Argues that from the ruins of failed American foreign policy will come the balance of 19th-century politics, where there will no longer be a sole superpower, but rather a multipolar global order where America's moral, economic and military leadership will be profoundly challenged.
This highly controversial and topical book provides the first full, balanced account of how Iraq cheated the UN inspectors on disarmament and how the US manipulated and infiltrated the UN inspection teams and other staff to gather intelligence on Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein. Aimed at the general reader, it follows and assesses the role of Saddam Hussein who became president of Iraq in 1979. Dilip Hiro, an experienced journalist who has written extensively on the region, provides a historical and accessible perspective to the relationship between Iraq and Iran and examines the consequences of internationally significant events such as the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran a year after the end of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. Providing a full account and analysis of events in Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War, he contrasts the long totalitarianism under Hussein with the evolution of the political-religious system in Iran and the development of its internal politics. This is an essential overview to the conflicts in the Gulf, and should be read by anyone with an interest in the region, its politics and its interactions with the US and UN.
For four decades Saudi Arabia and Iran have vied for influence in the Muslim world. At the heart of this ongoing Cold War between Riyadh and Tehran lie the Sunni-Shia divide, and the two countries' intertwined histories. Saudis see this as a conflict between Sunni and Shia; Iran's ruling clerics view it as one between their own Islamic Republic and an illegitimate monarchy. This foundational schism has played out in a geopolitical competition for dominance in the region: Iran has expanded its influence in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia's hyperactive crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, has intervened in Yemen, isolated Qatar and destabilized Lebanon. Dilip Hiro examines the toxic rivalry between the two countries, tracing its roots and asking whether this Islamic Cold War is likely to end any time soon.
This book provides the historical and political context to explain acts of terror, including the September 11th, and the bombing of American Embassies in Nairobi and Dar as Salaam and the West's responses. Providing a brief history of Islam as a religion and as socio-political ideology, Dilip Hiro goes on to outline the Islamist movements that have thrived in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, and their changing relationship with America. It is within this framework that the rising menace of Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaida network is discussed. The Pentagon's amazingly swift victory over the Taliban in Afghanistan is examined along with implications of the Bush Doctrine, encapsulated in his declaration, 'so long as anybody is terrorizing established governments, there needs to be a war' - a recipe for war without end.
The Anglo-American invasion of Iraq, masterminded by U.S. President George W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, is the single most important event since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Just as that break-up ushered in a new era in international relations following the end of a bipolar world system, this war has given a new twist to the present global order. Secrets and Lies tells in detail how Operation Iraqi Freedom came about, what it means and where it is likely to lead the Middle East and the world at large. It reveals the scope of the "dirty tricks" used by the Anglo-American alliance to sell the war through the phony intelligence reports and the exaggeration of Saddam's possession of weapons of mass destruction. It examines the media campaign to win hearts and minds—including the stage management and spin surrounding the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch. Picking up from the author's recently celebrated essay in the New York Times, "Why the Mullahs Love a Revolution," this leading authority on the Middle East provides us with his skeptical view of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and his examination of the future in Middle East.
As Tehran faces a crisis in its escalating showdown with the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding its nuclear program, renowned Middle East expert Dilip Hiro clears the way through the labyrinth that defines today's Islamic Republic. In a country stereotyped as fundamentalist by America, Hiro finds a contradictory land—where black chador-clad women are the majority at universities, Iranian films are shown at international festivals, and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Drawing on Iran's rich history, its vast oil and gas reserves, and its unique strategic importance, Hiro reveals a complex nation whose theocratic rulers are struggling to prove that Islamic democracy is a viable and enduring social system.
The partitioning of British India into independent Pakistan and India in August 1947 occurred in the midst of communal holocaust, with Hindus and Sikhs on one side and Muslims on the other. More than 750,000 people were butchered, and 12 million fled their homes -- primarily in caravans of bullock-carts -- to seek refuge across the new border: it was the largest exodus in history. Sixty-seven years later, it is as if that August never ended. Renowned historian and journalist Dilip Hiro provides a riveting account of the relationship between India and Pakistan, tracing the landmark events that led to the division of the sub-continent and the evolution of the contentious relationship between Hindus and Muslims. To this day, a reasonable resolution to their dispute has proved elusive, and the Line of Control in Kashmir remains the most heavily fortified frontier in the world, with 400,000 soldiers arrayed on either side. Since partition, there have been several acute crises between the neighbors, including the secession of East Pakistan to form an independent Bangladesh in 1971, and the acquisition of nuclear weapons by both sides resulting in a scarcely avoided confrontation in 1999 and again in 2002. Hiro amply demonstrates the geopolitical importance of the India-Pakistan conflict by chronicling their respective ties not only with America and the Soviet Union, but also with China, Israel, and Afghanistan. Hiro weaves these threads into a lucid narrative, enlivened with colorful biographies of leaders, vivid descriptions of wars, sensational assassinations, gross violations of human rights -- and cultural signifiers like cricket matches. The Longest August is incomparable in its scope and presents the first definitive history of one of the world's longest-running and most intractable conflicts.
Highly readable and up-to-date to reflect the vast changes taking place in the region In this up-to-date, painstakingly researched dictionary, author Dilip Hiro brings one of the most tumultuous regions of the world to our fingertips. It is easy-to-read, simple to use, authoritative, and comprehensive. If offers a wide range of alphabetically arranged information on topics ranging from current affairs, history and politics to religions, literature and tourist destinations. Topics covered include: Arab Spring, Arab-Israeli Wars, Biographies, Christianity and Christian Sects, Civil Wars, Country Profiles, Ethnic Groups, Government, Gulf Wars, Historical Places, History, Hostages, International Agreements and Treaties, Islam and Islamic Sects, Judaism and Jewish Sects, Languages, Literary Personalities, Military and Military Leaders, Nonconventional and Nuclear Weapons, Oil and Gas, Peace Process, Politics, Regional Conflicts, Religion, Terrorism, Tourist Destinations, United Nations, and much more. This is a must-have reference for anyone genuinely interested in understanding more about the history and current events of the Middle East.
“For those who still get their ‘-stans’ mixed up, Hiro’s book provides a detailed and nuanced overview of the region.” —Financial Times (Best Books of the Year) The nations of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Iran—the majority of them former Soviet republics—remain little understood in the West even in the post-Cold War era. This book delves into these Central Asian countries: their histories, cultures, economics, politics, militaries, and relationships with regional neighbors, Russia in particular. Ultimately, Inside Central Asia is an outstanding, in-depth introduction to this part of the world, “full of dependable history-telling and analysis” (The Economist). Praise for the work of Dilip Hiro “The writing is clear and informative.” —The New York Times “Hiro’s mix of lively writing and serious detail should draw in readers.” —Choice “Intriguing analysis.” —Publishers Weekly “[An] eminent historian.” —Kirkus Reviews
First published in 1985, this is a comprehensive study of the Middle East's most strategic country, set against the background of the Islamic heritage of Iran and the rise and fall of the Pahlavi dynasty. Dilip Hiro describes the various phases through which the Islamic revolution has passed, gives an incisive account of the first Gulf War, and provides an historical survey of Iran's relations with the West, the Soviet bloc, and other countries of the region.
This hard-hitting and timely book explores the roots of militant Islam in South Asia and how it has grown to become a source of profound global alarm. By meticulously tracking the rise of the jihadist movement from its initial violence in Afghanistan in 1980 to the present day, Dilip Hiro challenges conventional narratives of the roles of Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Soviet Union, the United States, and India. He warns that the Line of Control in Kashmir, where jihadists seek to incite war between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, is today the most dangerous border in the world. Drawing on evidence from a wide variety of sources including newly released Kremlin archives and classified U.S. Embassy documents published by WikiLeaks, the author compiles the first complete and accurate history of Islamist terrorism in South Asia. He chronicles historic links between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India and their varying degrees of destabilization at the hands of the jihadists. He also sheds unprecedented light on the close military and intelligence links that have developed between India and Israel. Finally, he outlines the ambitions of Pakistani, Afghan, and Al Qaida jihadists to establish an "apocalyptic realm" covering South, Central, and Western Asia. Compact, comprehensive, and fast paced, this book lays bare the causes of today's escalating terrorist threat, sets the historical record straight, and offers fresh strategies for defeating jihadist extremism.
Historian Dilip Hiro offers us a narrative that places the modern politics, peoples, and cultural background of this region firmly into the context of current international focus.
Events in the Indian sub-continent during the 1970s, where, in the summer of 1975, the ruling party engineered a ‘constitutional’ coup by declaring a national emergency, re-emphasised the need for a fuller understanding of India’s social system and people. First published the following year, in 1976, Inside India Today attempted to fulfil that need. Drawing on personal interviews, conducted during his two years’ travels throughout the country collecting a mass of first hand evidence, and on various surveys and studies published in the press, the author sketches a broad portrait of Indian life in the villages and cities. Hiro relates this research to the existing socio-political structure of the time: the constitutional framework, the electoral system, the performance of the Indian National Congress and the Communist system. Written in an accessible, engaging style and containing a wealth of information and insight, Inside India Today is a major contribution towards the scholarship surrounding this complex and fascinating country.
Dilip Hiro describes in detail the causes and course of the invasion of Iraq. He illuminates the role of the neoconservatives in the Bush White House and dissects Bush's leadership, showing how his own personal relationship with God has been a driving force behind the war.
First published in 1982, Inside the Middle East is a definitive study of the region. It provides a clear, concise description of the complex social, political and economic life of the Middle East. Beginning with an outline of the birth and growth of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula and the history of Israel and the Jews since 1020 B.C., the book is split in to five geographical and thematic parts. This thorough analysis in particular examines the forces at work within the Arab world, the domestic politics and economy of Israel and the state’s relationship with the West and the Soviet Bloc, and the relationship between the Arabs and the West since the Ottoman Empire. Dilip Hiro concludes with an overall analysis of the past in social, economic and political terms and considers the various possibilities for the future of the Middle East. Containing an unprecedented wealth of information and insight, this fascinating work presents a comprehensive understanding of the world’s richest and most volatile region. It remains of great relevance to scholars and students of Middle Eastern politics and history.
To some, Islamic Fundamentalism means the restoration of a true religion. To others, it is a politics that stands apart from capitalism and socialism. To many Westerners, it has come to constitute a threat to established order and international security. Holy Wars, first published in 1989, comprises a non-partisan narrative that takes account of both the socio-cultural values expressed in Fundamentalism, and its political consequences. Dilip Hiro’s starting point is that fundamentalist forces have been active within Islam since the death of the Prophet Muhammad. He presents the two major sects, Sunnis and Shias, in this light. Hiro provides the background for an understanding of what was taking place in Middle Eastern countries such as Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt and Syria at the end of the 1980s. This is a comprehensive and readable work, of great relevance and value to those with an interest in Middle Eastern politics and history, and the growth of Islamic Fundamentalism.
This timely, must-have reference contains over 700 entries on leading personalities in politics, business, culture and religion, places of religious and cultural significance, oil and other important minerals, political and religious sects, economic infrastructure, socio-political ideologies, and more.
The renowned historian and journalist serves up a brief but insightful guide to the real Iraq, piercing through the myths surrounding Saddam Hussein to paint a realistic picture of the beleagured nation. Original.
The disabilities suffered by India’s ‘Untouchables’ have rested on a curious mixture of ritualistic and near-ethnic discrimination which is probably more akin to such cases as the Burakumin of Japan or the ‘boat-people’ of China than to cases of racial or ethnic discrimination known in the West. Colour or appearance is hardly the problem but much more the fact that an inferior status was assigned to these communities in traditional Indian society. Arising out of that there are a number of prohibitions and disabilities which exclude ‘Untouchables’, better known in India as Harijans (‘Children of God’ as Gandhi chose to call them) or Scheduled Castes, from social and religious activities and which above all tend to perpetuate their poor or nil economic status. Please note that the terminology in the fields of minority rights and indigenous peoples’ rights has changed over time. MRG strives to reflect these changes as well as respect the right to self-identification on the part of minorities and indigenous peoples. At the same time, after over 50 years’ work, we know that our archive is of considerable interest to activists and researchers. Therefore, we make available as much of our back catalogue as possible, while being aware that the language used may not reflect current thinking on these issues.
Completely revised, updated, and expanded to reflect the massive change in the Middle East since the first edition was published in 1996, The Middle East at Your Fingertips is a must-have reference for anyone interested in understanding more about the Middle East. Expert author Dilip Hiro brings one of the most tumultuous regions of the world to our fingertips with this easy-to-read authoritative book. This dictionary of the Middle East includes: Arab-Israeli Wars, Biographies, Christianity and Christian Sects, Civil Wars, Country Profiles, Ethnic Groups, Government, Gulf Wars, Historical Places, History, Hostages, International Agreements and Treaties, Islam and Islamic Sects, Judaism and Jewish Sects, Languages, Literary Personalities, Military and Military Leaders, Nonconventional and Nuclear Weapons, Oil and Gas, Peace Process, Politics, Regional Conflicts, Religion, Terrorism, Tourist Destinations, United Nations, and more.
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