The Future Security Environment in the Middle East

The security environment in the Middle East has become increasingly complicated during the past decade. While fears of interstate aggression certainly remain important, they are manifesting themselves in new ways. The Arab-Israeli conflict has taken on new dimensions, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are an increasing concern, and international sanctions have become a controversial tool. Terrorists recruited and trained in the Middle East have carried out devastating attacks far beyond their own borders. Many of these security issues are profoundly affected by the many domestic changes occurring in the Middle East. This report seeks to identify the trends that are likely to shape regional security in the Middle East, and to identify their implications for the United States. Each chapter addresses a different substantive area, ranging from political and economic trends to energy policy and weapons proliferation, in an effort to assess their long-term impact on regional security. The authors identify potential problems on the horizon, opportunities available to the United States and its allies, and the implications of these trends for the United States.