American Alliance Policy in the Middle East, 1945-1992: Iran, Israel, and Saudi ArabiaAmerican Alliance Policy in the Middle East provides a stimulating, new look at a U.S. Cold War foreign policy gripped by anticommunist paranoia. Through case studies of America's relationships with Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, John P. Miglietta reveals how an overriding fear of global communism led to the overcommitment of U.S. security resources to the region. The perceived need to preserve Middle East stability rendered U.S. policy ineffectual and unresponsive to changing local conditions, drastically altering the patron-client paradigm to the detriment of American strategic interests. This superb analysis of American foreign policymaking illustrates how Cold War anticommunist ideology prevented the evolution of traditional military alliances into broader-based relationships and perpetuated authoritarian regimes that mired the Middle East in a cycle of poverty and despotism. |
Contents
Alliances American Foreign Policy and International Relations Theory | 3 |
The United States and Iran The Forging of an Alliance | 37 |
The United States and Iran The Establishment and Implications of the New Persian Empire | 57 |
The Origins of the AmericanIsraeli Alliance 19481960 | 107 |
The Significance of the AmericanIsraeli Alliance 19601992 | 133 |
The Origins of the AmericanSaudi Alliance | 197 |
The Strategic Implications of the AmericanSaudi Alliance | 233 |
Conclusions | 297 |
Bibliography | 323 |
Common terms and phrases
addition advisors agreement AIPAC air force aircraft allies American alliance American arms American decision makers American foreign policy American interests American military American policy makers American-Israeli American-Saudi Arab argued arms sales arms transfers AWACS Baghdad Pact base Boulder Cited Cockburn Cold War Colo commitments Committee conflict Congress Cordesman countries Dangerous Liaisons discussion domestic politics economic Egypt Eisenhower established fighter goals House of Saud important increased industry international system Iran's Iranian revolution Iraq Iraqi Israeli Jewish Vote Johnson Kennedy lobbying maintain major Middle East military aid Military Assistance Military Sales million missile monarchy National Security Nixon Doctrine North Yemen nuclear percent Persian Gulf President purchase regime region relationship result Saud Saudi Arabia Senate Shah Shah's significant sought Soviet Union Strategic Cooperation support for Israel third world threat Truman U.S. Department U.S. dollars U.S. Foreign U.S. Military United University Press viewed weapons Westview Press Yemen York