From Arab Spring to Islamic Winter

Using perceived misconceptions about the recent Arab spring movements as a focus point, Israeli (Muslim Minorities in Modern States) delivers a dense history of the complex tribes and nations that forever remain influx in the volatile Middle East. His central argument is that the movements that have excited the world with the hope of democracy in areas like Egypt and Yemen have instead left a power struggle where the more extreme Islamist groups have taken advantage of government transitions aided by Western policies of staying on the sidelines. The more active involvement of Russia and China have also complicated the scenario with the threat of nuclear and chemical weapons as well as the potential for the reopening of long peaceful fronts along Israeli borders. The resulting book is aimed more at scholars and political scientists than the average reader. However, Israeli's smart groupings of countries by republican, tribal, Shi'ite and revolutionary models provide an easy way in for the novice to learn some historical context for whatever current conflict dominates the news. His chapter on Syria is enlightening in explaining the civil war between a dictator and his own people, as well as the effects on countries like Iran, Jordan and Israel. His further conclusions on the impending food crisis in the region as well as the general lawlessness of failed states like Yemen, Libya and Iraq paint a grim future for a part of the world that has already had more than its share of bloodshed. (Sept.)