This textbook anthology of selected readings on pressing Middle East security concerns serves as an invaluable single-volume assessment of critical security issues in nations such as Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
The issues and current events of the Greater Middle East continue to hold deep implications for American geopolitical interests in the region—as they have for many decades. An ideal resource for students in undergraduate courses on the Middle East and related regions as well as students in graduate programs of international studies or security studies, this textbook anthologizes recent, insightful analyses by top scholars on trends and events in the Middle East that bear crucially on regional and global security considerations, covering topics like Iran’s nuclear ambitions; the rise, ebb, and resurgence of Al Qaeda; and the war in Syria.
The essays address concerns that include the re-imposition of military rule in Egypt; the current status of Palestinian-Israeli relations; the civil war and proposed chemical inspections in Syria; Sunni-Shiite conflict and the revitalized al Qaeda presence in Iraq and the Sunni resurgence in Iraq and Syria; and the on-again-off-again international monitoring of nuclear facilities in Iran, along with discussions of that country’s connections to the Syrian regime and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The use of drone strikes as antiterrorist weapons and their use within U.S. and international law also receive specific attention. Each reading is summarized and contextualized by a concise introduction that serves to enhance the integration of the individual readings across the book. Original source notes are included with each chapter as guides to further reading, and numerous maps provide an essential sense of place. The book also includes a glossary of terms and a register of brief biographies of significant persons.
Features
- Offers important insights and analyses of authoritative observers on the Greater Middle East and its most current and pressing security concerns
- Supplies informed, up-to-date coverage of key flashpoints across the Greater Middle East, such as al Qaeda in Fallujah, ISIS, Syria's civil war, the Iranian nuclear weapons issue, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Chechen insurgents in the Caucasus
- Provides concise introductions that summarize the readings' essential points and situate the readings within an integrative context
- Includes original notes and bibliographies for each reading that serve as guides to further reading as well as numerous maps that provide students with an essential sense of place
Karl Yambert, PhD, is an independent scholar who holds a doctorate in anthropology from the University of California, Davis. He is a former editor of anthropology and area studies (Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Asia) with Westview Press and is the volume editor of The Contemporary Middle East. He has provided content for both the World at War: Understanding Conflict and Society and Modern Genocide: Understanding Causes and Consequences databases at ABC-CLIO.
Reviews
"Drones, the Benghazi attacks, and ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq) are among the topics discussed. . . . VERDICT This title offers a sobering, authoritative briefing on a 'zone of turmoil.'"—Library Journal, August 1, 2016
Praeger Security International
International security in the 21st century is not a topic that can be adequately addressed in nightly news soundbites or online articles intended to be relevant for 24 hours or less. Comprehending these complex issues requires insight from foreign policy specialists, diplomats, military officials, peace scholars, historians, and security experts—participants and observers on all sides of each conflict. This series provides the tools for understanding security issues in our uncertain, unstable world.
Covering global hot spots from Iran to Venezuela and subjects ranging from terrorism and cyber warfare to food security, books in the Praeger Security International series give readers access to carefully considered and highly informed viewpoints on the critical security issues that threaten to destabilize our world. With titles authored by diplomats, academic researchers, journalists, military leaders and combatants, legal experts, psychologists, and other knowledgeable specialists, these books offer in-depth analysis and international perspectives that are unavailable in the mass media. These titles represent an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and policymakers as well as for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of the complex issues that affect our lives and future.Features
• Provides reliable, comprehensive information on all matters relating to security that is ideal for students, teachers, researchers, and professionals
• Offers insightful commentaries written by a diverse group of scholars and experts who provide interdisciplinary treatments of newsworthy events and important historical occurrences
