The concept of regionalism does not have clear cut and widely accepted definition as it is difficult to decide whether two or more territories fall in the same economic region. On the ground practice, the concept is defined largely in terms of non-geographic criteria and laying relatively little emphasis on physical location. Regionalism, the scholars commonly agree, is defined in non-geographic terms, focusing on preferential economic arrangements that does away with the composition of states in close proximity. Since most of the contemporary literature on regionalism focuses on Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTAs), hence this discussion uses concept of regionalism in the context of grouping of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) between the US and its West Asian partners into Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) as claimed by the US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. `Regionalism', `regional trade agreement', and `regional trade area' refer to the general terms that involve the commitment among a group of countries to achieve some degree of economic integration. In brief, an important objective of this paper is to investigate the so called hypothesis adopted for MEFTA, that is, whether the pursuit of bilateral trading arrangements between the US ands

Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) was proposed by the US President George W Bush to be formed as an aftermath to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the US. That MEFTA, slated for the completion date of 2013, is part of Washington's long-term policy shift in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, surfaces from the fact that the attackers came from the region. Washington, in its long-term policy would thus engage countries in turn through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) under MEFTA. These FTAs will be melded into one regional grouping called MEFTA.

MEFTA, the establishment, "which would link 22 Arab nations, Israel and the US by 2013" was proposed by George W Bush, as per the Whitehouse news release. Hence, MEFTA as a means of using trade as a tool to fight terrorism, was already debated in Washington. MEFTA draws its favor from the reasoning that trade will lead to opening of political systems which otherwise would breed resentment and extremism aimed against the USA, the west and generically the entire world.

Robert Zoellick, the US trade representative, proclaimed that the, "US agreements —for example, with Jordan, Morocco, and Bahrain—will serve as models for their neighbors that need to embrace openness". The Bush Administration's plan uses the office of the US trade representative definition of `Middle East' and includes countries traditionally identified as in the Middle East or North Africa and specifies very few eligibility requirements for countries wishing to join the MEFTA.

International Relations Journal, Preferential Trading Arrangements, Middle East Free Trade Area, MEFTA, Economic Integration, Political Systems, Bilateral Investment Treaties, Trade Investment Framework Agreements, World Trade Organization, Economic Liberalization, Economic Systems, Economic Reforms, Intellectual Property Rights, US Government Agencies, Finance Development Projects.