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 offers a compelling and original interpretation. Written for students, policymakers, and the general reader. Fred Halliday is Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics.