Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control in the Middle East (Csia Studies in International Security)

The political dimensions of the Arab-Israeli relationship have changed. Israel and its Arab neighbours have made progress toward resolving long-standing conflicts. In "Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control in the Middle East", Shai Feldman considers whether these political breakthroughs have set the stage for agreements on controlling nuclear weapons in the region. He presents a detailed overview of the situation and lays out an agenda for future efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear war in the Middle East. Feldman, whose background in strategic studies include nearly two decades of research at Tel Aviv University's Jaffee Centre for Strategic Studies, provides a comprehensive analysis of the nuclear programmes of Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya and Syria. He presents a picture of how Israel and the Arab states view nuclear weapons - their utility, and the threats they pose to regional security - and explores the different approaches that Israel and the Arab states have adopted toward nuclear arms control. Feldman concludes by suggesting interim measures that might help bridge the gap between these different perspectives.