What Every American Should Know about the Middle East Paperback - 2008

by Melissa Rossi

The What Every American ShouldKnow series returns with a timely guideto the region Americans need tounderstand the most (and know the least)

The latest edition of Melissa Rossi's popular What EveryAmerican Should Know series gives a crash course onone of the most complex and important regions of theworld. In this comprehensive and engaging referencebook, Rossi offers a clear analysis of the issues playingout in the Middle East, delving into each country'shistory, politics, economy, and religions. Havingtraveled through the area over the past year, she exposesfirsthand the U.S.'s geopolitical moves and how ourpresence has affected the region's economic and politicaldevelopment. Topics include:

* Why Iran is viewed as a threat by most MiddleEast countries
* What resource is more important than petroleumin regional power plays
* What's really behind the fighting between Sunniand Shia
* How Saudi Arabia inadvertently feeds theviolence in Iraq and beyond
* How monarchies like those in Jordan and Qatarare more open and progressive than the so-calledrepublics
With answers that will surprise many Americans, andcovering a vast history and cultural complexity thatwill fascinate any student of the world, What EveryAmerican Should Know About the Middle East is a must-readintroduction to the most critical region of thetwenty-first century.