Engages in a comprehensive analytical examination of Middle East politics with a special focus on four problem relationships: The Israelis and the Palestinians; the Arabs and the Persians, the Turks and the Kurds; and the Indians and the Palestinians. The role of the United States in each of these conflicts, as well as the continuing unrest in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, will be discussed. The Palestinian situation will be a topic of intense concentration. Fulfills the general education requirements in history and cross-cultural studies. [ 3 credits ]