middle east

"Retired army colonel ... Andrew J. Bacevich ... [reassesses] U.S. military policy in the Middle East over the past four decades ...[Provides a narrative] of episodes as varied as the Beirut bombing of 1983, the Mogadishu firefight of 1993, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the rise of ISIS"--Provided by publisher.

Provides details of the governments, politics, cultures, and economies of the nations and assorted territories of the Middle East and South Asia and examines the significant issues of continuing international importance.

Recalls where and how Al Qaeda and its core beliefs have morphed and spread and looks at the organization as it forms a master plan for the future while also experiencing rebellion from within. The American response to terrorism in the Middle East is covered through profiles of FBI agents and the head of the CIA and discussions of the capture and beheadings of American journalists by ISIS.

ISIS, IS, the ISLAMIC State--- no matter what it's called, it's an organization that has taken on chilling associations due to the horrific deeds committed in its name. ISIS beheads journalists and yet one, Jurgen Todenhofer, was invited to visit its fighters in Mosul, after months of negotiations. Accompanied by his son, Frederic, who photographed the journey, he asked them to explain their beliefs, motivations, and goals. This book is the result of those conversations.

Looks at history of the rise and growth of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

While western media portrays the Islamic State as little more than a gang of thugs on a winning streak, ISIS is actually proposing, and implementing, a new model of nation building. Waging war to carve out a 21st century version of the original Caliphate (in theory taking the area back to the 6th century) and using a vicious brand of Sharia law by manipulating modern technology to recruit and fundraise, ISIS shows a deep understanding of Middle East politics. ISIS is not just another terror network but a formidable enemy that is very far from the "JV" status President Obama gave it. "Know your enemy" remains the most important adage in the fight against ISIS.