A comprehensive examination of the complex domestic environment and the quarrelsome neighbors that contribute to Lebanon's condition as one of the most violent and unstable countries in the Middle East. Global Security Watch-Lebanon is the first volume to consider all factors-political, economic, religious, and actions by its neighbors-that have contributed to Lebanon's violent past and that shape its current security status. In Global Security Watch-Lebanon, author David Sorenson explores Lebanon's arcane-almost dysfunctional-political structure and economic system, as well as the complex religious makeup of a country that is home to Christians, Jews, and Arabs with no majority faith. Sorenson also looks at how the nation has often served as a focal point of diplomatic and military conflict for other nations, including Syria, Iran, and Israel, as well as how ill-informed American policies toward Lebanon have ultimately harmed American strategic interests in the Middle East. Primary source documents include the Preamble to the 1926 Lebanese Constitution, provisions of the 1989 Ta'if Accords, the report of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Israeli-Hezbollah war of 2006 Includes a chronology of key events in the history of Lebanon from earliest human civilizations there to the 2006 war

Syria is home to one of the most brutal and protracted civil wars in history, posing a threat to global stability and enabling the expansion of the Islamic State (sometimes called "ISIS"). This in-depth analysis reveals the beginning, present state, and future of this conflict. The current crises involving ISIS have attracted worldwide attention to the complex politics and cultural panorama of the Middle East, including Syria. Political analyst and author David S. Sorenson discusses the ongoing civil war in Syria from its origins, to its key players, and to its propagation into neighboring countries. In the process, the work delves into Syria's demographics, history, economy, and security to illustrate the civil war's impact on the Middle East and the world. This in-depth analysis covers the Assad regime, ISIS's role in the region, possible outcomes of the conflict, and security implications for the country. Starting with a history of Syria, the work identifies the factors that have contributed to the onset and continuation of the civil war, moves on to an analysis of the outbreak and growth of the war, and points out key factors that fueled its intensity. A look at the Islamic State considers the internationalization of the Syrian civil war, explaining how the addition of many parties outside of Syria have made the war more violent and protracted. The book concludes by considering alternative endings for the conflict and addressing the role of world powers in the conflict and its outcome. Features a chapter on the growth of ISIS in the region and quest for a caliphate Addresses the influence of Russia, China, and the United States in the conflict and its outcome Follows the transition of the Syrian economy from state-run to crony capitalism Considers America's action and policy in response to the threats as presented both by President Assad and ISIS Covers the Syrian internal conflict as well as the conflict's expansion into Iraq, Lebanon, and Turkey

Between 1988 and 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission closed down 97 bases and realigned over 350 other bases. A hot button topic in the military field, base-closings is an important issue that affects not only soldiers, but ordinary citizens as well. Due to their massive economic significance for local and regional communities, military bases impact thousands of people, and thus encompass various political interests between local, state, and national levels. This reference work investigates the politics and key political figures involved in base-closing decisions, and considers various reasons why bases have been and continue to be closed down. An overview of the U.S. military base infrastructure as well as primary documents is included to help students understand the BRAC Commission process between 1988-2005. The book also analyzes the closure of overseas bases outside of the BRAC process. Ideal for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, this comprehensive handbook is the only complete reference guide to military base closings. Between 1988 and 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission closed down 97 bases and realigned over 350 other bases. A hot button topic in the military field, base-closings is an important issue that affects not only soldiers, but ordinary citizens as well. Due to their massive economic significance for local and regional communities, military bases impact thousands of people, and thus encompass various political interests between local, state, and national levels. This reference work investigates the politics and key political figures involved in base-closing decisions, and considers various reasons why bases have been and continue to be closed down. An overview of the U.S. military base infrastructure as well as primary documents are included to help students understand the BRAC Commission process between 1988-2005. Ideal for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, this comprehensive handbook is the only complete reference guide to military base closings. Chapters in Part I include: Military Base Structure in the U.S.: History and Evolution Reasons for Base Closure Base Closure Process An Examination of the 2005 BRAC Conclusions and Lessons Part II includes profiles of key bases, affected by the BRAC process. Part III includes the following key documents: A list of bases closed by BRAC by year and state. Civilian jobs impacted by BRAC. A chronology of the 2005 BRAC round. This user-friendly resource offers students and general readers alike a complete assessment of military base-closings and their effects on our society.

The United States government invests billions each year on equipping armed forces with the most advanced military equipment. The root of the American defense acquisition system is driven by a combination of national interests and domestic political requirements. While fundamentally the defense acquisition system has produced results for the United States military, improvements are needed in order to continue to move forward in advancing military tactics and technology. Exploring both the systemic and political levels of the system, Sorenson argues that the United States will fall behind if the current defense acquisition system is not reformed. This book brings together elements of this complicated system, such as national security requirements, and the changes that are needed in both the structural and political pillars. A combination of political interests and the needs of the military, serviced by an ever-shrinking defense industry, make a genuine acquisition reform even more difficult, resulting in reform that is more symbolic than genuine. The United States military spends hundreds of billions of dollars each year on defense weapons and other items to equip the growing military. These weapons come from a system that is deeply imbedded in complicated and extensively regulated procedures, controlled by a few political actors, along with international arms customers. Since the Cold War, the defense industry has shrunk significantly in production, while increasing a few powerful giant firms that now dominate the defense business. Economic structure of the system and political forces are significant tin reform efforts, creating an inefficient system. No other book explores both theprocess and political dynamics of the defense acquisition system. Sorenson brings together the primary elements of the defense acquisition process, including the evolution and current structure, along with the political system and actors that influence it. Through analyzing the defense contractors that help supply the industry and the growing international arms markets that now play a significant role, he explains the role that both national interest and domestic political requirements play. Consequences of the system range from criminal activity to much more common problems of inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Sorenson argues that efforts to improve the defense acquisition system are necessary in determining the future outcome of the system.

This study examines three major bomber aircraft acquisition programs: the B-36, the B-52, and the B-2. The central question for each of these programs is whether they were chosen to fit national strategic objectives or to meet the more narrow political and economic needs of the so-called military-industrial complex. The book concludes that U.S. Air Force senior leadership acquired better bombers than did civilian defense leaders. The extensive use of original documents in this book reveals that Air Force generals were less concerned about defending their own interests than previous research has implied.

In a process described by its critics as "brutal" and "heartless," a group of faceless commissioners closed down almost 100 military bases between 1989 and 1995. The process was hailed as a means to "take politics out of base closure," and it succeeded as surplus bases closed after a ten-year hiatus. But, as this book indicates, the politics of base protection continued. In Shutting Down the Cold War, David Sorenson finds that the most powerful congressional representatives protected bases in their states and districts, and as a consequence the military never got as many bases closed as they desired. In this volume Sorenson unveils the political factors behind the process of military base closure, using three analytical models to examine the different levels of response to the procedure. He also reveals the ways in which base closure is a classic example of governmental reduction, to be studied for lessons about both the benefits and the hazards of government contraction. Shutting Down the Cold War is the first systematic book-length effort to take on the delicate issue of military base closure and to explain the intricate politics involved.

Civil-Military Relations in the Modern Middle East explores the political and economic interactions between civilians and the armed forces in the post-World War II Middle East, emphasizing four themes: military and society, the role of the military in political transitions, the military's part in national economies, and the relations between soldiers and civilians in wartime. Covering the greater Middle East-including the Arab States, Israel, Turkey, and Iran-the book establishes how militaries in many Middle Eastern countries influence the national political and economic systems and how, in turn, politics influences the national militaries.

Combining elements of comparative politics with a country-by-country analysis, author David S. Sorenson provides a complete and accessible introduction to the modern Middle East. With an emphasis on the politics of the region, the text also dedicates chapters specifically to the history, religions, and economies of countries in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, the Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa. In each country chapter, a brief political history is followed by discussions of democratization, religious politics, women's issues, civil society, economic development, privatization, and foreign relations.In this updated and revised second edition, An Introduction to the Modern Middle East includes new material on the Arab Spring, the changes in Turkish politics, the Iranian nuclear issues, and the latest efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma. Introductory chapters provide an important thematic overview for each of the book's individual country chapters and short vignettes throughout the book offer readers a chance for personal reflection.

Much of the scholarly literature on peacekeeping focuses on particular peacekeeping operations, or on the political bargaining between peacekeeping participants at both the institutional and national levels. However, there is very little published research on why nations commit forces to peacekeeping operations. As Sandra Whitworth noted in a book review of six books on peacekeeping in the International Journal, the important political questions thus far have not been asked: who benefits, who pays, and who is excluded?. This book addresses that need. The authors focus specifically on the political and economic motivations that influence the decision to participate in peacekeeping. They consider how definitions of national interest frame the political debate, and what the reasons are for the military support or opposition for peacekeeping operations. They also explore the role of inter-agency politics, the role of public opinion in peacekeeping decisions, and the influence of pressure from other nations and non-nation actors to commit peacekeeping forces. Each chapter includes several recent cases of national peacekeeping to illustrate how national political debates framed their c

Combining elements of comparative politics with a country-by-country analysis, author David S. Sorenson provides a complete and accessible introduction to the modern Middle East. With an emphasis on the politics of the region, the text also dedicates chapters specifically to the history, religions, and economies of countries in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, the Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa. In each country chapter, a brief political history is followed by discussions of democratization, religious politics, women's issues, civil society, economic development, privatization, and foreign relations. In this updated and revised second edition, An Introduction to the Modern Middle East includes new material on the Arab Spring, the changes in Turkish politics, the Iranian nuclear issues, and the latest efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma. Introductory chapters provide an important thematic overview for each of the book's individual country chapters and short vignettes throughout the book offer readers a chance for personal reflection.

Most literature on peacekeeping narrowly focuses on particular peacekeeping operations, and the political bargaining between peacekeeping participants. However, there is very little published research on why nations actually commit forces to peacekeeping operations. This new book meets this need.
The authors focus specifically on the political and economic motivations that influence the decision to participate in peacekeeping. They consider how definitions of national interest frame the political debate, and what the reasons are for the military support for, or opposition to, peacekeeping operations. They also explore the role of inter-agency politics, the role of public opinion in peacekeeping decisions, the influence of pressure from other nations and non-nation actors to commit peacekeeping forces.