After Iraq: Anarchy and Renewal in the Middle East

by Gwynne Dyer

“The Iraqi state that was formed in the aftermath of the First World War has come to an end. Its successor state is struggling to be born in an environment of crises and chaos.” --- Ali Allawi, Iraq’s former Minister of Defense Allawi is not exaggerating. The disastrous American invasion of Iraq that has led to the destruction of the Iraqi state and the subsequent defeat of U.S. military power has finally destabilized the entire Middle East---a region that has been tightly controlled by European and American powers and that has changed little, politically, in forty years. But, in losing the war in Iraq, the United States has lost the will to maintain the status quo in the Middle East, and the forces unleashed by the destruction of Iraq will go on to shape the future of the region in a way that no one can predict. As Gwynne Dyer argues in After Iraq , the Middle East is about to change fundamentally, and everything is now up for regimes, ethnic pecking orders within states, even national borders themselves are liable to change without notice. Five years from now there could be an Islamic Republic of Arabia, an independent Kurdistan, a Muslim cold war between Sunnis and Shias, almost anything you care to imagine. Written with clarity, intelligence, and Dyer’s trademark dark humor, After Iraq is essential reading for anyone wanting an informed historical perspective on the future of one of the most important and volatile regions in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 19, 2008

About the author

Gwynne Dyer, OC is a London-based independent Canadian journalist, syndicated columnist and military historian.

Dyer was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (then the Dominion of Newfoundland) and joined the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve at the age of sixteen. While still in the naval reserve, he obtained a BA in history from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1963; an MA in military history from Rice University in Houston, Texas, in 1966; and a PhD in military and Middle Eastern history at King's College London in 1973. Dyer served in the Canadian, American and British naval reserves. He was employed as a senior lecturer in war studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, 1973–77. In 1973 he began writing articles for leading London newspapers on the Arab-Israeli conflict, and soon decided to abandon academic life for a full-time career in journalism. In 2010, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Reviews

[Peter Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not about Iraq itself, though Dyer covers the political machinations through 2007, this book focuses on the unintended consequences of the US invasion on the broader Middle East. Dyer pulls no punches in suggesting the US unleashed fundamentalist forces and destabilized the Middle East, no support the troops stuff here. He points out other than the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the invasion of Iraq is the only other major regime change in recent Middle East history. More importantly, this upsetting of the apple cart comes at a time when Islamic fundamentalism, particularly in its Sunni form, is already nipping at the heals of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt. Dyer walks the reader around the region, devoting sections to each country, as well as to the role of atomic weapons in the area. The picture he paints is not good. This is historical context for events in Iraq, told with Dyer’s brilliantly sarcastic tone and dark humor.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent analysis of the past, present, and future of the middle east with a specific focus on Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and Israel.

Written in 2006-2007, Dyer is able to extrapolate the most likely future causes of middle east destabilization - basically predicting ISIL (sunni islamist factions taking advantage in syria and western iraq) would be likely scenario.

Dyer definitely knows his stuff and also writes well. He pulls no punches here. For americans used to only hearing a unilateral perspective - this book will be hard to get to.

I learned a lot here - particularly about the nature of the US/Iran relationship, the nature of the sunni/shia conflicts, and how the Israeli two-state peace talks got derailed.

Theres no happy ending here folks, nor would one expect one. Dyer gives you the straight goods.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I finished this book I felt like flipping it over and starting again. I dont feel that way about many books... but this was one of them.
Ive never read a book that criticises American foreign policy in such a brutal fashion. Its whats out there in the public domain but this book has put it in some sort of logical order and looks at the bigger picture in the region (Not just Iraq)
Although this book is dated a tad (1st pulished in 2007)Its interesting to see how true a lot of the authors predictions are about our wherabouts in the region right now.
I will be recommeding this book to all and sundry for a long long time to come!!

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

vERY THOUGHT PROVOKING BOOK, MAKES YOU THINK MORE ABOUT THE REASONS THAT COUNTRIES DO WHAT THEY DO FOR WHat they consider to ber the best for themselves and do not see the far reaching consequences of their actions