The Limits to Power (1979) analyses the spectrum of Soviet interests and policies in the Middle East following the Yom Kippur War of October 1973: how the Soviets handled the oil question, military and economic aid, policy toward Egypt, Syria, Iraq, the Palestinian organisations – and toward Israel itself. The Soviet position in the Middle East in 1970 was as the dominant foreign power in the region, and this book examines the events and actions that resulted, under a decade later, in such a sharp reversal in Soviet fortunes. The ebb-and-flow of Soviet diplomacy, as it emerges from the wealth of official statements and press material, is examined in detail.

Johan C. Bester is the Director of Bioethics at UNLV School of Medicine. He also is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Education, and serves presently as Interim Assistant Dean for Biomedical Science Education. He completed medical training in South Africa, and practiced in family medicine and emergency medicine settings for 12 years all over the world, including in South Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He then transitioned to a professional focus on bioethics and medical education, which included completing a Master’s degree and a PhD in Applied Ethics, and Clinical Ethics Fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic.

Presently Johan teaches ethics, epidemiology, and evidence-based medicine to medical students and provides leadership to the Phase 1 MD curriculum at UNLV School of Medicine. He engages in active scholarship in the areas of pediatric ethics, vaccination ethics, systems issues in healthcare, and social justice. His work has been published in notable journals such as JAMA Pediatrics, The American Journal of Bioethics, The Journal of Medical Ethics, Bioethics, and Bioethical Inquiry. He spends his time thinking about a just society, how society can be made kinder, better, and more inclusive, and the implications of these questions for medical practice and medical systems.