Reset Middle East: Old Friends and New Alliances: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, Iran
Keywords:
U.S. foreign policy, Middle East diplomacy, Turkey-Iran relations, Cold War interventions, geopolitical instabilityAbstract
Stephen Kinzer's Reset Middle East advocates for a strategic realignment of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, proposing closer relations with Turkey and Iran. The book critiques past interventions, such as the 1953 CIA-backed coup in Iran, arguing that historical grievances can be overcome through flexible diplomacy tailored to each country's context. While Kinzer's research is well-supported by extensive notes and historical contextualization, the reviewer criticizes the uneven structure—particularly lengthy histories of Turkey and Iran contrasted with an underdeveloped final chapter. The feasibility of his proposals is questioned in light of recent geopolitical developments like the Arab Spring and economic sanctions on Iran. Kinzer employs an exposé-style journalistic history rooted in realism, emphasizing power dynamics and historical precedents for pragmatic solutions. However, the reviewer notes a lack of depth in addressing contemporary challenges, particularly ideological resistance to U.S.-Iran engagement.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
