Bricks, Sand, and Marble

The work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in military construction in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East created the infrastructure that made the U.S. policies of deterrence and containment possible. This work included not only construction in support of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force in these areas but also work executed on behalf of Middle East allies paid for with funds they provided. This book traces the activities of American military engineers from the reconstruction that began in Greece after World War II through the construction of air bases in North Africa, the massive building program in Saudi Arabia, and support for the liberation of Kuwait in 1991. The history provides a background of the present role and position of the United States in that vital region.