Description
Book SynopsisAfter Saddam: American Foreign Policy and the Destruction of Secularism in the Middle East investigates the manner in which American foreign policy in Iraq artificially shifted the balance of power in the region and brought religious identities to the foreground. Deposing Saddam Hussein resulted in a new regional order that diminished the strength of secular nationalism, elevated Iran and Saudi Arabia as regional rivals, and by implication, established a new ideological paradigm that privileged competing religious factions over secular ideals. The trend first manifested itself in Iraq during the American occupation with Iranian-backed Shiites fighting Saudi-supported Sunnis. A similar dynamic is evident in current regional wars in Syria and Yemen. By elevating particular groups through rhetorical, financial, and military support, civil conflicts in the Middle East reflect the ideologies behind the SaudiIranian rivalry. This book therefore looks beyond popular narratives of intractable,
Trade ReviewA smartly-crafted book that offers a multi-layered analysis of the roots and consequences of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. In doing so, Professor Badie explores the domestic, regional, and international political complexities underlying the newly emergent Sunni–Shia (Saudi–Iranian) struggle for political supremacy in the Middle East. This book bridges the gap between theory and area studies, making an important contribution to understanding the making of U.S. Foreign Policy and its impact on the regional and domestic political dynamics in the Middle East. -- Jeffrey A. Lefebvre, University of Connecticut
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: The Sunnis, the Shias, and the Caliphates Chapter 2: The Modern Middle East Chapter 3: The War on Terror Chapter 4: The Baathification and DeBaathification of Iraq Chapter 5: The Shia Revival and the Shia Crescent Chapter 6: The Sunni Backlash Chapter 7: The Surge Chapter 8: The Dominos Fall Chapter 9: The Islamic State Conclusion
