This acclaimed book brings together scholars and diplomats from the Middle East‎,‎ Europe‎,‎ and North America to provide an objective‎,‎ cross‎-cultural assessment of U‎.‎S‎.‎ foreign policy in the Middle East‎.‎ This fifth edition has been substantially revised with greater emphasis on current events‎,‎ including the policies of the Obama administration‎,‎ Islamist perceptions of U‎.‎S‎.‎ involvement in the Middle East‎,‎ and the U‎.‎S‎.‎ relationship with Israel‎,‎ Saudi Arabia‎,‎ Turkey‎,‎ and Afghanistan‎.‎ Updated throughout‎,‎ this edition also features five new chapters on the superpowers and the Middle East throughout the Cold War‎;‎ the Bush and Obama administrations and the Arab – Israeli conflict‎;‎ contemporary U‎.‎S‎.‎ – Syrian relations‎;‎ the importance of ideology to U‎.‎S‎.‎ – Iranian relations under the last three administrations‎;‎ and U‎.‎S‎.‎ relations with Al Qaeda‎.‎