Middle East Conflict - About | Reader's Guide

From the middle of the twentieth century up to the present, no region in the world has been so torn by conflict as the Middle East. From Saudi Arabia in the south to Turkey in the north, and from Egypt in the west to Iran in the east, every nation in the region has been involved in some form of political, social, or military turmoil. What is most striking about the many conflicts that have occurred in the Middle East is their complexity. In almost every case, differences over religion, cultural identity, and political philosophy combine with personal, family, and ethnic biases to fan the flames of conflict. Untangling these numerous and overlapping motivations presents a challenge to even the most experienced scholars and diplomats.

To understand the conflicts that have shaped the Middle East in the twentieth century and beyond, one must keep in mind a variety of important forces that have shaped the region. The oldest and most...