Dr. Thomas H. Henriksen in this publication provides a perspective on the challenging question, "Is Leaving the Middle East a Viable Option?" He lays out a convincing argument that involvement within the region based on commercial ties, the need to secure stable international oil supplies (for the U.S. as well as its allies), and engagement in the internecine Israeli-Arab conflict all remain critical security issues for the United States. He captures in a few pages volumes of information on the Middle East as he crafts and weaves the United States' involvement from 1783 to the present, highlighting the key policy-making decisions concerning the Middle East. This review provides the novice reader with a new understanding of the Middle East and the knowledgeable reader an excellent overview.