The Decline of the Anglo-American Middle East, 1961-1969: A Willing Retreat

ISBN-13: 9781845196790 / Angielski / Miękka / 2014 / 181 str.

Dr Tore T. Petersen

Opis

This book provides an extensive study of the common British and American interest in the Middle East (hence the term Anglo-American Middle East) under Kennedy and Johnson. Contrary to recent scholarly opinion, the author argues that the loss of influence to the Soviet Union and Arab radicalism in the Middle East was not the result of lack of power but lack of will. Britain, during the period of Harold Wilson's Labour government from 1964 to 1970, withdrew from its Middle Eastern bases for ideological reasons, namely a distaste for imperialism and colonialism. The United States, while placing great store in a continued British presence east of Suez, was unable or unwilling to prevent the British withdrawal. As the British withdrawal gathered momentum, American disinterest toward the Middle East increased.