Germany and the Emerging Strategic Dynamics in the Middle East

Description

The Middle East is Europe’s backyard. Economic prosperity and political stability and security in Europe are, to a great extent, shaped by developments in the Middle East. This essay examines Germany’s policy toward the Middle East, particularly the wars in Gaza and Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear program as well as the growing economic and cultural ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The analysis highlights the areas of cooperation and competition with other global powers and provides recommendation on promoting mutual understanding between Germany and the broad Middle East.

Gawdat Bahgat is a distinguished professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, National Defense University. He is the author of 11 books and more than 200 scholarly articles. His areas of expertise include the Middle East, political economy, energy transition, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and American foreign policy.