Time and again during this book I asked myself 'How could they be so stupid?' Perhaps the recent history of the Middle East really is like that; major powers involved for their own short-term gains, more interested in gaining votes from the folks back home than fixing the problem? As it stands this book gives little reason to suppose that today's leaders are displaying any more foresight than their predecessors. And maybe that's the problem with this book, has it been written to show that today leaders are following in a well-trodden path? All history involves interpretation, but I here I have the sense of an author setting out to prove that the Great Powers have consistently messed up. Perhaps I'm too optimistic, preferring to balance 'How could they be so stupid?' with 'Were they really that stupid?'
Despite the doubts raised above this book is still well worth reading. Crammed with fact and anecdote it makes interesting and amusing reading. The author displays a dry humour and an eye for anecdotal details. The pioneering days of the Middle East seemed to have had more than their fair share of larger than life characters. Obviously, events such as the Suez Crisis are covered in detail, but Keay is particularly good at bringing out the background and painting the characters. But again, there is that doubt 'Was Anthony Eden really so driven by his personal dislike of Nasser?', 'Was Eisenhower really so interested in winning domestic votes?'.
Still at a time when the Western leaders seem so intent on denying history, I think it is critical to try to understand how we got where we are and therefore I certainly recommend this book. I may doubt its objectivity from time to time and it is certainly a bit too long, but overall I'm glad I read it.
John Murray, 506 pages
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