Director: Michael Doran
April 1, 2002 - December 9, 2004
This Study Group will result in a book that provides an alternative to the prevailing wisdom that the thwarted self-determination of the Palestinian people is the primary cause of Arab anti-Western sentiment: The Great Powers, so the argument goes, have historically supported an aggressive Israel, thereby undermining their Arab friends and providing sustenance to their enemies. Doran counters that Arab states have used the conflict with Israel as a means of pursuing agendas wholly unrelated to the cause of Palestine. He describes the Arab-Israeli conflict as a proxy war that the Arab states have fought against each other and against the Great Powers.
In addition to reinterpreting the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Doran provides policy makers with tools for analyzing the complex crosscurrents that blur the lines between the Palestine question, inter-Arab politics, and relations between the Western powers and Middle Eastern states.
Saudi Arabia on the Edge
A leading Middle East scholar pens this "good introduction to the Saudi paradox of social change and political stability and an invaluable guide to the challenges the country faces." More
American Force
An investigation of the use of American force since the end of the Cold War. More
The Struggle for Egypt
A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world. More
The campaign project examines the foreign policy dimensions of the presidential race, tracking candidates' positions and offering insight on the top issues.
