Soviet Policies In The Middle East

A comprehensive study of Soviet policies in the Middle East.

The Soviet Union and National Liberation Movements in the Third World (1988) is a systematic comparison of Soviet theory about, and actual behaviour toward, movements for national liberation in the Third World. In this definitive study, Professor Golan demonstrates that Soviet behaviour toward such movements is consistent with Soviet theory as stated in the writings and speeches of high-level influential within the Party, military and academic communities. In so doing, she advances our understanding of the 'rules of thumb' that Soviet leaders appeared to follow in deciding whether and how to assist the varied types of 'anti-imperialist' and separatist movements in the developing world. The first part of the book provides a detailed analysis of the various schools of thought among Soviet writers concerning different aspects of national liberation movements, and the second part analyses actual Soviet behaviour toward numerous movements around the world.

This book sheds light on Russia’s motives in the Middle East, examining its growing role in the region and its efforts to defend its national interests. As one of the first volumes to address both domestic and external drivers, it provides a valuable multi-dimensional account of Moscow’s foreign policy. Russian Foreign Policy Towards the Middle East also traces the historical evolution of Russia’s presence in the region, comparing Moscow’s current vision of its diplomatic priorities with the strategic goals of the Soviet Union. Diverse case studies reveal areas of both divergence and convergence between Russia and various Middle Eastern players on a range of issues, including the Syrian Civil War, Iran’s regional activities and the Yemeni conflict. In an era of renewed global tensions, this volume provides an important corrective to the notion that Russia’s Cold War-era confrontation with ‘the West’ determines its contemporary approach to the Middle East. No less important are economic interests and domestic security considerations, which push Moscow towards greater interaction with the region. Only by examining both new trends and old traditions can we understand Russia’s significance as a global player today.

This study examines the extent to which new political thinking has been applied to Soviet policy in the Middle East and aims to speculate about the possible impact of any changes on patterns of international relations in the region.

First Published in 1959, The Soviet Union and the Middle East attempts to shed light on the evolution of Soviet attitudes toward the Middle East, its problems, challenges, and opportunities since 1917. Divided into two parts, the first part "The Soviet Image of the Middle East" presents an investigation into the sources of Soviet policy in that area, while the second part "The Great Breakthrough" explores the political, social, and economic conditions in the Middle East. The volume discusses themes like storm over Asia, the arms deal, the year of Suez, the Syrian Crisis of 1957, Soviet trade and economic aid (1954-1958), Soviet cultural policy and the intellectual climate in the Arab world, communism in the Middle East (1955-1958) and communism and Arab nationalism, to ask larger questions like did the Soviet Communists expect the revolutionary events in Asia? Were they instrumental in bringing them about or did they occur quite independently? This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of political history, international relations, West Asian Studies, Russian Studies, and history of communism.