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This book examines the cultural encounter and conflict that arose during the French occupation of Egypt (1798–1801) by analyzing mutual perceptions of the French and Egyptians. It investigates how the image of Egypt, originally shaped by the writings of late eighteenth-century French travelers, was transformed in the minds of those who participated in the French campaign, and how it was used in Napoleonic propaganda. The book demonstrates that French impressions of Egypt contributed to broader generalizations about the imagined Orient and analyzes how these attitudes were linked to French colonial policy. It includes the Arab perspective on the occupation, challenging the one-sided narratives found in French sources. Evgeniya Prusskaya argues that French perceptions of ‘Oriental’ society directly influenced French policies in Egypt, reinforcing a framework of violence and fostering the development of a colonial mindset, which later evolved into the dominant narratives of nineteenth-century imperialism. The book also examines the legacy of the Egyptian campaign during the French occupation of Algeria in the early 1830s.
FINALIST -- The National Jewish Book Award In this deeply personal journey of discovery, Ami Ayalon seeks input and perspective from Palestinians and Israelis whose experiences differ from his own. As head of the Shin Bet security agency, he gained empathy for "the enemy" and learned that when Israel carries out anti-terrorist operations in a political context of hopelessness, the Palestinian public will support violence, because they have nothing to lose. Researching and writing Friendly Fire, he came to understand that his patriotic life had blinded him to the self-defeating nature of policies that have undermined Israel's civil society while heaping humiliation upon its Palestinian neighbors. "If Israel becomes an Orwellian dystopia," Ayalon writes, "it won't be thanks to a handful of theologians dragging us into the dark past. The secular majority will lead us there motivated by fear and propelled by silence." Ayalon is a realist, not an idealist, and many who consider themselves Zionists will regard as radical his conclusions about what Israel must do to achieve relative peace and security and to sustain itself as a Jewish homeland and a liberal democracy.
Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq as a dictator for nearly a quarter century before the fall of his regime in 2003. Using the Ba’th party as his organ of meta-control, he built a broad base of support throughout Iraqi state and society. Why did millions participate in his government, parrot his propaganda, and otherwise support his regime when doing so often required betraying their families, communities, and beliefs? Why did the “Husseini Ba’thist” system prove so durable through uprisings, two wars, and United Nations sanctions? Drawing from a wealth of documents discovered at the Ba’th party’s central headquarters in Baghdad following the US-led invasion in 2003, The Ba’thification ...
Among Egyptian fundamentalist groups, one of the most important ideological debates has been whether the Egyptian regime or the West should be the primary target of action. This classic work is updated to analyze how internal debates, coupled with the government's defeat of the insurgency through violence and cooptation, led many Egyptian radical fundamentalists to join Usama bin Ladin and focus on attacking America. It includes excerpts and an analysis of the writings of Ayman al-Zawahiri, a veteran leader of the Egyptian movement who became Usama bin Ladin's right-hand man and helped plan the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
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"Eyal Zisser tackles these questions and examines the legacy of the man President Clinton called "the smartest leader in the Middle East as far as I.Q. is concerned." He also explores the peculiar dynamics of the Asad family with its Byzantine power plays and competing factions." "Asad's legacy is the most up-to-date, thorough treatment of Hafiz al-Asad's role in the history and politics of the contemporary Middle East. It sheds new light on the story of Asad's rule over his nation and points the way to the future of Syria and the entire region."--Jacket.
Perhaps the most critical period in the development of modern Middle Eartern politics occurred between the two world wars. Britain and France vied for influence and control in the region by making conflicting promises to the leaders of emergent Arab nationalism as well as to those bent on building a Jewish national home in Palestine. With the rise of Hitler, the area took on increased strategic importance for western democracies. This book examines the impact of great-power priorities on the region.
The Middle East Contemporary Survey is the authoritative reference work on contemporary Middle Eastern affairs. Volume 22 is the latest in a series of annual surveys that provide a continuing record and analysis of the rapidly changing events in this complex area of the world. Some of the events that are analyzed include the future of the Arab-Israeli peace process; the change of government in Israel; the ascent of an Islamist-led coalition coalition government in Turkey (traditionally the most secular of all Middle Eastern Muslim countries); the growing discontent with the established Islamic order in Iran; and the continuing violent confrontation between the regime and the Islamist opposition in Algeria.
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