New Political Realities and the Gulf

Egypt, Syria, and Jordan

Mary E. Morris

ResearchPublished 1993

This report highlights points of vulnerability in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan that could lead to future internal and regional instability. The study finds that while there is little evidence of immediate instability in Egypt, the ingredients for it--massive economic and bureaucratic problems, along with a growing number of fundamentalists--exist. Syria's currently pro-Western mode is a pragmatic rather than ideological change; a reversal of course, if coupled with an Iranian alliance, could alter the regional balance of power. And the potential for internal instability in Jordan is high, extending to Palestinians throughout the region and affecting all Middle Eastern states, including the Gulf. The study concludes that the internal stability of the three states is integral to U.S. Middle East objectives and that by addressing regional problems with a multiplicity of approaches, by understanding the problems in context, and by choosing issues on which it can have the greatest impact, the United States can address causes of instability rather than symptoms.

Topics

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1993
  • Pages: 74
  • Document Number: MR-127-AF/A

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Morris, Mary E., New Political Realities and the Gulf: Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1993. https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR127.html.
BibTeX RIS

Research conducted by

This publication is part of the RAND monograph report series. The monograph report was a product of RAND from 1993 to 2003. RAND monograph reports presented major research findings that addressed the challenges facing the public and private sectors. They included executive summaries, technical documentation, and synthesis pieces.

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.