The Middle East: the mere mention of this region evokes various reactions from different people. Some are in awe at its religious richness, some are frustrated by the seemingly endless turmoil, yet others call to mind the region’s most important natural resource: oil. This area, where three distinct continents meet, may be the most exciting region in the world for students and scholars of international relations. When the staff of the International Affairs Journal at UC Davis (IAJ) selected the Middle East as the Regional Spotlight for the Volume 2,Number 2 issue, we did not know which topics from a sea of possibilities would be addressed in the submissions. We were pleasantly surprised, and we think you will be, too.

The authors have created a diverse array of perspectives on issues critical to the Middle East and the world in general. We are proud to present the winner of the new IAJ Quarterly Writing Award, sophomore Michael Belinsky from Dartmouth College, who details the influence of public opinion on the policies of Israel’s Likud Party. In addition, essays from the Regional Spotlight and the Forum highlight numerous other issues, including a look at the institutional consequences of bilateral investment treaties, an examination of democratic development in Jordan, and considerations for commercial use of outer space. This issue’s Dialogues features an interview with Shaul Bakhash, a professor at George Mason University and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, and his perspective on Iran’s recent shift towards a harder line foreign policy. The Campus Exposure provides a glance at events and groups around the UC Davis campus, including a debate between the organizations “Aggies for Israel” and “Students for Justice in Palestine,” concerning the security barrier built betweenIsrael and the West Bank.

In addition, the International Affairs Journal at UC Davis is proud to introduce a web journal to compliment the IAJ Quarterly: the International Update. Published biweekly, the International Update features student columnists from around the world covering global issues by region: Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and an Open Forum for all non-regional issues. The columnists, hailing from as near as UC Davis and as far as Lebanon, provide their thoughts and insights, often supported by research, for your reflection and consideration. We encourage you to review the International Update, along with the web version of the IAJ Quarterly, at http://iaj.ucdavis.edu.

We cordially thank you for your readership. Please sit back and relax as you join us on an enriching and educative adventure to the Middle East and beyond.

Sincerely,

Daniel F. Wollrich

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