We seek in this article to examine some of these challenges, describe their domestic and external sources, and explore how they limit the political power of the Middle Eastern states. In particular, we employ four variables to explore the challenges that these Middle Eastern states have faced in the past and are likely to continue to face in the new century. The four variables include Democracy versus Authoritarianism, Ethnicity and Nationalism, Demographic Surge, and Economic Dependency and Economic Mismanagement. Though our list could have included additional variables, the limitations of space compelled us to focus on what we consider the most serious non-military and non-security challenges to the political power of the Middle Eastern states. Space limitations have also forced us to give a brief analysis of these challenges and problems.
