From the publisher site:

Although it seems almost incredible today, the United States had relatively little interest in the Middle East before 1945. But the dynamics and outcome of World War II elevated the importance of the Middle East in the American mind, and the United States has viewed the region with vital interest to its security and economy ever since.

The projection of American power into the region has had consequences that have forever changed the United States and the Middle East, with the rise of al Qaeda and the turbulent occupation of Iraq being the latest examples. CRISIS AND CROSSFIRE surveys and analyzes the broad contours of U.S. involvement in the region. It probes the reasons why the United States implemented various policies and assesses the wisdom of American leaders as they accepted greater responsibilities for preserving stability and security in the Middle East. Major themes include U.S.-Middle East policy in the context of the Cold War, the rise of Arab and Iranian nationalism, decolonization, the U.S. approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the politics of Western dependence on Middle Eastern oil, and America’s military interventions, particularly its two wars against Iraq. This book’s concise narrative and selection of primary-source documents make it an ideal introduction to U.S.-Middle East relations for students and for anyone with an interest in understanding the history behind today ’s events.

Reviews and Endorsements:

Few historians have the background that Peter Hahn brings to this project. A well-respected author of major monographs on American diplomacy in the Middle East, Hahn brings years of archival work to bear on this cogent overview of U.S. policies in the area during the decades after World War II. The result is a well-grounded survey that focuses on the strategic dimension of American policy from the Truman Doctrine to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This book is perfect for use in the classroom and for educated readers who need an introduction to this important and complex subject.” — Michael J. Hogan, provost and F. Wendell Miller Professor of History, University of Iowa

“Crisis and Crossfire is a balanced and measured tour through the U.S. encounter with the Middle East since 1945. A survey with a point of view, it’s interpretive without being polemical. And it’s made even more valuable through the inclusion of a thoughtfully selected collection of relevant primary-source documents. In brief, Crisis and Crossfire is engaging from start to finish and simply perfect for classroom use at the college level.” — Mary Ann Heiss, associate professor of history, Kent State University, and author of Empire and Nationahood: The United States, Great Britain, and Iranian Oil, 1950-1954.