Introduction -- The ideational security dilemma, ideational power, and ideational balancing -- Ideational projection after the Iranian Revolution -- The power of a weak state : Sudan's relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- Indirect power projection and ideational balancing after Khomeni -- Conclusion : balancing the Brotherhood.

This volume analyses how ideas, or political ideology, can threaten states and how states react to ideational threats. It examines the threat perception and policies of two Arab, Muslim majority states, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, in response to the rise and activities of two revolutionary 'Islamic states', established in Iran (1979) and Sudan (1989). The book has significant implications for international relations theory, including religion and international affairs, and engages important debates in comparative politics about authoritarianism and Islamic activism.