The Politics of Miscalculation in the Middle East Contributor(s): Parker, Richard B. (Author) |
|
![]() |
ISBN: 0253207819 ISBN-13: 9780253207814 Publisher: Indiana University Press OUR PRICE: $25.74 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: September 1993 Annotation: WHY DO INTERNATIONAL Crisis seem to occur so often in the Middle East? Former U.S. diplomat Richard B. Parker presents three detailed studies of policy failures that he believes were precipitated by miscalculations on the part of diplomats and of government and military leaders in one or more Middle Eastern countries, the United States, and the former USSR. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Middle East - General - Political Science | International Relations - General |
Dewey: 956.04 |
LCCN: 92023947 |
Series: Indiana Arab and Islamic Studies |
Physical Information: 0.79" H x 6.15" W x 9.21" (1.00 lbs) 274 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Why do international crises seem to occur so often in the Middle East? Former U.S. diplomat Richard B. Parker presents three detailed studies of policy failures that he believes were precipitated by miscalculations on the part of diplomats and of government and military leaders in one or more Middle Eastern countries, the United States, and the former USSR. They are the Soviet-Egyptian miscalculation leading to the June 1967 war between Israel and the Arab states, the U.S.-Israeli miscalculation leading to Soviet military intervention in Egypt in 1970, and the U.S.-Israeli miscalculation leading to the disastrous Lebanese-Israeli peace agreement of May 17, 1983. Parker's many-sided, often gripping account of the way in which these crises unfolded illustrates how the same events can be viewed very differently by the observers and actors involved, and how political decisions can precipitate reactions that are often very different from those anticipated. Although the book highlights the unavoidably uncertain and contingent element in all diplomatic activity, it also shows that careful attention to history, to past performance, and to prevailing mindsets in the countries involved can be invaluable aids in diplomatic crisis management. The many sources assembled and the careful weighing of their accuracy and reliability, along with the combined perspective of the practitioner and the scholar, make this book an important resource for diplomats, policymakers, and students of diplomacy. |