An Analysis of the Foreign Policy of the Soviet Union Toward the Middle East
Loading...
Authors
Borowy, Ursula L.
Issue Date
1980-06
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Foreign policy , Middle East , Soviet Union
Alternative Title
Abstract
Although broad propositions about Soviet foreign policy behavior have been advanced intermittently by numerous scholars in various disciplines, few comparable hypotheses and propositions have been accumulated from these studies. This may have been the result of the failure of policy analysts to be able to systematically develop decision - theory models because of severe data constraints, a problem which has generally been acknowledged. Compounding this problem is the questionable "fit" of the Soviet Union into the broader theoretical framework based on Western decision-making processes. In addition, uneven attempts at synthesizing the belief system of Soviet decision-makers and the existence of generally underdeveloped case study literature of Soviet crisis behavior add to the difficulty of analysis, Many case studies which do exist can, more appropriately, be described as case "illustrations," This study is a mixture of historical - descriptive material, partly due to its wide scope and because of the lack of direct access to quantifiable materials. This problem forces the use of surrogates for such missing evidence including the use of communications in the public media which cover issues disputed among the Soviet leadership. Such evidence is often incomplete and fragmentary when compared to the direct evidence which is available for analyzing Western, particularly U. S. decision making. In search of a better fit in the stuidy of Soviet foreign policy, a more appropriate framework should be developed, particularly for the analysis of the belief systems of the Soviet political elite for evidence of continuity and change in what has been labeled the "operational code" of both the present day Leninist/Stalinist generation of leaders and in the new groups of Soviet institutchiki. A new group of social scientists (institutchiki) have recently been given the task of interpreting the "new" Soviet doctrines as put forth by the 25th CPSU Congress and as they have been incorporated into the new Soviet Constitution of 1977. Such inquiries are indispensable for gaining sharper insights regarding future trends in the evolution of the world views of the Soviet political elite. With the advent of the new Soviet Constitution, present and future Soviet foreign policy has been substantially formulated to incorporate the old with the new to facilitate Soviet desires for expanded influence on a global scale; paying particular attention to the developing nations, including the region of the Middle East.
Description
This thesis is being archived as a Digitized Shelf Copy for campus access to current students and staff only. We currently cannot provide this open access without the author's permission. If you are the author of this work and desire to provide it open access or wish access removed please contact the Wahlstrom Library to discuss permission.
Citation
U.L. Borowy, "An Analysis of the Foreign Policy of the Soviet Union Toward the Middle East", Thesis, School of Arts & Sciences, Univ. of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT, 1980.