Can the Mideast Avoid a Water War?

Rarely has water been so central to Middle Eastern geopolitics. But a war over water is unlikely; research has shown that power asymmetry and the relief valve of "virtual water" - a state importing food which it can no longer grow - are enough to counterbalance the risks. It is better to ask how cross-border tensions over unfair sharing of water can be reduced through the international norms that form the basis of sustainable water security policy.