The Superpowers and the Middle East: Regional and International Politics, 1955-1967 [Paperback]

Fawaz A. Gerges (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1994

An analysis of relations between the superpowers and the Arab world between 1955 and 1967 - a critical period from which can be traced the origins of almost every important issue in the Middle East today. The book makes use of extensive archival research, and adopts an international approach.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Westview Pr (Short Disc); First Edition edition (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813386977
• ISBN-13: 978-0813386973
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fawaz A. Gerges, the Director of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics, is Professor of Middle Eastern Politics and International Relations. His books include Journey of the Jihadist and The Far Enemy: Why Jihad Went Global. (Photo Credit: Jane Hoffer)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Superpowers and the Middle East, July 23, 2001

By 

Daniel Pipes, Middle East Forum, Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Superpowers and the Middle East: Regional and International Politics, 1955-1967 (Hardcover)

Although the author is a political scientist and his first book has all the trappings of a political science treatise, it's actually a solid history book drawing on many published (but virtually no unpublished) sources. Gerges chose his starting and ending points because "1955 signaled the birth of a new Arab order, 1967 marked its demise." Despite the title, his topic is less the Middle East than it is the Arabic-speaking countries of that region: Turkey, Israel, and Iran enter on his state only as external forces. In many ways, "The Superpowers and the Middle East" complements Malcolm Kerr's "The Arab Cold War" (1965), stressing the external dimension where Kerr looks at the intra-Arab one.

Gerges finds three main themes rising above the welter of his well-marshalled detail: First, superpowers had great difficulty controlling their Middle Eastern clients, leading to the odd sight of tails wagging dogs. Second, as U.S.-Soviet tensions sharpened, Arab states carved out more freedom of action for themselves. Third, and most counterintuitive, the conflict with Israel did not unify Arabs but sundered them worse than any other issue they faced during those twelve years.

Middle East Quarterly, March 1995