Middle East Studies

‘A good example of ‘American studies’ in the classical sense of the word, combining insights from political science, sociology, history and economics. For any student of Washington decision making [...] this work may even be presented as a ‘Who’s Who in Republican America’.’ —from the Foreword by Arno Tausch, Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Innsbruck University

‘The author emphasizes the convergence of networks of politicians, businessmen and military personnel, in shaping that nucleus of social engineering in the USA and in the Middle East. The unlikely meeting of the ‘Bedouin and the Cowboy’ is at the heart of this system.’ —Nilüfer Göle, Professor of Sociology, Director of Researches at the EHESS

‘Quite remarkable. It is an undeniable contribution to the knowledge of US policy and the causes of its failures in today’s Middle East, at a decisive phase of its history.’ —Burhan Ghalioun, Professor of Political Sociology at Paris III University (Sorbonne Nouvelle), Director of the Centre d’Etudes sur l’Orient Contemporain (CEOC)

After analyzing the ideological and doctrinal struggle for power and influence in Volume I, ‘Volume II. Networks’ reveals how Bush’s Middle East policies were shaped by connections that were seldom highlighted or even made known to the public. Starting from the assumption that no foreign policy is possible without mutual interaction, Volume II analyses the interlocking connections between the Bush administration and its supporters – including key figures in the business community, lobbies, ethnic and religious networks, and the military-industrial complex – and the role these relationships played in sculpting foreign policy. This study offers for the first time in the literature of the Arab-Israeli conflict a systematic analysis from the perspective of US electoral capaigning, with comparative quantitative data analyses for the activities and influences of: pro-Israel, Arab American, Muslim American, entrepreneurial and military networks. Through this analysis, the decision-making process with respect to the Middle East is revealed.