Middle East Crisis

Middle East Crisis: U.S. Decision-Making in 1958, 1970, and 1973 offers a comprehensive analysis of how the United States navigated pivotal international crises in the volatile Middle East region. Drawing on structured empiricism and a rigorous analytical framework, Alan Dowty examines decision-making processes across three critical episodes to uncover patterns in crisis behavior, information processing, and conflict resolution under stress. This scholarly contribution integrates a wealth of research materials—official documents, memoirs, and extensive interviews with key policymakers—providing fresh insights into the complexities of U.S. foreign policy during these crises. The work illuminates the psychological and institutional factors shaping American responses to Middle Eastern turmoil, making it an indispensable resource for understanding both historical events and broader crisis behavior.

The book situates these crises within the broader goals of the International Crisis Behavior (ICB) project, an ambitious initiative designed to improve the management of global crises and contribute to a more stable world order. Dowty’s meticulous approach not only enriches the historical narrative of U.S. policy in the Middle East but also rigorously tests hypotheses about decision-making under stress. By comparing events across three decades, the study highlights the evolution of U.S. strategies and their implications for international relations. With its clarity and depth, Middle East Crisis is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of global crisis management.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1984.