The time has come for a serious debate on the future involvement of the United States in the Middle East and this original and provocative analysis challenges the prevailing wisdom of the Washington foreign policy establishment. Hadar provides a sweeping reexamination of the conceptual bases of American policy and proposes a strategy of "constructive disengagement" from the region, a policy of benign neglect as a way of promoting the interests of the United States as well as those of the people of the Middle East. Hadar calls for regional states and the European Union to take increased responsibility for security, economic growth, and political stability. This bold and innovative critique will inject new energy into the policy debate.