Giving a much-needed historical overview, this second edition of a successful book analyzes the nature of conflict in the Middle East, with its racial, ethnic, political, cultural, religious and economic factors. This second edition brings the book right up-to-date and includes: an examination of the effects of 9/11 on the Middle East peace process; Bush's war on terrorism; an updated discussion of the superpower conflict in the Middle East and the Kurdish situation; and a new chapter covering the recent war in Iraq. Also putting the main conflicts in to their wider context with a thematic debate of issues such as the emergence of radical Islam, the resolution of conflicts, diplomacy and peace-making and the role of the superpowers, this will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor and will become a key publication in the study of the Middle East.