One of the main tasks facing the Barack Obama Administration in the USA is that of improving the image of the country in the Middle East region. During the George W. Bush Administration, US relations with most countries in the region declined to an all-time low. There is, among the general publics of many countries considered central to the US efforts to combat terrorism, a deep distrust of the USA. Even in countries, such as Kuwait, that have long been considered relatively pro-American, support for the US has declined dramatically. Central to improved US–Middle East relations is a better understanding of the critical factors shaping views and perspectives throughout the broader Middle East. To this end, this Handbook of US–Middle East Relations draws on the insights and experiences of many of the leading experts in the field. The thirty-five essays in this volume examine US–Middle East relations from a variety of disciplines and perspectives.