ABSTRACT
Western literature on Soviet policy in the Middle East is fraught with controversy over such crucial mues of substance as the chief objectives and major thrust of Soviet behavior. There is a substantial body of evidence which suggests that Soviet policy in the Middle East--in particular Soviet policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict that changed dramatically in the first months of 1973. It was possible in the late 1960s and early 1970s to ascertain four distinct viewpoints or "tendencies of opinion" among Soviet leaders and political elites, with regard both to Soviet policy in the Middle East and to Soviet global policy. They are: Cooperative image, Competitive image, Antagonistic image and Hybrid image. Ideologues in the Party elite disliked the appearance of superpower condominium which any joint US- Soviet peace plan would be sure to generate.
