The Middle East has been a flash point in world affairs since before World War II. Though Cold War politics may no longer dominate its agenda and the threat of war between Arabs and Jews has receded, it remains among the world's most troubled and unstable regions. Is the long-standing enmity between the US and Iran set to escalate further? Why is Algeria in turmoil? How has Saddam Hussein maintained his iron rule over Iraq? Will Islamic fundamentalism destabilize the region further? Can anything bridge the economic disparity between the Middle East's oil-producing superpowers and the endemic poverty of the rest of the region? In chapters covering every country in the Middle East, this guide presents an overview of the whole region, pinpointing its recent history and highlighting the immense problems facing it today. Further chapters look at the role of oil, the Palestinian question and the rise of fundamentalism.