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| READING THE NEWS
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Gulf War II: Operation Iraqi Freedom
by
Andrew Duncan
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In a sweeping,
coordinated move to oust dictator Saddam Hussein and his Baath party from
Iraq, coalition forces made up mainly of American and British troops launched
a large-scale invasion of the contentious Middle Eastern country on March
18.
Now, as
coalition troops continue to navigate the Iraqi capitol of Baghdad, it
is still unknown what exactly they'll face as they explore the intensely
bombed city, or even if Saddam Hussein is still alive.
Read about
Iraq and the Middle East's past, present, and possible future with our
following selections.
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Jarhead
 By
Anthony
Swofford
A shockingly honest and compelling memoir of the first Gulf War by a marine
who was on the frontlines, the best-selling Jarhead is author Swofford's
story of how he lived through the intense boredom, punishing fear, relentless
heat, and endless miles of sand that were all part of a grunt's life during
Operation Desert Storm. Swofford -- part of a reconnaissance and sniper
squad -- experienced periods of terror, self-doubt, loneliness, and, at
one point during the Gulf War, seriously considered suicide. In his book,
he provides a candid window into the world of modern warfare. |
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Dreaming
War
By Gore
Vidal
 Prolific
and opinionated elder statesmen of American letters Vidal archly criticizes
what he sees as the imperialist post-9/11 activity of the Cheney/Bush "junta"
in this angry, confrontational, intelligent, and thoughtful rant. He calls
not only for an investigation into the government's actions after 9/11,
but wonders about: the administration's real interest in Afghanistan; the
oil ties between Osama bin Laden and the Bush family; and why the American
media are so quick to go along with whatever the government says. Although
Vidal tends to go overboard, his writing is infectious, and often surprisingly
convincing. |
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The
Threatening Storm: The Case for Invading Iraq
By Kenneth
M. Pollack
 Well,
even though it's already a done deal, reading Pollack's convincing book
is an absolute necessity for fully understanding why coalition forces invaded
Iraq in an attempt to oust Saddam Hussein. A past expert analyst on Iraq
for both the C.I.A. and N.S.A., Pollack clearly and insightfully illustrates
how the U.S. thought it could contain Saddam after the first Gulf War, but
failed spectacularly. Pollack argues that to fully prevent what could be
the destabilization of the entire Middle East -- due to Saddam's inevitable
procurement of nuclear and chemical weapons -- Pollack believes the only
course is military action. An informed and well-rounded argument, Pollack
also outlines the feelings of neighboring Arab countries on the matter,
and the possible ramifications of a second Gulf War. |
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War
is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
 By
Chris
Hedges
New York Times correspondent Hedges has learned that for some people,
war gives them -- somewhat ironically -- a reason for living. An eyewitness
to the horrifying, violent conflicts in El Salvador, Bosnia, and Israel,
Hedges uses those experiences to succinctly explain why war is still prevalent
in our world, and how it affects a nation's government, military, and populace.
It's a poignant, humble, and pragmatic work; the less academic, more human
companion to Lawrence
Leshan's equally timely and perceptive The
Psychology of War. |
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A
Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation
of the Middle East
 By
David
Fromkin
Historian and university professor Fromkin's bestselling book is critical
to understanding the how and why of the contemporary Middle East. Concentrating
on the years 1914 to 1922, Fromkin fascinatingly illustrates how the ongoing
conflicts, violence, and general instability in the region stems from Allied
governments meddling in the Middle East's politics and geography during
and after World War I. By showing why things were done the way they were
-- and questioning how things could've been done differently -- Fromkin
has crafted a work of certifiably required reading. |
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What
Went Wrong: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East
 By
Bernard
Lewis
Centuries ago, the Middle East was the most important region on the planet.
Leaders in the sciences, arts, and military and economic power, the Islamic
world enjoyed hundreds of years of progress, enlightenment, and power. So
how did the region get to be where it is today? Was it because of Western
intervention and imperialism? Or has Islamic culture grown sluggish and
stale? In his informative, engrossing book, Middle East expert Lewis offers
a historical perspective on why one of the most contentious regions on Earth
is the way it is. |
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 The
Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein
By Sandra
Mackey
An experienced Middle East journalist, Mackey's The Reckoning is
an accessible and readable history of modern Iraq. Compellingly tracing
the convoluted jumble of political, religious, ethnic, historical, and societal
factors that gave rise to Saddam Hussein's oppressive dictatorship, Mackey's
sobering and stunning theory argues that, if Saddam eventually is ousted,
Iraq could be become an even bigger financial and political quagmire for
the United States. |
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Out
of the Ashes: The Resurrection of Saddam Hussein
 By
Andrew
and Patrick
Cockburn
After the first Gulf War in 1991, many experts predicted that Saddam Hussein's
regime would crumble; not only due to the massive military defeat and widespread
destruction Hussein's country suffered, but because of harsh U.S.-led sanctions
imposed on Iraq after the war. In Out of the Ashes, two journalist
brothers combine their reporting skills -- Patrick spent 20 years covering
the Middle East, and Andrew is an experienced U.S. government correspondent
-- to explain with captivating clarity how Saddam Hussein managed to survive
the first Gulf War and maintain his authoritarian grip on Iraq. |
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 The
Dream Palace of the Arabs: A Generation's Odyssey
By Fouad
Ajami
The generation Ajami's title refers to is a group of forward-thinking
men and women intellectuals who came of age in the late 1950s. Idealistic,
sophisticated, and deeply philosophical, they attempted to develop a new,
modern Arabic culture and identity which often clashed against the Islamic
world's long-standing virtues, beliefs, and attitudes. A melancholy and
personal study of this group's writings and efforts, The Dream Palace
of the Arabs provides unique and interesting insight into the new
Middle East.
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 Guests
of the Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village
By Elizabeth
Warnock Fernea
Originally published in 1965, Fernea's stunning ethnographic exploration
of a small Iraqi village named El Nahra began in the early 1950s, when
she agreed to take part in her husband's anthropological study. Fernea
completely adapted to the village's customs, and by the time the study
ended, she was a fully accepted and respected member of the community.
Astute and respectful, Fernea offers rare insight into an often disregarded
and misinterpreted aspect of Muslim society.
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Night
and Horses and the Desert: An Anthology of Classical Arabic Literature
 Edited
by Robert
Irwin
This indispensable, sprawling, varied anthology of early Arabic writing
-- from the fifth to 16th century, to be exact -- ranges from the well-known
(The
Arabian Nights; the Qur'an)
to the alluringly obscure (Ibn Washsiyya on poisons; Al-Jahiz's tract on
the greatness of books) to the delightfully strange (Kushajim's asparagus
poem; Ibn Marzuban explains why dogs are superior to men). Informed and
gracious commentary by the learned Irwin accompanies these wonderful selections,
which make up a singular, irreplaceable contribution to world literature.
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 Iraq:
In the Eye of the Storm
By Dilip
Hiro
A Middle East expert and journalist who has written for the New York
Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, Heiro's
book describes daily life in modern, post-Desert Storm Iraq. Obviously,
the situation in the country is about to change, but Heiro's book -- which
criticizes Saddam Hussein's regime while maintaining that another military
strike against it could be a disaster for both the Western and the Islamic
world -- is still an essential point of view on current and future events
unfolding in the Middle East. |
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 Opening
the Gates: A Century of Arab Feminist Writing
Edited by Margot
Badran and Miriam
Cooke
An astonishing anthology of essays, short stories, poems, speeches, fables,
editorials, and memoirs by Arabic women bravely daring to contradict the
patriarchal leanings of the Islamic world, Opening the Gates includes
writings on marriage, politics, female circumcision, the infamous veil,
and other aspects of female Muslim life. Skillfully edited by Badran and
Cooke, their intriguing collection explores a rarely discussed and often
oppressed facet of Arabic culture. |
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