Figures -- Introduction -- Defining the middle east military balance -- The changing face of the middle east military balance -- most militarized area in the world" : regional military expenditures, arms transfers, and manpower resources -- North Africa and the Maghreb -- The Arab-Israel states -- The Gulf military balance and force developments in the northern Gulf -- Force developments in the southern Gulf -- Gulf conventional military forces -- Terrorist and extremist movements -- Proliferation and weapons of mass destruction -- Notes -- Index.