The international relations of the Middle East have long been dominated by uncertainty and conflict. External intervention, interstate war, political upheaval and interethnic violence are compounded by the vagaries of oil prices and the claims of military nationalist and religious movements. Fred Halliday sets this region and its conflicts in context, providing on the one hand, a historical introduction to its character and problems, and, on the other, a reasoned analysis of its politics. In an engagement with both the study of the Middle East and the theoretical analysis of international relations, Halliday, one of the best known and most respected scholars writing on the region today, offers a compelling and original interpretation. Written in a clear, accessible and interactive style, the book is designed for students, policymakers, and the general reader. Fred Halliday is Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics. He is the author and editor of several publications including Two Hours that Shook the World: September 11, 2001: Causes and Consequences (Tauris, 2002), Islam & the Myth of Confrontation (Tauris, 2002), The World at 2000: Perils and Promises (Macmillan, 2001), and Nation and Religion in the Middle East (Lynne Rienner, 2000).