Product Description

Shrewd, witty, and highly readable, this concise, accessible analysis by a professor of International Relations at Oxford surveys the volatile politics of the Middle East--and the role the United States and other great powers are playing in the region.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #328408 in Books
• Published on: 1995-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780140245646
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Publishers Weekly
Examining Western relations with the Middle East since WWI, Oxford international relations professor Shlaim criticizes American policy in the region, charging that the U.S. continues to ignore the economic and social needs of that community.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
To crown his political career and in the aftermath of the Gulf War, President Bush championed a New World Order to turn his military victory into a political cause. Alas, no such order emerged because Washington failed to recognize the underlying problems of the region-denial of democracy and human rights by authoritarian regimes and the gap between rich and poor. In this remarkable essay, Shlaim, the Iraqi-born, Israeli-raised, and British-educated Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford, provides an unusually lucid historical analysis of the Middle East to underline seminal developments that shaped the region. He assesses the critical role of the Ottoman Empire and admonishes successive American administrations, which distinguished themselves by adopting a series of inconsistent policies during the past 50 or so years. Shlaim offers cogent insights on key issues and, without being coy, recommends a course of action that calls for more U.S. involvement in the peace process. Breathtaking in its scope and historical precision, this is a highly recommended volume for both public and academic libraries.
Joseph A. Kechichian, Rand Corp., Santa Monica, Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Shlaim (Collusion Across Jordan, 1988), a leading historian of the Israeli revisionist school, offers a brief but suggestive overview of the US role in the Middle East. The Middle East was one of the major theaters for the Cold War, the principal source of energy of the West, and a strategically central region in geopolitical terms. Even with the Cold War over, it remains both significant and volatile. However, for the first time since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, only one great power is in play--the US. The many conflicts that plague the region have their roots in the Ottomans' disastrous decision to enter WW I on the German side. The result was a brief period of British hegemony after the war, with English meddling creating a region of unstable and undemocratic states whose rulers lacked legitimacy. The aftershocks are with us today. Regrettably, Shlaim says, American policy has recapitulated British mistakes, usually viewing the region through ``the distorting prism of the Cold War.'' American policy makers haven fallen into two groups: the globalists, who saw the area as an extension of US-Soviet jockeying and envisioned Israel as a strategic asset; and the regionalists, who suggested a more even-handed approach to Israel and the Arab states. As Shlaim traces the policies of the last 20 years, one notes that every time the globalists have taken charge of US policy, the results have been disastrous. Shlaim concludes by noting the failure of American policy makers to address the real problems of the region: the lack of democracy and human rights in Arab states and the gap between rich and poor throughout the area. He urges the US to encourage Israel to ``contribute to stability, democracy and economic development'' in the region while pursuing an even-handed policy toward the Israelis and Palestinian and Arab- state interests. A concise, passionately argued essay, sparked by Shlaim's dry wit and scathing sarcasm. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Clear and succinct
Mr. Shlaim does an excellent job of clearly defining the reasons for recent troubles in the Middle East. He focuses on the period since World War I, and on three conflicts: The Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iran-Iraq war, and the Persian Gulf War. He is fair and objective, though that often means being critical of U.S and British involvemnet in the region. However, no party escapes deserved criticism. This book is short and concise, but is only meant to be a primer for understanding the politics of the Middle East. It is not meant for those who already have knowledge beyond the basics. I strongly recommend it to those readers who would like the background information necessary to begin understanding current situations in the Middle East.

Excellent, Brief History of the Middle East.
Very honestly and fairly written. A breathe of fresh air from the biased 'history' of other authors. Shlaim tells the truth and conveys a true understanding of the Arab-Israeli problem. Another critic of this book,Mr. Pipes, seems to not want to face the truth of the conflict. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the Mid East conflict and America's role in the situation. Kudos to Mr. Shlaim.

Unmissable classic - please bring out a new edition!
When this first came out I nearly missed it because it appeared too short to be anything but a simplistic popularised summary. Thank goodness I did start browsing, because not only did the style have me hooked, the argument's balance and lucidity, and (whatever Likudnik propagandists may say) the thoroughly scholarly grounding of the account, made me realise that here at last I had the perfect introductory text for the intelligent student entering upon a study of modern Middle Eastern history and politics. It has been a top recommendation in my final-year university course on Middle East politics ever since. The only frustration has been that, since it went out of print in the UK, my students have had to rey on the few library copies and my own. I shall now be directing them to Amazon to get their own copy - and order some more for the library.

The book somehow manages to synthesise a mass of historical detail and controversy into a straightforward but finely judged account, bringing out all the key themes and dynamics: this is not only a list of facts and events, but a compelling analysis. He brings to life especially well the interplay of external actors (especially Britain, France and the US) and regional factors (the calculations of regional elites, balancing between dynastic/regime ambitions and the constraints of the international environment; and in places the outbursts of popular anger against both regimes and outsiders - including against the influx of Jewish settlers and eventually the establishment of Israel).

The book wears its scholarship and erudition lightly - but it is perhaps only someone as thoroughly grounded in the disciplines of International Relations and History as is professor Shlaim, that could perform this feat with such apparent ease and elegance.

Serious scholars of the region, while perhaps willing to quibble with small details, will (and indeed do) agree about the author's mastery of the material and the soundness of his judgement. That he ties a number of observations to the historical analysis that have a political flavour about current events (e.g. about US foreign policy), does not make the historical analysis itself any less rewarding. Nor indeed can the conclusions regarding the current shape of the Palestine problem be dismissed (as happens in one or two of the other reviews on this site) except by those with the sorts of preconceived convictions (and political agendas?) that brook no challenge.

This is a little gem of a book, and one of those few that serve the wider public as well as the novice student of Middle Eastern affairs. Buy it and help persuade the publishers (and the author!) to bring out an updated edition for the mid-2000s!