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.

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.

Another rec for A Peace to End All Peace.

Michael Oren, Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East

And he's kind of insufferable now, but Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem is a good read.

Also by Michael Oren--Power, Faith and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present

I don't think that biographies and memoirs are going to give the OP the introductory overview she wants of the region. Here are some good books to start with to develop an understanding of the history of the Middle East.

The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2000 years by Bernard Lewis
A Peace to End All Peace by David Fromkin
The Great War for Civilisation by Robert Fisk

Afghanistan is not part of the Middle East. Iran is borderline. But Afghanistan is solidly Central Asia.

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.

Sorry: crescent

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.

a peace to end all peace is really good

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.

OP,

Hope this helps: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read the CIA country fact book. It'll give you a basic background. But your question is a bit absurd when, do you know of one for American history? America has only been around for how long? At the very least you'll have to start with the book of Genisis and move on through the new testament, (no need to read anything envolving later day saints) through in some Egyptians (but they weren't called that) some Romans, add a few crusades, divisions in the Christian church and Islam, colonialism, two world wars and then maybe you'll have a very basic understanding. You'll also want to study Arabic because the language is very important as well. Good luck'

Spoken like a true ethnocentric ignoramus. You don't know what OP knows or doesn't know about US history. The Bible isn't the work of historians and is pretty much fiction.

The history of the Middle East stretches back to 10,000 BC long before Islam was established. Written Arabic and spoken dialects are actually two different things. Knowing Arabic isn't a prerequisite for understanding current events.

Good for the OP for broadening his/her horizons. I wish you would do the same.

I think that whole post was supposed to be humorous.

Anonymous wrote:Read the CIA country fact book. It'll give you a basic background. But your question is a bit absurd when, do you know of one for American history? America has only been around for how long? At the very least you'll have to start with the book of Genisis and move on through the new testament, (no need to read anything envolving later day saints) through in some Egyptians (but they weren't called that) some Romans, add a few crusades, divisions in the Christian church and Islam, colonialism, two world wars and then maybe you'll have a very basic understanding. You'll also want to study Arabic because the language is very important as well. Good luck'

Spoken like a true ethnocentric ignoramus. You don't know what OP knows or doesn't know about US history. The Bible isn't the work of historians and is pretty much fiction.

The history of the Middle East stretches back to 10,000 BC long before Islam was established. Written Arabic and spoken dialects are actually two different things. Knowing Arabic isn't a prerequisite for understanding current events.

Good for the OP for broadening his/her horizons. I wish you would do the same.

I thought The Looming Tower (by Lawrence Wright) was terrific.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Looming-Tower-Al-Qaeda-Road/dp/1400030846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386558552&sr=8-1&keywords=looming+tower

It tells the story of the long road to 9/11, including Bin Laden's history and the birth and growth of Al Queda and that strain of extremism (including references to conflicts and evolutions of thought in various countries that hosted or influenced OBL along the way.)

Even though we know the tragic end of the 9/11 story, this book is somehow an incredibly compelling and suspenseful read. Pretty much the opposite of dry, boring non-fiction. Total credit to the author -- he's a journalist and he really knows how to weave the research together to tell a compelling story. If only it weren't so tragic. TOUGH to read in places knowing how it ends, but very educational.

That said, it's no longer current. I'd love some recommendations about more recent events in the Middle East. I think The New Yorker (magazine) has had some good coverage of Syria in particular. Anyone have other links or recommendations to share?

The Kingdom by Robert Lacy
and, the Middle East by Bernard Lewis.