Middle East Books

This is a superb and easily read treatise, of use both to the military professional and the interested lay reader. The book meticulously details strategic and tactical performance of each of the prinicple Arab states, not only with respect to their well-publicized conflicts with Israel, but it also investigates the lesser-known military endeavors (e.g., Egypt's war in Yemen, Libya's adventures in Chad). As a result, this is a comprehensive evaluation. Fortunately, it was not burdened with background details on Islam and it's baleful influences on the technical aspects of modern warfare: this material would constitute a separate treatise and has been detailed elsewhere. Nonetheless, the insights gained from Pollack's investigation of military performance transfer to Arab domestic politics and Islamic cultural influence on military doctrine.

Unfortunately, the cost of the book and it's length will deter many readers. In summary, this is an outstanding book and should be on the 'must read' list of readers of Middle Eastern affairs. It's only shortcomings were in the maps: symbols used throughout the text were only annotated in one map and never completely explained. Otherwise, a superb work.

The author of this book does an excellent job of analyzing the operational and tactical performance of Arabic Armies in the latter 20th Century. But, be forewarned, the book can be a slog to get through for the novice. Mr. Pollack examines the good, bad and ugly of the national performance of several armies (Iraqi, Egyptian, Syrian, Jordanian) in a manner which is useful to any decision maker who might have to confront an Arab Military foe. The best part of this book and its most useful application is in detailing Arabic Armies 'mismanagement' of information. Yes, poor leadership has doomed many Arabic Military operations, but within Arab Military leadership the fatal mismanagement of information is at the heart of each defeat. As detailed by the author, Senior and Junior officers both lie. They lie to their troops, lie to their political masters and lie to each other. At times they seem incapable of any truth telling whatsoever. The author details Senior Officers describing "Great Victories" where battles are being lost. Junior officers repeatedly fail to provide timely analysis of opposing forces or give a true picture of ongoing operations (lest they be termed cowards?). This has caused missed opportunities to adjust deployments and often leads to catastrophic defeats. Another excellent point is that the author never dismisses the ability of the individual Arab foot soldier to display extreme bravery and tenacity often despite overwhelming odds.

Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq are six major players in the Middle East. Whether they are US allies (such as Saudi Arabia or Jordan) or die hard enemies (such as Syria or Libya) Pollack gives an objective analysis of their military prowess, or lack there of.

Pollack's argument is twofold. He claims that because of Arab society Arab militaries lack basic skills that modern European armies take for granted. For instance because Arab culture looks down upon those who preform physical labor nations like Saudi Arabia wouldn't teach maitenance skills for rifles and aircraft. As a result Saudi Arabia still rely on foriegn advisors. Pollack notes that "Saudis also were limited in the fact that very few of their people were willing to take on a job that they considered menial labor-hence the support services suffered." (pg. 431)

The second portion of his thesis is that the junior officer corps of most Arab armies is incredibly poor. Considered having one of the finest armies in the Middle East, Jordan showed that on a tactical level it simply could not preform. While most Western militaries have based their soldiers tactics off of the old WW2 German saying "every corporal should carry a field marshalls baton." Arab countries such as the Hashemite Kingdom have good generals but poor lower level leadership. This was evident when Pollack states (talking about the battle of al Karamah), "The artillery was accurate but almost exclusively preplanned, preregistered fire missions and, therefore, did not demonstrate any real improvement over 1967. Whenever Jordanian armor encountered Israeli armor-and these were mostly even fights in both numbers and types of tanks engaged-the Jordanians either lost or, at best gained a draw which still favored the Israelis."(pg.334-335) There was simply little or no improvisation on plans that were drawn earlier.

There was only one minor flaw I found, this had nothing to do with what was written but with the book itself. The sofcover copy has a bit of a poor spine and doesn't do well under a little stress.

Pollack's book is as one review by Choice Magazine says, "[an] encyclopedic study will be of great interest to scholars, military planners and analysts, and policy makers." it really is a true encyclopedia chronicaling every major and minor conflict the above countries were involved in. Whether you are reading because you love military or Middle East history, this book is for you. I couldn't recommend Pollacks book more.

This is a solid study. It is well written, well researched, solid on its data, and thorough in its scope.

The sections on inter-Arab/Muslim/African conflict give good looks at relatively obscure pieces of information -- the author's discussion of the Libyan-Chadian conflicts, for example, is outstanding.

A number of interesting conclusions are evident here, whether about Arabs' failure to maintain their weapons and equipment, their poor battlefield employment of intelligence, their horrendous logistical systems, or the failure of their junior leadership to execute, lead, and decide sua sponte.

My only real complaint is that often, I found myself thinking 'but what do you think?' The author is so thorough in the book that he often leaves his intermediary conclusions for the reader to absorb, and extrapolate. This makes the book something of a tool, as opposed to the pedantic thing you would expect given its girth. But I would figure that with all the author's knowledge (and his resume to boot), he would have more of his own things to say. He does offer, at the end, that this book is essentially a shortened version of his dissertation, and there is a follow-on work that looks more in depth, examines other aspects, and offers more analysis.

Bottom line is that this is a great piece of work. It should be seen as, essentially, an encyclopedia. If you're looking for anything else you'll be woefully disappointed. But if you're serious about the subject, this book is well worth the time.

I won't repeat all of the detail and commentary provided by other reviewers, but I wanted to provide a favorable review for this excellent work.

In the introduction, the author addresses the factors often cited for the poor performance of Arab armies--poor junior leadership, poor equipment, lack of intestinal fortitude, etc. etc. He then provides rare detailed coverage of specific operations of the various Arab armies, including their successes and failures, and then returns to address, on the basis of his analysis, the "poor performance factors" for each of the armies which he covers. Very interesting (to military history fans) and well done.

TMR

A member of a successful law firm in America, Mark Werner felt an obligation to come to the aid of an Israel beset by hostile neighbors. "Army Fatigues: Joining Israel's Army of International Volunteers" is Mark Werner's passionate memoir of his time volunteering in Israel's army, despite his prosperity in America. Enraged by the second Palestinian Intifada, he volunteered. He speaks on why some people give their time and risk their lives for this as well as reflecting on his time. "Army Fatigues" is a compelling read about one man's decision to sacrifice a comfortable life in service to the Jewish nation.

I found the book inspiring and fascinating. All characters are so vivid - I've enjoyed reading about the author's experience at the Israeli bases as well as his weekends with the family and friends. I came away feeling more connected to Israelis, their simple and yet very complicated life and admiration for their strength. Liked every bit of it.

A wonderful day to day account of a volunteer's experience with Sar El in Israel. Mark does a great job of weaving history, current events and his experiences volunteering. This book is a must read for anyone considering volunteering in Sar El.

I was initially skeptical. Having lived in Israel for over thirty years I had the sense that a book about volunteers often in the age of pension who come to volunteer for stints of a few weeks , could not be something very serious. I was wrong. Mark Werner in telling of four stints of volunteering he did at Army bases, and in one case at a naval base revealed to me yet another surprising and encouraging chapter in the saga of contemporary Israel.
Werner begins by tracing his family background focusing on his father, who fought as a partisan against the Nazis. Werner tells of his unusual childhood growing up in an agricultural community in New Jersey most of the members of which were Jewish Holocaust survivors. He speaks of the Zionist education he received, and this certainly is central to the decision he made as a lawyer working in Raleigh , Virginia to volunteer for pro bono work in Israel.
The progam he is a part of is called Sar- El. It involves people from all over the world coming to work at Army bases, doing repair and maintenance work which frees up soldiers for other duties. Werner says in the concluding section of the book that a major reason for 'volunteering' is to show the people of Israel that they are not alone, not abandoned, even when the world's media is distorting their story, turning moral reality upside down, and making them the 'villains' of the Middle East conflict. Werner also gives other reasons for the volunteering including the widening of his own personal world, the meeting many new acquaintances. There is too the realization of a long- time dream of giving something to Israel.
The book itself is a delight to read. Werner's descriptions of the many different volunteers he meets , of the young Israeli soldiers who are often his guides are clear and interesting. The book is a kind of journal and includes also a picture of what is going on in the overall life of Israel at the time. It illustrates extraordinarily well the constant security challenges Israel faces.
Werner himself appears as a very good and conscienscious volunteer, a hard and proud worker. He also in the course of his volunteering uses time - off to meet relatives he has in Israel, and tells their stories. Werner is an optimist, but at the same time a strong realist. If he sees sordid realities he frankly depicts them, and makes no effort at whitewashing them.
Werner's strong and positive character shines through this work.
His writing of this book is as I understand it a continuation of his volunteering and contributing to Israel.
Those of us who have lived in Israel for many years owe Werner and dedicated volunteers like him our gratitude.

We are given a view of Israel from the inside, and at ground level. The book isn't dramatic in content, but it can be in impact - if you are interested in this inside view. I particularly enjoyed it when Mark describes or discusses some place in Israel where I have been, or mentions the impact of some event (unfortunately, often bad) which I remember from the news. I feel much better informed about life in Israel, about the impact of events on the population, and on many of the controversies affecting the people and the country. Well, I also was quite interested in the material about how the armed forces operate, again from the inside. The time Mark spent off-base with friends and relatives further added to this inside view. So I've very pleased I've read this book, and I'm rating it based on its doing for me what it's intended to do.

I bought this book for my tour of Egypt in October 2007. I bought it along on the trip with me. It provides a great overview of Egypt and even maps of what the major attractions look like. Fabulous photos too.

Lots of great information and beautiful pictures, but too heavy to take with me to Egypt.

Comprehensive, pictorial. The guide we always look for when planning a trip.

I've been highly satisfied with the Eyewitness Travel Guide series, and this Egypt edition does not disappoint. Maps are clear and helpful, photos help to explain all of the rich history and culture of Egypt. We brought the Lonely Planet Egypt book with us as well, but we found the Eyewitness Travel Guide to be clearer and simpler to use.

The only issue that we found with the book was viewing a performance of the whirling dervishes in Cairo. The book directs us to a place near the bazaar, but the mosque where they normally perform is under renovation. As a result, the performances were being held at the Citadel during the time of our visit. This isn't the book's fault, as this was new and even the conceirge directed us to the wrong place.

That being said, the book guided us to the right places many other times. We especially appreciated the tip on the Egyptian Pancake place in the bazaar!

Very nice -- as I have found most Eyewitness Guides. Well organized, current, accurate as far as I could tell. I agreed with reviews of small number/small sample of restuarants and hotels. Guide enhanced an excellent trip!

In The Immigrant's Daughter, Mary Terzian has crafted a page turning account of her experience growing up in Cairo in a family that considers losing their ties to the Armenian "Motherland" a betrayal of their forefathers' massacre. Vividly told, with amazing recall, Terzian makes a peaceful, pre-war era come alive, from the sights and smells of the marketplace, right down to the buttons on her school uniform. You feel her anguish at the loss of her mother at a young age, her fear during World War II air raids, and the pressure to excel as a student while enduring the scorn of her father over wasting money on a girl's education. Sheer determination, grit and resolve are underlaid with aching vulnerability and leavened with humor. Once you pick this book up, you won't want to put it down.

"Where do you come from?" is the first question of Mary Terzian's absorbing memoir of her journey from her native land of Egypt to the United States. The Immigrants' Daughter is a story about personal identity: of shifting cultural contexts within which a young woman must find, and finally create, herself.

Born to Armenian parents who survived Turkish genocide to settle in Egypt, Mary spends her childhood and teen years in Cairo. Her memories of those pre-war days are sharp and clear, rich in the distinctive sights and sounds and smells of bustling, cosmopolitan Cairo, with its crowded streets, colorful markets, and multi-ethnic crowds. The loss of her mother and her father's remarriage create enormous change for her, personal losses and challenges interwoven with the German invasion of Egypt. "Between Mama's death, World War II, and the insecurities of life, childhood slips away unnoticed," she writes, as she struggles to imagine something other than the conventional fates of wife and mother (or seamstress: her father's idea of an acceptable occupation) for which her traditional culture destines her.

At last, after some conniving (the scene in which Mary translates and attempts to mediate the fiery argument between her father and the school's administrator is priceless), Mary manages to enter the academic track in her secondary school. She embarks on her first job, in the office of a trading company, and finally achieves a measure of independence: she leaves her restrictive, demanding father and stepmother and takes a room at the Y.W.C.A. In the last few chapters of the memoir, a new job with the United Nations takes her out into the world beyond her cultural borders.

Mary's account of her struggles with her strictly traditional father reminded of my own, and made me think that perhaps all fathers of our era were alike, whatever their nationality. And all daughters, too, perhaps, for Mary's story reminded me of my own desperate desire to escape from my parents' life and into a life of my own.

Perhaps we can all echo Mary's credo: "Where do I come from? I come from the core of humanity, from a combination of joys and sorrows, from circumstances that fashion destiny, from experiences that forge character, from the sum total of expressed or repressed emotions that I have entertained during my life."

Mary Terzian's compelling memoir is told in the present tense, which gives it vigor and urgency. The book is a good read, a thoughtful presentation of a difficult life's passage, and a richly-colored portrait of Armenian immigrant life in pre- and post-war Egypt.

by Susan Wittig Albert
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for, and about women

Growing up in your own country is difficult enough, but as an immigrant always in transit has to be a burden most of us will never have to bear. Mary's journey is a triumph over culture and family tradition. In Cairo when King Farouk and Queen Farida have a daughter the celebration is subdued. A boy would have brought jubilation and five pounds to every family - the girl produces two. Mary talks to her mother and figures it out. Girls are worth less, but that doesn't break Mary's spirit. She's bright and intelligent enough to see through the double standard. And in her school, work and travels she manages to stays ahead of the game with a genteel wit and disarming humor that always rubs the right way.

Tom Barnes author of "Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone."
"The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle."
"The Goring Collection."

The Hurricane Hunters And Lost in the Bermuda Triangle
Doc Holliday's Road to Tombstone: The Life and Times of John Henry Holliday
The Goring Collection

Growing up in your own country is difficult enough, but as an immigrant always in transit has to be a burden most of us will never have to bear. Mary's journey is a triumph over culture and family tradition. In Cairo when King Farouk and Queen Farida have a daughter the celebration is subdued. A boy would have brought jubilation and five pounds to every family - the girl produces two. Mary talks to her mother and figures it out. Girls are worth less, but that doesn't break Mary's spirit. She's bright and intelligent enough to see through the double standard. And in her school, work and travels she manages to stays ahead of the game with a genteel wit and disarming humor that always rubs the right way.

Tom Barnes Author "Doc Holliday's Road to Tombatone."

This award winning book, "The Immigrant's Daughter," by Mary Terzian, is a literary achievement in more than one dimension. Her personal experience of growing up in Cairo, Egypt, in a family that was deported from its ancestral Armenian homeland, is most captivating and heartwarming. The emotional stress and psychological turbulences, caused by constrictive family traditions, in a young girl who is striving for respect and identity, are presented with eloquence draped in simplicity. Mary's style and language, often seasoned with subtle humor, are the manifestations of her professionalism and creativity.

The impact of "The Immigrant's Daughter" goes beyond the Armenian-Egyptian bi-cultural environment. The ongoing industrial and economic globalization is creating multicultural societies across the continents. Millions from third world countries or rural areas are moving to more industrialized cities or countries. Consequently the adaptation of old traditions and cultures with prevailing conditions creates internal strife in families. Inevitably children are caught between these conflict-filled circumstances, facing individual challenges. These children and subsequent generations could certainly benefit from Mary Terzian's real-life experiences by reading the loud message in her book: uncompromising pursuit of education, motivation, perseverance, and adaptation of traditional moral values in a new milieu.

Mackeys Book "Lebanon A House Divided" gives an excellent easy
over view of the problems that have recked the Country for so
many years. A great read, May the Country of Lebanon find PEACE inside
its own borders.

This is the third book i read from Sandra Mackey (the Saudis and The Iranians are the other two).And this is another fantastic work for her.I love the clarity and well explained manner in which she explore the nation that is Lebanon and this is not an easy task.When you finish reading this book you have a very good understanding of the situation in Lebanon.As usual she describes every major political party and organization involved as well as the mindset of the people of Lebanon.Also she gives a great explanation as to the ramifications and involvement of other countries as the war rages in Lebanon.Just an excellent work!

Sandra writes a great book about the complex and interesting vectors that have to be understand and known to even start to comprehend the many factors that together make LEBANON.
I use this book as a constant reference for the Lectures on Middle East that I give to universities.

A book that constitutes an essential reading for someone who ignores but really wants or needs to know the complexity of the Lebanese society.

This book does a great job completely describing Lebanon before the civil war and everything leading up the war. I didn't know very much at all about the folks living there but Sandra does a great job describing the background of the people (The Muslim and Christian factions). I also had no idea about the involvment of Israel and Palestine.

I won't lie though, parts of the book are dry and probably go into too much detail. While I did enjoy reading the majority of the book, I actually did fall asleep while reading it once. Still, I would recommend this book

Every American needs to read and understand the information in this book. It has changed the way I look at Israel--yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Read the Mountains of Israel to discover the miracle of Israel's re-emergence as a nation in 1948, against all odds. No other ancient nation has ever done this. Israel had a re-birth and additionally has become central in world politics. How did this happen? When?--1948. Why did this happen? Where did this happen?--the Middle East. Who were the players involved in this drama? All these questions are answered, and more. This book is a must-read for those who want to be aware of history--past, present, and future. Israel has a future! I would not want to try to thwart that future (Arab countries, are you listening?)! An informative "read" which sheds a lot of light on the Middle East puzzle/dilemma/crisis.

Very lucidly and concisely written. Easy for the student to grasp. It provides a full and complete understanding of one of the greatest problems of the world today -- why Israel and the Arabs are continually in conflict.

This book is a quick read, with excellent graphics to explain some of the issues that Israel faces. The book deals in facts, not opinions. It gives the reader a better understanding of the Israel/Palestinian issue... and whose land is it anyway? The book is well written and easy to understand!

This is book is a must for everyone who wants to understand the Mideast conflict. It is a very quick read and worth the time to read it. It is very clear on the roots of the problem and why it is not something that will go away any time soon.

I highly recommend the book. I was thinking to give it 4 stars as there was one area that I thought was slightly repetitive. However, this really turned out to be one of those books that you've got to read to the end.

My Brother-in-law was on the Roberts when she hit the mine. The story was well written and is a fascinating example of what men can do when properly trained, motivated and well led.

I believe the author does a good job of relaying the type of atmosphere that persisted on this ship from it's construction through deployment. My only critical point would be he doesn't spend enough time with the common sailors' point of view.

I also found it interesting that he covers Operation Praying Mantis. I was unaware that this was declassified.

All in all, nicely done and an informative and gripping account of one of the forgotten chapters of our continued presence in the gulf.

The shopping experience was great with Amazon. The book that I ordered was shipped and had gotten delivered in the amount of time that I had expected and what I needed it for.

I am very impressed by No Higher Honor. It is interesting, well written, and an engaging read. No Higher Honor is an overdue tribute to a group of heroes that deserves to be remembered.

Anyone interested in naval history should read this book. I heartily recommend it.

I am a librarian at a Navy library and a patron recommended this book for purchase as a management book. It is the most exciting, well written and gripping management book you will ever read. It is a tale of heroism, competence and pride.

The first management lesson you will learn is that instilling pride in your workers will get you very far. Captain Paul Rinn worked on this from the day he learned the not yet built guided missile frigate was to be named the Samuel B. Roberts. He researched the first two ships with the same name and the sailor it was named after. He made sure the pre-commissioning crew knew all the history instilling pride in their ship as she was being built.

The second is even non-glamorous jobs are important, sometimes the most important. I suspect that not too many people go into the Navy with the idea of being the best damage control officer in the service. Rinn knew the importance of damage control and had his men trained, drilled and equipped to the best of his and his officer's abilities. He wanted them to be good at all tasks on the ship and gave them the appropriate training and encouragement.

Above being a book about leadership, it is also a gripping tale. The first lines of the book describing the initial spotting of the mines that were to damage the frigate are as gripping as any in any novel about the sea. It also brings into remembrance a dangerous time in our planet's history with Iran, Iraq and the US face to face in the Persian Gulf.

The author's style is both journalistic and literary, making the book a good read.

I was there and this book captured the entire ordeal as well as it could be captured. Bradley did a wonderful and thorough job collecting data and memories. I now know far more about the whole incident than I knew when it happened. I'm grateful that our story got told, but more grateful that it was told so well.

This is, by far, the best written analysis of the apparently mindless descent into potential oblivion that Israel appears headed to. It begins by setting the stage of Jewish self-hatred and self-effacement as a reaction to anti-semitism, as it developed in the Diaspora during this last millenium. Specifically, there is a detailed analysis of this phenomenon in the "civilized" world of 19th and 20th century Germany, as contrasted with the more "primitive" Eastern European Jewish experience. The author shows how the constant self delusion of the Jews - in its myriad of forms and expressions - is the basis for the present day erosion from within that the Jewish State is undergoing. I believe that this book should be mandatory reading in any Middle Eastern course, or for that matter, for anyone seeking to understand this unique group psychological phenomenon. As a proud Jew and a Zionist, I wish that this book would be sent - gratis - to journalists, academics, politicians, and to other people who collectively can influence the course of history.

Why would the Israelis and the Jews sacrifice everything for a shallow peace accord with a "peace partner" who increases terror attacks, indoctrinates intensely virulent anti-Semitism at all levels of education and the media, and continues to vow annihilation of the state they feign to be negotiating peace with?

Kenneth Levin's answer approaches a perspective that is different from much of the current histories of the region. Levin illuminates a delusion that is the result of the stress of five decades of being under siege, and the result of centuries of demonization in Europe. He explores the history of the responses of the Jews in Europe to the hatred that spanned centuries and the futility of the Jews who vainly sought to appease their state sponsored tormentors by trying ever harder to assimilate. Ultimately the more they tried to assimilate the more the host nations persecuted them. Thus in spite of serving heroically in the German army in WWI they were ultimately rewarded with the holocaust.

The delusion that was Oslo was just a continuation of a desire of the Jewish community to either fit in or be left in peace. But it was also a delusion that the Jews could control the will of another party by giving more and more concessions, even when nothing is given in return. It is a unique form of arrogance and is ultimately self destructive.

The siege is not likely to end soon and Levin's prescription for Israel's survival is to educate its people on the history and moral purpose underlying the existence of the nation. Under Oslo many in the Israeli educational establishment pushed a curriculum that diminished the Jewish history and culture in favor of a more universalist approach. Revisionist historians embellished this approach with an anti Zionist slant to the story of Israel's history. Levin retorts the revisionists, but draws parallels to much of the self criticism from the Jews in Europe hoping to appease their state sponsors. Meanwhile the Palestinian educational structure, in clear defiance of Oslo, taught that the Jews had no right to the land or any historical connection to it and that it was their divine moral purpose to drive the Jews from their homeland.

The results of Oslo have taught what the Jews should have learned from centuries of oppression: that while it takes two people to make peace; it only takes one to make a war.

This book is a wonderful addition to the writings and analysis of the situation in Israel and is uniquely illuminating. I highly recommend it.

Kenneth Levin is a smart man that can analize the situations in a simple easy logical way. buy this book!

This is a seminal book, that should be must reading for anyone interested in the Israel-Arab conflict. The author is a psychiatrist with a Ph.D in History from Princeton. It is a very thoroughly researched, carefully documented review of the long history of Jewish wishful thinking responses to oppression and aggression directed against them, starting long ago in Europe and brought up to date in the Middle East. The lessons for the current situation in the Middle East are clearly drawn, and demand thoughful consideration by the reader.
Dr. Levin uses the psychodynamic concept of "identification with the aggressor" [Anna Freud]to try to explain the mental mechanism so often resorted to in justifying appeasement of implacable enemies, despite its history of self-defeating and often lethal ineffectiveness. This mechanism is used to explain the failure of appeasers to take any accurate measure of their enemy, since they are serving an internal need that becomes self-delusional.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

In this massively researched, lucidly written, and cogently argued narrative, as Edward Alexander of the University of Washington wrote, Levin tells the appalling story of what has been called the greatest self-inflicted wound of political history: Israel's embrace of Yasir Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the Oslo accords of September 1993 and its dogged adherence to its obligations under them even as its "peace partner" was blatantly flouting its own.

The book has two parts. The first recounts Jewish political failure in the Diaspora, where Jews lived with a constant burden of peril; Levin presents this as the background for the self-deluding rationales that engendered Oslo. The second part traces the same perils in the history of Israel itself. Levin shows how a tiny nation, living under constant siege by neighbors who reject its very existence, was induced by its intellectual classes to believe that its own misdeeds had incited Arab hatred and violence, and that what required reform was not Arab dictatorship and Islamist Jew-hatred but the reform of (other) Jews. Reversing cause and effect, Israeli leaders blinded themselves to the obvious fact that it was Arab hatred and aggression that repeatedly led to Israeli occupation, not occupation that caused Arab hatred and violence.

Although Levin argues strongly that Israeli leaders like Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, and the ineffable Shimon Peres hallucinated moderation in a murderous enemy, his book is not a polemic that excludes all opposing points of view; on the contrary, we get the fullest possible account--and "in their own words"--of those Israelis (and their American-Jewish supporters) who deluded themselves into believing that Oslo would bring a new heaven and a new earth. When the accords were signed in 1993, Minister of Education Shulamit Aloni announced that "no more parents will go weeping after the coffins of their sons," and Israeli novelist and peace activist Amos Oz said confidently that "death shall be no more." And all this because Arafat had--not for the first time--promised to renounce terror and recognize Israel's "right to exist," that used Buick he had already flogged several times over. By autumn 2000, and as a direct (and in Levin's view entirely predictable) result of Israel's endless unreciprocated concessions to Arafat's demands, the country was faced with intifada II, "the Oslo war," in which all Israel became a battlefield and getting on a bus or going to a cafe or a disco meant risking your life.

One of Levin's most relentlessly pursued themes is the influence of Israel's cultural elites on the governments of Rabin and Barak. In Israel (as in America) many intellectuals seem to subscribe to the motto, "the other country, right or wrong." But if American leftist intellectuals are confined to universities and a few other institutions, in Israel they have come close to taking over the government. Israelis thus learned the hard way what Churchill said of England's leading appeaser: "Mr. Chamberlain was faced with a choice between surrender and war; he chose surrender, and he got war."

After reading Jaffer Ali's "Palestine and the Middle East", I realized that there is no `other side of the story'. Mr. Ali goes beyond propaganda and spin and shows us that the conflict raging between Israel and Palestinians is a matter of basic human rights denied to an indigenous people by a military occupying power. In dozens of short essays, we are shown that the desperation created by Israeli oppression has pushed an unarmed population of Palestinian civilians to stand in the street and futilely throw rocks at the tanks and armored assault vehicles of the Israeli army. I repeated the same question to myself as I read every different form of abuse carried out by Israel: "What would I do if I had to live under these conditions?" I commend Dandelion Books for having the courage to publish this book in today's climate.

Tom Zegar

This thoughtful, provocative book is a must-read for anyone wanting to know the truth behind the turmoil of the Mid-East. Ali is not a radical, he offers the point of view not seen in American media. As with all conflict there is another side - Ali offers this to us, as well as a more believable reason for the invasion of Iraq. Our current leadership has an agenda - one that does not set well with the rest of the world, and might not set well with the American people if they KNEW what it was. Read this book - it's a real eye opener.

Jaffir Ali takes us on both a very personal journey of what it means to be Palestinian in both the land of plenty and the land of desolation and humiliation and offers succinctly explanations for the conflict, explanations not redily offered in the mainstream media, media that is complicit in the web of obfuscation and silence. This is an eminently easy read, far from the thickly layered writings of Noam Chomsky or the intellectual depth of Edward Said's "Orientalism" , Jaffir Ali's quick fire essays are a perfect introduction to the Middle East/Palestinian crisis for readers who are only now beginning to realise that "there's something wrong with this picture" and is an excellent springboard for any wishing to learn more about the machinations of post WW2 colonial aspirations. Jaffir Ali's "Palestine and the Middle East: A Chronicle of Passion and Politics" should be required reading in at least Political Studies 101. Reccomended further readings: "The Fateful Triangle" by Noam Chomsky Black Rose Books...ISBN: 0920057-21-7. "Orientalism" by Edward Said available from this website. For continued updates on the Israel/Palestine situation subscribe to the excellent internet newsletter Viewpoint edited by Jaffir Ali.viewpoint@gophercentral.com

As an American of Palestinian decent Mr. Ali guides the reader through the passion that motivates and inflames the political issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is clearly anti-violence and committed to peace---a peace that is only possible through empathy and accountability. Mr. Ali illuminates the reasoning of desperation without validating it. He demands a worldwide even application of standards concerning occupation, in particular in Israel.

Mr. Ali's essays swing from erudite political treatises to gut-wrenching, emotional, and deeply personal testimonies. Whether he is analytical or impassioned he is always, and consistently, honest to the information and to the reader. After reading "Palestine and the Middle East" you will never be able to hear "the news" without hearing the bias.

Must reading for anyone who wants to understand failures and create the dialogue that will bring peace in the region.

I was born in 1945, so I do not remember the creation of the state of Israel and all that went into that. I do know that I was raised only hearing one side of this issue and I do know this. One side is NEVER the WHOLE story. What the author does is CLEARLY give the other side to this contentious issue. Is there a solution to the problem of the Middle East? It will take someone FAR smarter than I to answer that question - but I will say this. A START to the solution is for the world to see both sides of the issue - presented in a thoughtful intelligent manner. This book does this - who knows? When history looks back on what happens over the next century, this book may be responsible in great part for something we never thought to see. When I was a teenager - and much older than that - we never thought to see the Iron Curtain fall. Maybe Mr. Ali has contributed to a happy solution to a vexing - and world threatening - problem. As a devoted reader - maybe 2000 books at home, most of whom I have read - this is one of the most seminal books I will EVER read

I got this book after the First Gulf War. Rhonda Cornum's courage as a POW is inspirational, especially under the circumstances in shich she found herself. It is well-known how the Ba'athists rotinely employed torture (real torture, not redefined torture) in order to get airmen to make statements critical of the Coalition war effort. In fact, the enemy we were fighting against at the time were barbarians who had no scruples when it came to the men and women who fell into their hands.

An awesome book about an awesome Soldier.

I thought I'd let readers know that now Col. Rhonda Cornum was nominated for promotion to Brigadier General today.

I express my deep respect, admiration and gratitude for Colonel Rhonda Cornum's service to our country and the medical profession. She is a soldier's soldier. Her book is as entertaining and as inspirational as her career. Read it and it will change your life forever.

I'd heard that there was a female soldier captured during the first Gulf War, but I didn't know anything about her until I read this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Rhonda Cornum's strong personality comes through the pages of this book. Just her description of how she coped with her untreated injuries is impressive, and I second the person who admired how she kept her spirits up by singing in her prison cell. I hope if I ever found myself in as adverse a situation as she did, that I would be able to remain as courageous and confident throughout. Her description of the struggles she faced as a woman in the military is blunt without sinking into self-pity. An interesting and impressive slice of the first Gulf War, and a courageous role model and heroine.

I pinched COL Cornum's book from my boyfriend, curious to find out more about his boss. She jogs by my workplace almost daily, she seems frail and full of girlish energy. Recently,I met her at a LRMC function and she IS full of girlish energy. As she's a former POW, I was unsure what to expect. Since then, I've been even more curious about the woman my old mentor COL Ron Blanck described as "a woman to watch". That was back in '91 - we'd been following her release on AFN-TV from FARMC HQs during Morning Report. I was hungover but jolted out of my stupor by the respect in his voice. He later made it 4-star and respect was never something he's doled out like party favors.
I've just finished her book (coincidently on the anniversary of her release thirteen years ago). It was staunchly pro-military and pro-American without resorting to gush-mode. It made me laugh unexpectedly, it made me run to my PC and download Lee Greenwood, it made me understand my former mentor. I took it to bed, I took it to breakfast and finally, I took it in the tub with me where I cried so hard at the reunion passage that I dropped it in the water. It was the autographed copy which she'd recently presented to my boyfriend on his birthday. I hope her sense of humour has rubbed off on him. If not, I'm in big trouble. Buy this book. Buy your own copy and buy some for your family. Then buy some for your neighbors. I need the karma points.