Beyond question, the Middle East is currently a region of upheaval, crises and fresh beginnings. The social, political and economic problems of the region in the early twenty-first century are threatening to become globally explosive. The collapse of states, implosion of societies, sectarian conflicts, ruptures and changes in political coalitions, along with the divergent interests of the major powers are giving rise to almost inextricably complex tangles of political problems. Udo Steinbach describes and analyses the causes, consequences and political concerns involved along a chronological axis, providing the reader with well-founded insights into the entire region of the Middle East. Europe cannot afford to ignore either the opportunities or the dangers in the region.