Shadow Wars : the secret struggle for the Middle East

Introduction 1  Counter-revolution – A Pattern EmergesLessons from the past – nothing is newLessons from the past – the preventive counter-revolutionsBritain’s hungry empireThe threat from Arab nationalismTrouble on the Arabian Peninsula – revolution reaches YemenThe contagion spreads – the Sultanate of OmanThe smaller sheikhdoms – preventive measures 2  Cold War, Oil War – America Takes OverAmerica’s even hungrier empireAmerica’s global counter-revolutionAmerica’s Middle East – special treatment for a special caseRemoving the rivals – Iranian democracyRemoving the rivals – taking on the ArabsStrengthening the status quo – the arms tradeStrengthening the status quo – military basesStrengthening the status quo – mercenaries 3  The Road to al-Qaeda – The CIA’s BabySearching for an Islamic state – Britain’s caliphateSearching for an Islamic state – Wahhabism and the Muslim BrotherhoodMobilizing jihad – the case of AfghanistanOperation Cyclone – Anglo-American jihadForeign fighters, foreign cashThe Islamic Republic of Iran – a secret relationship 4  Allied to Jihad – Useful IdiotsThe Taliban – America’s new allyKeeping bin Laden on boardThe war against Serbia – Bosnian jihadThe war against Serbia – Kosovan jihadThe Libyan Islamic Fighting Group – Britain’s new allyThe road to 9/11 – managing blowback9/11 – saving Saudi Arabia9/11 – protecting the funding networksThe fake ‘War on Terror’ – AfghanistanThe fake ‘War on Terror’ – Iraq 5  The Arab Spring – A System ThreatenedA new challenge, a new hopeThe road to 2011 – regimes in decayTunisia – the Jasmine RevolutionEgypt – the Republic of TahrirYemen – revolution in ArabiaBreaking the fear barrier – a chance for cosmopolitanismThe economic storm – enter neo-liberalismThe economic storm – the rise of crony capitalismThe economic storm – the rise of Gulf capitalismFrom modernizing Arabs to revolutionary ArabsCosmopolitan communications – from satellites to social media 6  Plan ‘A’ – Islamists Versus the Deep StateThe need for counter-revolutionEgypt – back to the BrotherhoodEgypt – an uneasy allianceEgypt – military dictatorshipEgypt – ‘Sisi mania’Egypt – the Qatar connectionEgypt – Saudi Arabia takes on the BrotherhoodTunisia – under pressureTunisia – sleepwalking to counter-revolutionYemen – outmanoeuvring the Arab SpringBahrain – the forgotten revolution 7  Plan ‘B’ – A Fake Arab SpringContainable protestsAxis against axis – faking the Arab SpringLibya – Gaddafi’s strange regimeLibya – flirting with neo-liberalismLibya – not so supplicantLibya – the uprisingLibya – subverting the National Transitional CouncilLibya – NATO takes actionLibya – an international crimeLibya – the scramble for assetsLibya – a role for al-QaedaLibya – searching for a SisiSyria – parallel plansSyria – the uprising beginsSyria – preparing for interventionSyria – enter the proxiesSyria – arming the rebelsSyria – searching for the ‘red line’Syria – back to the battlefieldSyria – the media warYemen – a painful interventionYemen – bringing back al-Qaeda 8  Enter the Islamic State – A Phantom MenaceAl-Qaeda’s limitsThe need for ‘national jihadists’Iraq – the incubation chamberIraq – the emerging Islamic StateIraq – the proto-caliphateThe Islamic State – mysterious new leadershipThe Islamic State – a persuasive ideologyOpportunities in SyriaExpansion in IraqThe caliphate restoredThe resurrection of Saddam Hussein‘Remaining and expanding’ – services and recruitment‘Remaining and expanding’ – masters of propaganda 9  The Islamic State – A Strategic AssetQui bono – to whose profit?The manufacturing of evil – the new bogeymanThe business of evil – a history of cashing inThe business of evil – the arms industry bonanzaSurprise, surprise – the Islamic State came from nowhereThe strangest road to warA campaign of contradictionsExplaining failure – the official lineSuspicions mount – challenging the narrativeFollow the money – the self-funding narrativeFollow the money – the Islamic State’s fundersFunders need facilitators – the role of Turkey 10 The Islamic State – A Gift That Keeps GivingThe return of the ‘War on Terror’The Islamic State in LibyaThe Islamic State in YemenThe fight for MaliBoko Haram – Nigeria under attackBoko Haram – the shift to the Islamic StateBoko Haram – generous sponsorsBoko Haram – delivering resultsBeyond Panetta – other pledges to the Islamic StateRussia and China – superpower implications Epilogue – Keeping the Wheel TurningGetting business back to usualThe exploitation of EgyptWild card number one – opening up IranA new Iran, a new sectarian warWild card number two – American oilA new Saudi Arabia, a new chapter Notes Index