Syrian foreign policy : the alliances of a regional power / Francesco Belcastro.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 155-165) and index.

Foreign policy and alliances -- Introduction -- The alliances of an authoritarian regime -- alternative explanations -- The alliances of Syria -- The foreign policy of Syria -- Syria and Egypt -- Syria and Jordan -- Syria and Iraq -- Syria and Iran -- Syria and the KSA -- Syria and the USSR -- Alliances and beyond -- Alliances and beyond : the foreign policy of Syria -- Conclusion.

Examining Syrian foreign policy during the Ba'th years from 1963 to 1989, this book traces the alliances of the Levantine country from a historical perspective and in the context of recent political developments. Syrian Foreign Policy analyses the pivotal alliances of Damascus using a theoretical framework based on Neoclassical Realism, an approach which incorporates domestic factors and the role of ideology within a realist perspective. Covering Syria's relations with Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the USSR, it asks the question, what led to the formation of each alliance and what has caused either its break up or its continuation? Belcastro seeks to answer these questions, but also reflects on the country's foreign policy today and its broader implications for Syria and the whole region. Making use of case studies to build upon a strong theoretical analysis, this book will be useful to students and scholars of Middle Eastern politics, as well as politics and international relations more generally.