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The Middle East Strategic Balance 2004–2005

Edited by Zvi Shtauber and Yiftah S. Shapir
Dr Shtauber was appointed Head of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies in February 2005, following a long career in the Israel Defense Forces. He has served as the assistant defense attaché in the Israeli embassy in Washington, was vice president of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev., and in 2001 was appointed Israeli ambassador to the Court of St. James (UK).

“Middle East Strategic Balance is a ‘must read’ for any scholar interested in an assessment of the distribution of military power in the Middle East.” Dr Geoffrey Kemp, Nixon Center Washington

“Middle East Strategic Balance offers readers a comprehensive, insightful assessment of the complex and dynamic Middle East strategic environment.” Ambassador Samuel Lewis

“The Jaffee Center’s Middle East Strategic Balance is an indispensable resource for all who deal with the Middle East or with its role in global politics.” Professor Graham Alison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University

“An informative collection of articles and military data authored and collected by experts at the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies (JCSS). This book is rich with useful data, demonstrates the security of Israel, and the close coordination of U.S. and Israeli strategic policies.” American Reference Books Annual 39th Volume 2008

“The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), formerly the Jaffee Centre for Strategic Studies, has published The Middle East Strategic Balance annually for more than two decades. A combination of commentary about contemporary regional developments and quantitative data on the military capabilities of Middle Eastern states, volumes in this series have earned a well-deserved reputation for incisiveness and thoroughness.

The latest volume does not disappoint in either respect. In addition to roughly 100 pages of tables and charts crammed with quantitative data on the region’s many armed forces, the book also contains ten chapters of analysis of 2005–2006 Middle Eastern events, examining topics as varied as Israel’s defence budget, Syrian–Lebanese relations and Iran’s nuclear programme. The authors of these well-written chapters are members of the INSS staff who are acknowledged experts in their respective areas. Collectively speaking, their contributions represent a perceptive tour of regional trends.

The current volume, in short, offers a fine introduction to the complexities of recent diplomatic and military developments in the Middle East.” Israel Affairs

The Middle East Strategic Balance is prepared annually by the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, Tel Aviv University, to provide an authoritative and indispensable guide to strategic developments and military capabilities in the Middle East. MESB offers a comprehensive insightful assessment of the complex Middle East strategic environment. Governments and the media pay close attention to the data and analysis, and the work is quoted extensively.

Based on unique sources and professional assessment the 2004–2005 Strategic Balance presents the most accurate and comprehensive military posture of the countries in the Middle East. Up-to-date figures and information on defense budgets, procurement, equipment holdings, military deployments, WMD listings, and foreign aid; and key components of military force structures such as major changes to the orders of battle, and a survey of personnel, weapons and equipment holdings, non-conventional capabilities and ballistic missiles, are presented in accessible and easy to use formats.

Published in association with the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies

	List of Contents to follow

Publication Details