The Middle East Strategic Balance is prepared annually by the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, to provide an authoritative and indispensable guide to strategic developments and military capabilities in the Middle East. MESB offers a comprehensive insightful assessment of the complex Middle East strategic environment. Governments and the media pay close attention to the data and analysis, and the work is quoted extensively. Based on unique sources and professional assessment the 2004-2005 Strategic Balance presents an accurate and comprehensive military posture of the countries in the Middle East. Up-to-date figures and information on defense budgets, procurement, equipment holdings, military deployments, WMD listings, and foreign aid; and key components of military force structures such as major changes to the orders of battle, and a survey of personnel, weapons and equipment holdings, non-conventional capabilities and ballistic missiles, are presented in accessible and easy to use formats.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I: Middle East Strategic Assessment
Chapter 1
The Middle East: Still on the Brink of a New Era / Mark A. Heller
External Penetration and Pressure for Change
Regional Ramifications
Future Directions
Chapter 2
The Ongoing Iraqi Crisis / Ephraim Kam
The Role of the United States
Reconstruction
Economic Rehabilitation
The Security Situation
Building the Regime and the State: Future Challenges
Chapter 3
Israel and the Palestinians: A New Reality under the Shadow of Ongoing Conflict / Shlomo Brom
The Decline of the Armed Intifada
Separation and Disengagement
The Post-Arafat Era
Third Parties and their Influence on Israeli-Palestinian Relations
Post-Disengagement
Chapter 4
Approaching a Nuclear Iran: The Challenge for Arms Control / Emily B. Landau
Confronting Iran: The Arms Control Dimension
The Diplomatic Route: The EU-3 and the US
Deterrence: A Basis for New Rules of the Game?
The Possibility of Stable Deterrence
Chapter 5
International Terror, with Iraq at its Hub / Yoram Schweitzer
The Iraqi Arena
Terrorism outside Iraq
The Ongoing War on Terror
Chapter 6
Rising Oil Prices and the Middle East Economy / Paul Rivlin
The Rise in Oil Prices
Higher Oil Revenues
Higher Oil Prices and Middle East Economies
The Strategic Dimensions of High Oil Prices
Chronology of Major Events, July 2004 – June 2005
Part II: Military Forces
Introductory Note
Review of Armed Forces
1. Algeria
2. Bahrain
3. Egypt
4. Iran
5. Iraq
6. Israel
7. Jordan
8. Kuwait
9. Lebanon
10. Libya
11. Morocco
12. Oman
13. Palestinian Authority
14. Qatar
15. Saudi Arabia
16. Sudan
17. Syria
18. Tunisia
19. Turkey
20. United Arab Emirates
21. Yemen
Tables
The Middle East Military Balance at a Glance
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Space Assets
Charts
The Eastern Mediterranean Military Forces
The Persian Gulf Military Forces
The North African Military Forces
Contributors
The opinions expressed in INSS publications are the authors’ alone.
