The Wargamer writes: "If Fernand Braudel was correct (and if I understood him correctly), civilizations lay across the Earth almost as tectonic plates. Where two or more different civilizations converge, tension between these civilizations can emerge, with war being one of the most noticeable. It can be of small wonder then that the Mideast, with its convergence of European, African, and Asian influences, is a source of continuous tension and conflict."
Armchair General writes: "In the years after the creation of the modern state of Israel, the Cold War sometimes turned very hot in the skies over the Middle East. In 1967 and 1973, the air conflicts were classic battles of quantity vs. quality. The Arab nations of Egypt, Syria and Jordan, were well equipped with vast multitudes of B-grade Soviet planes and air defenses. Israel was outnumbered and alone but had the advantages of superior training and Western equipment. Not since World War II had the world seen such massive air engagements as those fought above the Sinai and Golan."
