Description

Why is the Middle East a crisis factory, and how can it be fixed? What does the future look like for its 500 million people? And what role should the West play?

Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash tell the story of the modern Middle East as a series of broken promises. They chart the entrenchment of tyranny, terrorism and foreign intervention, showing how these systems of oppression simultaneously feed off and battle each other. Exploring demographic, economic and social trends, the authors paint a picture of the region’s prospects that is alarming yet hopeful. Finally, they present ambitious and thoughtful ideas that reject both aggressive military intervention and cynical deals with dictators.

This book, written by two children of the region, is about the failures of history, and the reasons for hope. The Middle East Crisis Factory offers a bold vision for those seeking peace and democracy in the Middle East.

Publisher Review

'A passionate and accurate analysis of the past and future of the Middle East, showing that while tyranny persists after the 2011 uprisings, there is also resilience and resistance. Offering a sound, creative path away from devastating Western military intervention, this is a loud cry for profound transformation by two prominent activists of the region.' -- Madawi Al-Rasheed, Fellow of the British Academy, Visiting Professor at the LSE Middle East Centre, and author of 'The Son King' 'A rare genuine effort to provide an objective yet impassioned analysis of the Middle East from inside the region. From 9/11 to the Arab Spring to ISIS and countless ill-conceived foreign interventions, this book is essential reading for understanding the cycle of violence and tyranny--and for breaking that cycle.' -- Garry Kasparov, Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation and former World Chess Champion 'It is a tribute to Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash that this book makes just as uncomfortable reading for Western politicians and policymakers as it would for the Middle East's tyrants and terrorists. A brave, unflinching analysis of a region bedevilled by crises, written not by another Western "expert" but by two compelling Arab voices.' -- Justin Marozzi, author of 'Islamic Empires: Fifteen Cities that Define a Civilisation'