrigo Tavares and Michael Schulz 6. War in the Middle East Dan Moran 7. Globalization as a Mediating Force in US-MENA Relations Anoushiravan Ehteshami 8. Proliferation in the Persian Gulf and Middle East: Challenges for US Policy James A. Russell 9. US Relations with Islamic Groups in the Middle East Heather S. Gregg 10. The US and the Geopolitics of Middle Eastern Oil Anas F. Alhajji 11. The Middle East and US Energy Security Anas F. Alhajji 12. Peace Process Stephen Zunes 13. US Economic and Governance Reform Efforts in the Middle East: Conceptual Difficulties and Practical Realities Robert E. Looney Part 2: Perceptions 14. The Arab Street Stephen Glain 15. US-Middle East Relations: Right of Return, Independence and the `Peace Process’: The View from Palestine Naseer Aruri 16. US-Jordan Relations: The King Abdullah II Era: An Analytical Study Adnan M. Hayajneh 17. Pakistan’s Perceptions of US Middle East Policy Shahid Javed Burki Part 3: Country Studies North Africa 18. The US and Algeria: Hostility, Pragmatism and Partnership Yahia H. Zoubir 19. The US and Morocco: The Long-Lasting Alliance Yahia H. Zoubir 20. The US and Tunisia: Model of Stable Relations Yahia H. Zoubir 21. The US and Libya: The Lengthy Road to Reconciliation Yahia H. Zoubir 22. US Relations with Egypt: An Overview Michael Collins Dunn The Levant 23. Turkey and the US Lenore G. Martin 24. American Foreign Policy in Lebanon Anne Marie Baylouny 25. Missed Opportunities: Co-operation and Confrontation in the US-Syrian Relationship David W. Lesch 26. US-Jordan Bilateral Relations Jomana Amara 27. Who Lost the Middle East? The Collapse of the Neoconservative-led US-Israeli Hegemonic Project Leon Hadar The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Countries 28. Close Allies, Ambivalent Partners: The Role of the UAE in US Gulf Policy Christian Koch 29. US Relations with Qatar Jill Crystal 30. US-Saudi Arabia Diplomatic Relations: An Evolutionary Process David E. Long 31. The Sultanate of Oman and the US Joseph A. Kéchichian 32. US-Bahrain Relations Jeffrey B. Nugent 33. Kuwait-US Relationship - A Small State Alliance with the Major Power: From Hesitant to Strategic Alliance Abdullah Alshayji Iran, Iraq, Yemen 34. Opting for the Lesser Evil: US Foreign Policy toward Iraq 1958–2008 Abbas Kadhim 35. Missed Opportunities and Political Blunders: The Tale of US-Iran Relations Mouchehr Dorraj and Hamid Zangeneh 36. The United States and Yemen: A History of Unfulfilled Expectations J.E. Peterson Index

About the Author :
Robert E. Looney (Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, USA)