China, Russia, and the USA in the Middle East

Benjamin Houghton is an H.H. Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah Doctoral Fellow at the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University. Benjamin’s research focuses on the interaction between great powers and Persian Gulf states, particularly China. He is the co-editor (with Anoushiravan Ehteshami and Jia Liu) of the forthcoming volume China Moves West: The Evolving Strategies of the Belt and Road Initiative. Further to this, Benjamin has previously been published in Asian Affairs, Al-Monitor, and Orient.Kasia A Houghton is an ESRC-funded doctoral researcher of Russian intervention in the Syrian conflict at the University of St Andrews, where she is a fellow of the Centre for Syrian Studies, MECACS, and the Centre for Global Law and Governance. She also works as a researcher on the Global Fragmentations project with the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform (PeaceRep).

• Part 1 - Building Blocks. Introduction: Great Power Competition and the Middle East 1. The Middle East and External Powers: From World War II to Pax Americana. Part 2 - Arenas of Competition and Cooperation 2. The USA, China, and Russia in Libya: Neither Cooperation nor Competition 3. The Competition over Norms: The Case of the Syrian Conflict 4. Türkiye: A Drifting NATO Member? 5. The Great Powers and the Palestine-Israel Issue 6. Iran amid the Great Powers 7. Saudi Arabia and the UAE: Bandwagoning, Balancing, and Hedging 8. Iraq amid Great Power Competition: A Case of Minimal Local Agency? 9. The Forgotten War: Multipolar Support for the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen. Part 3 - Developments, Perspectives, and Reflections 10. Middle Eastern Responses to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine 11. The Illiberal Authoritarian Dimension: The Case of China-GCC Relations 12. The Word on the Street: Gauging Public Perceptions of Washington, Moscow, and Beijing 13. Multipolarity and the Middle East: Questions Going Forward.

The Middle East is no stranger to great power competition, but at a time of increased global instability, the region once again occupies a prominent role within the machinations of global politics. This timely volume offers invaluable insights into the dynamics of this competition and how it shapes both regional and global politics. It is essential reading for those seeking to understand the contours and trajectories of the Middle East’s role in global politics in the coming decades.- Professor Simon Mabon, Lancaster UniversityA very timely volume about great power competition in the Middle East packed with profound insights and sharp analysis. A must-read for scholars and policy practitioners.- Professor Hongda Fan, Shanghai International Studies UniversityThis stimulating collection addresses what has become the main feature of Middle East politics, the competition of the great powers over the region, and how regional states manoeuvre among these powers to maximise their autonomy and security. The volume systematically addresses the issues and actors, affording the reader an in-depth understanding of MENA’s current political dynamics and its role in the global great power struggle. - Professor Raymond Hinnebusch, University of St Andrews