ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the rise of Cold War power in the Middle East during and in the aftermath of the 1956 Suez War. The all-pervasive Cold War greatly affected the Middle East, with superpower interest in the region steadily increasing as the international tension between Washington and Moscow gained pace. As the Cold War developed in the face of Britain's diminishing influence, the United States and the Soviet Union attempted to expand their spheres of influence in the Middle East. Indeed, cooperating with the United States to maintain regional and economic security has benefited some of the region's most authoritarian dictators. The chapter explores the intricate alliances that Washington forged with the undemocratic regimes of Saudi Arabia and Egypt in order to advance its regional objectives. It also examines the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the decision-making process that lay behind Washington's involvement in that conflict.
