The Middle East as a US Predicament: The Bush II Years (2000-2008): Volume II. Networks (Anthem Politics and IR)

After analyzing the ideological and doctrinal struggle for power and influence in Volume I, ‘Volume II. Networks’ reveals how Bush's Middle East policies were shaped by connections that were seldom highlighted or even made known to the public. Starting from the assumption that no foreign policy is possible without mutual interaction, Volume II analyses the interlocking connections between the Bush administration and its supporters - including key figures in the business community, lobbies, ethnic and religious networks, and the military-industrial complex - and the role these relationships have played in sculpting foreign policy. This study offers for the first time in the literature of the Arab-Israeli conflict a systemic analysis from the perspective of US electoral campaigning, with comparative quantitative data analyses for the activities and influences of: pro-Israel, Arab American, Muslim American, entrepreneurial and military networks. Through this analysis, the decision-making process with respect to the Middle East is revealed.