TheMiddleEasthasbeenahotspotininternationalpoliticssincethemid-20thcenturyowingtoitsspecialgeostrategicpositionanditsabundantresourcesofoilandnaturalgas.Thesecontributeshavemadeitanareaofcontentionforanystatewithaglobaloverview.DuringtheColdWar,thesharpdifferencesbetweentwosuperpowers,theU.S.andtheSovietUnion,couldhavebroughtthesituationtothebrinkofathirdworldwar.AftertheColdWar,theU.S.becamethedominantpowerintheMiddleEast.TheU.S.containedtherecalcitrantregimeofSaddamHusseininIraqandanIranengagedinIslamicrevolution.Italsolaunchedandpropelled,thoughinvain,theMiddleEastpeaceprocess.After9.11,underthebannerofantiterrorism,theU.SwagedapreemptivewaragainstIraq,overthrewtheSaddamregime,andimplementedintheMiddleEastastrategyof'democratictransformation'.Fromthatpoint,theMiddleEastenteredaneraofconfusion.
