Syria, the United States, and the war on terror in the Middle East/ Robert G. Rabil ; foreword by Walid Phares.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [257]-266) and index.

Cradle of arab nationalism: the fatherland, the Ba'th and modern Syria under Asad -- The emergence of Arab nationalism and the concept of greater Syria -- Syria: the hub of nationalist development -- The Ba'th party and Syrian leadership -- The state under Asad -- The beginning of US-Syrian relations: between the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Cold War -- Recognition and neutrality (1944-1953) -- The "new look" and Baghdad Pact -- The Soviet insertion in the Middle East -- The Eisenhower doctrine and the Middle East -- A try at evenhandedness -- Turning points (1967-1979) -- Kissinger's realpolitik -- A foretaste of Middle Eat diplomacy: the May 1974 dsengagement agreement -- A new beginning? -- The emergence of US-Syrian ambivalent relationship -- The implications of fighting evil for the Middle East -- The brink of war -- The irony of fighting terrorism -- The emergence of Hizbollah -- Support for Israel -- Rewarding Syria -- The fulcrum of elusive peace -- The Bush years: priorities reordered -- Breaking the ice: the Madrid peace conference -- The Clinton years: cooperation versus limits -- Toward the brink of peace -- The last encounter -- A new regional order? -- The unholy relationship -- Shebaa Farms: the powder keg of the Middle East -- Transfer of power -- A new American outlook -- Put on notice -- A de facto member of the "axis of evil" -- A new cold war? -- Punishing Syria -- Wishful versus realpolitik thinking -- Domestic considerations: reform and the Kurdish question -- Dynamics of confrontation -- Digging in -- Toward the brink? -- The new struggle for Lebanon: democracy and Syria's withdrawal -- Pressuring Syria: Washington and the Lebanese-American lobby -- Breaking the last straw: Hariri's assassination -- The swift collapse of the Syrian order in Lebanon -- Lebanon: the new republic -- The dynamics of the Lebanon-Syria-US triangular relationship -- Syria post-withdrawal: reform or dictatorship? -- Closing ranks: reform versus clan control -- Changing guards: from "old" to "new" hardliners -- Conclusion -- Selected bibliography.