A Vanishing West in the Middle East

After a decade over which the Middle East was profoundly shaken and transformed, over which US foreign policy toward this region went through various revisions, and over which the transatlantic bond risked serious erosion, this book offers serious answers to questions with a bearing on the future: Is there still one ‘West,’ at least in relation to an ‘East’? What remains of the strategic interest the Middle East represents for both America and Europe? Charles Thépaut’s unique position, as a French diplomat working on the Middle East from Washington DC, gives this work irreplaceable value. -- Joseph Bahout, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and associate professor of politics, American University of Beirut Charles Thépaut’s A New West in the Middle East is a timely read that follows US-Europe relations from the 1990s to today. Thépaut reminds readers that regardless of the US president, the future relationship will require fairer burden-sharing, humbler aspirations, and honest conversations about what constitute actual priorities. Thépaut’s deep knowledge of the Middle East’s most complex conflicts, his accurate assessment of Great Power interests, and his diplomatic experience informing how to nurture a healthier US-Europe relationship make him an ideal author. The book is a must-read for those looking to employ the best of Europe and the best of the United States to solve the globe’s most pressing dilemmas. -- Jomana Qaddour, nonresident senior fellow with the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, Atlantic Council, member of the UN-facilitated Syrian Constitutional Committee, and cofounder of Syria Relief & Development 'Does the ‘West’ exist in the Middle East and North Africa? Only on rare occasions. Should we leave things as they are? Given the trend in the United States to reduce its footprint in the region, the necessity for Europe to deal with new threats in its neighborhood, the revival of Russian influence, and the rise of China, the answer is no. Thepaut, a well-traveled diplomat and clear-sighted think tanker, provides a trove of fact-based analyses in his book. It offers an essential basis for policymakers to rethink an issue that should become central in an updated transatlantic dialogue.' -- Michel Duclos, special advisor at the Montaigne Institute and former French ambassador to Syria and Switzerland