Syria, a nation unfamiliar to many Americans, is a crucial player in Middle East affairs. Its involvement in Lebanon requires that any attempts to resolve the problems there take into account Syrian interests. Syrian-Israeli animosity and recent confrontations in Lebanon and the Golan Heights make Syria pivotal in Arab-Israeli relations. Its historically strong role in the Arab world gives Syria the potential to help shape Arab views today, to mediate on behalf of Arabs dealing with the superpowers, and to help preserve peace throughout the region. In this welcome and timely study, Martha Neff Kessler outlines Syrian history to show why other Arab states frequently look to Syria for leadership and to explain the sources of factionalism that plagues the nation today. Kessler next examines the makeup of modern Syria - its diverse ethnic and religious groups, its politics, and the long leadership of President Hafiz Assad. After reviewing Syria's relationships with other Middle East countries and with the Soviet Union, Kessler addresses the future, particularly the need for US-Syrian dialogue and the ways the United States can work toward that goal. US difficulties in dealing with certain regions of the world have too often stemmed from lack of knowledge about the people and nations of those regions. This richly informative book contributes to the understanding we need to formulate and implement effective foreign policies for the Middle East in general and Syria in particular. Bradley E. Hosmer Lieutenant General, United States Air Force President, National Defense University