March 26 Notes

U.S. and the Middle East

Transforming Middle East International Relations

March 26, 2008

I. The Nixon Effect
1. New Regional Structure? (détente and opening to PRC; openings to Iran, Pakistan)

2. Bureaucratic Rivalries (Kissinger vs. Rogers, Nixon’s conspiracy theories)

3. New Threats (terrorism; Jordan)

II. The 1973 War and Its Effects

1. Nixon and Sadat (Egypt and creation of anti-Israel alliance—importance of Iraq and Libya, resumption of relations with Syria, squeezing Jordan; Sadat and the Soviets; Sadat and Nixon—role of realpolitik: adversaries or allies?; missed opportunity?)

2. War & Consequences (Israeli intelligence failure; legacy of preemption; Egyptian and Syrian advances; failure of mediation and US decision to airlift; Brezhnev role—testing limitations of détente?; Kissinger, Nixon, and constitutional crisis—nuclear mobilization; reversal of fortunes; path to cease-fire)

3. Postwar Arab Diplomacy (origins of OPEC diplomacy and transformation of Middle East—importance of Saudi Arabia, strains in European alliance; US decisionmaking structure and renewed questions about Nixon; Cold War framework: Zionism-as-racism resolution)

III. Crisis Points

1. The Eagleton Amendment and Its Effects (colonels’ regime, coup, and Turkish invasion; Congress—new internationalists: arms sales issue: Symington and Pakistan, Nelson-Bingham amendment, Middle East as venue; Greek lobby—importance of Sarbanes and Brademas, imitating Israeli lobby; path to Eagleton amendment; reaction—Kissinger, Turkey and US bases, congressional retreat; legacy: erratic congressional role, discrediting new internationalists?, significance of Turkey)

2. Carter and the Middle East Peace Process (Sadat and realpolitik; Meir, Rabin, and collapse of Labor; Begin victory; Carter and foreign policy—1976 campaign, odd arrangement—Vance, Brzezinski, Derian; nature of settlement; limited political benefits)

3. The Iranian Revolution (Carter and the Shah; Derian and foreign aid; weakening of Shah; US intelligence failure—trapped in the 1950s?; death of regime; second oil shock; from Bani-Sadr to Khomeini; hostages and American popular culture; “rescue mission” and resignation of Vance; crisis and its effects)

4. The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (Afghanistan and the great game; deposition Zahir Shah and beginning of instability; Islam and Communism; Brezhnev Doctrine and assassination of Amin; Karmal presidency and invasion; origins of mujahadin)

/BBC