ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book suggests that instant solutions to what certainly appear to be often intractable problems in the Middle East. It addresses the debate between "realists" and "idealists" regarding the position of Israel and the West and examines the different strategic perceptions of the United States and Western Europe. The book also examines a variety of concepts within the context of some of the main issues confronting the Middle East, including the Arab-Israeli dispute, the Iran-Iraqi conflict, and terrorism. It explores the ability of the domestic system to support an ambitious foreign policy in Syria. The book focuses on Soviet objectives, and how they are reflected in political and military doctrine as well as in Soviet behavior toward the conflict, and explores the extent to which these objectives can be satisfied through a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli dispute.
