Libya's enigmatic Muammar Qaddafi demonstrated a perhaps unprecedented capacity for reinvention and survival, particularly in the realm of foreign policy. Yehudit Ronen traces Libya's sometimes tortuous trajectory in international affairs across the four decades of Qaddafi's leadership.
Ronen addresses a range of critical issues: oil politics, foreign military adventurism, WMDs, international terrorism, the confrontation between Islam and the West, and the constraints of US policy in the Middle East. She also sheds abundant light on the many ways that domestic politics under Qaddafi affected Libya's international role. From internal leadership rivalries to international strategic quandaries, she navigates the major course corrections that reoriented the country's focus from the Arab Middle East and the Soviet Union to the African continent and the West.
Yehudit Ronen is professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University. Her numerous publications include Sudan in a Civil War: Between Africanism, Arabism and Islam and The Maghrib: Politics, Society, and Economy. She is also author of a novel, Carob Whiskey.
"Ronen's book is a veritable tour de force and a must-read for all who seek to understand Libya's position in world politics."—Hussein Solomon, African Security Review
"A highly precious reference material for students of international relations in general and researchers on Libyan foreign policy in particular."—Jagdish N. Singh, Power Politics
"Well-researched and balanced.... An indispensable reference for scholars and students alike."—Yahia H. Zoubir, Middle Eastern Studies
"A solid, authoritative survey of contemporary Libyan diplomacy. Ronen untangles the twists and turns of Tripoli's relations with Washington and offers coherent summaries of its dealings with other Arab states.... All readership levels."—Choice
"A timely and welcome addition to the literature on Libyan politics. Highly recommended."—Library Journal
"Comprehensive, thoughtful, and well researched.... Ronen has done an impressive job in presenting and analyzing Libya's many foreign involvements under Qaddafi."—Dirk J. Vandewalle, Dartmouth College
