• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
Strategic Geography of the Changing Middle East
Book

Strategic Geography of the Changing Middle East

The breakup of the Soviet Union and the growing links between the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East have resulted in new strategic dynamics with far-reaching implications for the United States and other major powers. The authors examine the new geopolitics, with special emphasis on the interaction of the region's growing economic importance.

Link Copied
By Geoffrey Kemp and Robert Harkavy
Published on May 1, 1997

Additional Links

Paperback - $24.95

Source: Washington, DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1997

The breakup of the Soviet Union and the growing links between the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East have resulted in new strategic dynamics with far-reaching implications for the United States and other major powers. The authors examine the new geopolitics, with special emphasis on the interaction of the region's growing economic importance (especially as a source for oil and natural gas) and on the dramatic changes in military doctrine and technology that will radically change the nature of military conflict and the prospects for arms control. The book contains over 25 new maps of the region.

About the Authors

Geoffrey Kemp, formerly Director of the Endowment's Middle East Arms Control Project, is Director of Regional Strategic Programs at the Nixon Center.

Robert Harkavy is a Professor of International Politics at Pennsylvania State University.

 

Advance Praise


"A definitive book on the 21st century Middle East... should become a point of departure for understanding the region's strategic significance in the post-Soviet era..."

—Graham T. Allison, Harvard University

"A terrific book that shifts the focus to what [the authors] call the 'greater Middle East.' They show convincingly that there is real potential for trouble in this region and that the United State, rightly or wrongly, is likely to be in the middle of it."

—John Mearsheimer, University of Chicago

"Geopolitical analysis in the best and broadest sense of the term.... The book is replete with data and rich in analysis, and will be an invaluable resource for any analyst of international politics; it is at the same time so clearly written that it will be useful for students new to the field."

—George H. Quester, University of Maryland

About the Authors

Geoffrey Kemp

Robert Harkavy

Authors

Geoffrey Kemp
Robert Harkavy
Middle East

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Man standing next to a pile of burned cars
    Commentary
    Emissary
    The Myriad Problems With the Iran Ceasefire

    Four Middle East experts analyze the region’s reactions and next steps.

      • Andrew Leber
      • Eric Lob
      • +1

      Amr Hamzawy, Andrew Leber, Eric Lob, …

  •  A machine gun of a Houthi soldier mounted on a police vehicle next to a billboard depicting the U.S. president Donald Trump and Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, during a protest staged to show support to Iran against the U.S.-Israel war on March 27, 2026 in Sana'a, Yemen.
    Collection
    The Iran War’s Global Reach

    As the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran continues, Carnegie scholars contribute cutting-edge analysis on the events of the war and their wide-reaching implications. From the impact on Iran and its immediate neighbors to the responses from Gulf states to fuel and fertilizer shortages caused by the effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the war is reshaping Middle East alliances and creating shockwaves around the world. Carnegie experts analyze it all.

  •  A machine gun of a Houthi soldier mounted on a police vehicle next to a billboard depicting the U.S. president Donald Trump and Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, during a protest staged to show support to Iran against the U.S.-Israel war on March 27, 2026 in Sana'a, Yemen.
    Article
    Amid Iran War, Gulf Countries Slow the Pace of Reforms

    The return of war as the organizing factor in Middle Eastern politics has predictable consequences: governments are prioritizing regime stability and becoming averse to political and social reform.

      • Sarah Yerkes

      Sarah Yerkes, Amr Hamzawy

  • Map of Hormuz shipping traffic on a smartphone screen
    Commentary
    Emissary
    “It’s Not Like Turning a Switch On and Off”

    Why the Iran ceasefire isn’t a quick fix to the Strait of Hormuz energy crisis.

      Helima Croft, Aaron David Miller

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    The Afghanistan–Pakistan War Poses Awkward Questions for Russia

    Not only does the fighting jeopardize regional security, it undermines Russian attempts to promote alternatives to the Western-dominated world order.

      Ruslan Suleymanov

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600Fax: 202 483 1840
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.