§16§This book provides a comprehensive historical overview of US foreign policy in the Middle East using the theoretical framework of offensive realism and highlighting the role of geography and regional power distribution in guiding foreign policy. It argues that the US has been pursuing the same geostrategic interests from President Truman's policy of containment to President Obama's speak softly and carry a big stick policy, and contends that the US-Iran relationship has been largely characterized by continued cooperation due to shared geostrategic interests. The book highlights the continuity in US foreign policy over the last seven decades and offers a prediction for US foreign policy in reaction to current and future global events. As such, it will serve as a reference guide for not only scholars but also policy analysts and practitioners. §04§1. Introduction .- 2. Putting US Foreign Policy in a Theoretical Perspective .- 3. The Cold War and the Trumanization of US Foreign Policy in the Middle East .- 4. The Bush Doctrine in the Middle East: A New American Century .- 5. The Real Obama Doctrine in the Middle East: Continuing the American Moment .- 6. Breaking the Taboo about the US-Iran Relationship .- 7. The Future of US Foreign Policy in the Middle East. §02§Bledar Prifti is Assistant Professor of Political Science at St. Petersburg College and Instructor of International Studies at University of South Florida, USA. His field of expertise is US foreign policy in the Middle East.
