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With the breakup of the Soviet Union and the growing links between the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East, a strategic map of the region is emerging with far-reaching implications for the United States and other major powers.

Geoffrey Kemp and Robert Harkavy argue that increasing demand for Persian Gulf and Caspian Basic energy, especially from the booming Asian economies, ensures that the Middle East will remain a global strategic prize and source of continued rivalry. At the same time, radical changes in conventional military technology and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, along with the specter of megaterrorism, present ominous future possibilities--in relation to both warfare scenarios involving the Arab-Israel, Iran-Iraq, and India-Pakistan conflicts and the potential need for U.S. interventions.

The authors likewise signal the region's positive potential. The Middle East has the capacity to move toward a more constructive and peaceful future. Intra-regional proposals already exist for joint infrastructure projects, shared oil and gas pipelines, and improved transportation and communication grids linking the region to Europe. These proposals could usher in a new era of prosperity and cooperation.

A wealth of information is made very accessible through the use of 36 maps detailing the region's history, geography, energy resources, military conflict zones and basing infrastructure, as well as roads and rail and water routes.

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CHOICE Review

This is a wide-ranging book on a region of the world that continues to play a pivotal role in global politics and economics. The authors' main thesis is that the Persian Gulf/Caspian Basin region will remain a major strategic area because of its vast oil and gas reserves. At the same time, both regional and international rivalries will contribute to disequilibrium in the area. The authors describe in detail various pipeline schemes that have been devised to transfer the energy resources of the Caspian Basin area to the outside world and political/strategic obstacles that have prevented their optimal utilization. The significant geostrategic location of Iran as a bridge between the Caspian Basin and the Persian Gulf is examined. However, the US containment of Iran and Washington's economic warfare against Tehran will continue to hamper Iran's role in the region. The authors also analyze scenarios for future wars in the region and strategies to fight such wars. In addition, they present an overview of the development of conventional and unconventional weapons programs in the greater Middle East. In general, the book provides useful information on the political geography and strategic significance of the region from Washington's perspective. Recommended for policy analysts, graduate students, and scholars in the field. N. Entessar; Spring Hill College

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Geoffrey Kemp , formerly director of the Endowment's Middle East Arms Control Project, is Director of Regional Strategic Programs at the Nixon Center.