In this pertinent book, Noam Chomsky examines the imbalanced dynamics of international power relations and the use of state terror by the United States and other Western powers in the Middle East in the post-9/11 era. This edition features new forewords by Vivek Chibber and Chris Hedges reasserting the enduring importance of Chomsky's work and extending Chomsky's analysis to recent developments in the Middle East.

Chomsky explores international relations since World War II to demonstrate that contemporary acts of terrorism cannot be understood outside the context of Western power and state terror throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East. In doing so, Chomsky demonstrates that state terror is intrinsic to U.S. foreign policy and fundamental in the maintenance of Western hegemony throughout the so-called War on Terror, including throughout the Obama administration.

This new edition offers a vital critique of U.S. foreign policy and its reliance on acts of terror to maintain its hegemony in the Middle East. It will therefore be vital reading for those who wish to understand the grim realities of Western foreign policy.