Want to read a book about the Middle East

[Anonymous]

The Book of Fate is a wonderful story about Iran from a woman's point of view. I really enjoyed this book

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to be so anti-ethnocentric, but the best books on the middle east tend to come out of Europe, particularly England. They have been involved in the region before the United States was born and they have a long rich tradition of understanding why they get their asses kicked every time they go there. One of the saddest places is the museum in London which shows the many incursions England made into Afghanistan and the many plaques listing the names of soldiers who perished in each of those campaigns When the US started its foolhardy incursion into Afghanistan, I sent postcards from the museum to George Bush and asked him if he really wanted to take on a country that could not be tamed by generations of Brits much less the Russians, the meanest soldiers in the universe.

Isn't Afghanistan a little far out to be considered the Middle East? I associate the ME with the Fertile Crescsent and consider Afghanistan solidly in Asia because it's closer to China and India.

I was talking about its political impact on the Middle East with its role of harboring Al Qaeda rather than its geographic location. But if you would rather put Afghanistan, India, China together that is fine. I am sure most Middle Easter countries would like to be rid of Afghanistan and let the Chinese deal with the Taliban.

The reason the Taliban and fundamentalist Islam has thrived in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is DIRECTLY because of the Middle East. Particularly Saudi missionaries setting up conservative schools and influence in the region, throwing money in needy regions to buy influence.

PP That was my point. The previous poster said that Afghanistan couldn't be considered a Middle Eastern country because of its geographic location. My point was that it is greatly under the influence of Middle Eastern countries as you concurred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to be so anti-ethnocentric, but the best books on the middle east tend to come out of Europe, particularly England. They have been involved in the region before the United States was born and they have a long rich tradition of understanding why they get their asses kicked every time they go there. One of the saddest places is the museum in London which shows the many incursions England made into Afghanistan and the many plaques listing the names of soldiers who perished in each of those campaigns When the US started its foolhardy incursion into Afghanistan, I sent postcards from the museum to George Bush and asked him if he really wanted to take on a country that could not be tamed by generations of Brits much less the Russians, the meanest soldiers in the universe.

Isn't Afghanistan a little far out to be considered the Middle East? I associate the ME with the Fertile Crescsent and consider Afghanistan solidly in Asia because it's closer to China and India.

I was talking about its political impact on the Middle East with its role of harboring Al Qaeda rather than its geographic location. But if you would rather put Afghanistan, India, China together that is fine. I am sure most Middle Easter countries would like to be rid of Afghanistan and let the Chinese deal with the Taliban.

The reason the Taliban and fundamentalist Islam has thrived in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is DIRECTLY because of the Middle East. Particularly Saudi missionaries setting up conservative schools and influence in the region, throwing money in needy regions to buy influence.

PP That was my point. The previous poster said that Afghanistan couldn't be considered a Middle Eastern country because of its geographic location. My point was that it is greatly under the influence of Middle Eastern countries as you concurred.

Yes, because in an increasingly globalized world, places influence each other. The United States is heavily influenced by the Middle East. Does that make the US a part of the Middle East? The geographic region a place is located, is rather different than how and whom they're influenced by.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I have officially removed Afghanistan from the Middle East.

[Anonymous]

I recently read "Egypt on the Brink" and I really really enjoyed it. The author has updated it twice to reflect the revolution, but I thought the first edition stood well enough on its own. It was a good read and very informative. I've read both from Beirut to Jerusalem and The Middle East by Lewis but neither of them really left an impression on me.