The Superpowers and the Syrian-Israeli Conflict: Beyond Crisis Management

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This study investigates the evolution of the military balance between Israel and Syria between 1978 and 1989 and the effects of the close strategic ties that developed in this period between these states and their respective superpower partners. The fighting in Lebanon in 1982 is closely examined, both because it proved to be a strategic turning point for Israel and Syria, and because it provided important lessons concerning the interaction of the two superpowers in this area. The study also explores the immunity of this area in the late 1980s to diplomatic efforts that resolved numerous regional conflicts elsewhere in the world, as well as the surprising overall stability in the area in the absence of effective diplomacy. Cobban identifies lessons that may be relevant in addressing the Arab-Israeli conflict in the 1990s. This book should be valuable reading for political scientists, students of military engagements, and others who have an interest in the strained relationship between Israel and Syria.

Reviews

Helena Cobban's work is therefore a welcome addition to the existing literature, particularly since it examines the role of the superpowers in the Syrian-Israeli conflict without diminishing the centrality of the regional context.-British Society for Middle Eastern Studies
"Helena Cobban's work is therefore a welcome addition to the existing literature, particularly since it examines the role of the superpowers in the Syrian-Israeli conflict without diminishing the centrality of the regional context."-British Society for Middle Eastern Studies

Author Bio

HELENA COBBAN completed most of this study while she was a Social Science Research Council-MacArthur senior fellow in International Peace and Security Studies. She is currently a scholar-in-residence at the Foundation for Middle East Peace. She contributed to and edited a monograph on The Military Dimensions of Soviet Middle East Policy (1988) and has published articles on the U.S.-Israeli strategic relationship. She also authored The Palestinian Liberation Organization: People, Power, and Politics (1984) and The Making of Modern Lebanon (1985).