What Every American Should Know About the Middle East

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Penguin, Dec 30, 2008 - History - 512 pages
The What Every American Should Know series returns with a timely guide to the region Americans need to understand the most (and know the least)

The latest edition of Melissa Rossi's popular What Every American Should Know series gives a crash course on one of the most complex and important regions of the world. In this comprehensive and engaging reference book, Rossi offers a clear analysis of the issues playing out in the Middle East, delving into each country's history, politics, economy, and religions. Having traveled through the area over the past year, she exposes firsthand the U.S.'s geopolitical moves and how our presence has affected the region's economic and political development. Topics include:

· Why Iran is viewed as a threat by most Middle East countries
· What resource is more important than petroleum in regional power plays
· What's really behind the fighting between Sunni and Shia
· How Saudi Arabia inadvertently feeds the violence in Iraq and beyond
· How monarchies like those in Jordan and Qatar are more open and progressive than the so-called republics

With answers that will surprise many Americans, and covering a vast history and cultural complexity that will fascinate any student of the world, What Every American Should Know About the Middle East is a must-read introduction to the most critical region of the twenty-first century.
 

Contents

Misunderstanding the Middle East
1
Jogging Through the Millennia
25
Pulling the Pieces Together
41
European Designs Hacking Up the Middle East
67
Iraq Pardon Our Mess
115
Iran Isnt the Party Over Yet?
147
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Splitsville
179
Kuwait Lines in the Sand
211
Qatar Trail Blazing
279
Bahrain A New Profile
293
Oman Awake at Last
303
Israel Fulfilling Prophecies
321
Disappearing Act The Palestinian Territoriesthe West Bank and Gaza
343
Lebanon The Cedar Devolution
363
Syria Crumbling Support
387
Jordan Stuck in the Middle
407

Yemen In Another World
237
The United Arab Emirates The Land of Possibilities
257
Egypt Secret Society
429
Copyright

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About the author (2008)

Melissa Rossi is an award-winning veteran journalist who has penned articles for Newsweek, Newsday, Esquire, George, MSNBC, The New York Observer, and, until recently, wrote a regular column for National Geographic Traveler. She has written extensively about Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has lived abroad for many years.

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