Jordanian and Syrian foreign policy during the 1990-1991 Gulf Crisis: A comparative study

Arab leaders must take into account numerous factors in conducting foreign policy. Among these factors are certain powerful regional conditions that inevitably influence the external behavior of Arab states. This study makes a comparative examination of the impact that four regional variables (security concerns, pan-Arabism, Islamic fundamentalism, and economic problems) have on the foreign policies of Jordan and Syria. A special focus is placed on the policies of these two countries during the 1990-1991 Gulf Crisis. In addition, several approaches to the comparative analysis of the differences in impact of the regional variables on foreign policy are proposed. Syria's foreign policy has been driven chiefly by security concerns especially as they relate to Israel. Jordan's foreign policy has also been deeply influenced by security concerns, but it has also been greatly affected by the constraining impact of pan-Arabism.