ABSTRACT
The global environment of the 1990s has been dramatically changed by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of a number of independent states tied together only loosely. This chapter aims to identify the main challenges and opportunities that confront the United States in the Middle East, to outline US goals and priorities, and to propose strategies for meeting the challenges that face the country. The survival of Israel will remain near the top of the US policy agenda, although it is unlikely that Israel’s adversaries would require the United States to become engaged militarily on Israel’s behalf. In the post-cold war era, a US policy debate is likely to ensue between those advocating an activist approach designed to help reshape the world “order” and those looking to a reduced US role based on case-by-case pragmatism. In the economic sphere, the United States will face real constraints in the transfer of resources to the region.
