A Mirror Of The Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict

by Sandra Mackey

How the recent history of Lebanon provides insight into the many trials currently facing the larger Arab community. It is crucial to the interests of the West to grasp the complexities of the Arab world. In this clear, concise volume, Sandra Mackey provides a unique view of this tortured and tortuous region through the lens of Lebanon. A small, fractured country at the gateway of the Arab east, Lebanon signals the challenges that the Arab world poses to itself and to the West. As Mackey vividly demonstrates, the Lebanese have experienced every issue currently roiling the Middle East: borders contrived by others, a weak state housing weak institutions, a Palestinian presence, civil war, resistance to societal and political change, Sunni/Shia sectarianism, occupation, militant Islam as a political ideology, conflict over the common identity essential to turning a fragile state into a viable nation, a troubled democratic tradition, and war perpetrated by forces inside and outside its borders. Lessons learned from these conflicts will ease understanding and resolution elsewhere.

Genres: History, Middle East, Lebanon, Military Fiction, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Sandra Mackey was an American writer on Middle Eastern culture and politics.

Reviews

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sandra Mackey's book suggests that Lebanon is a microcosm of the issues experienced across the Middle East, particularly the religious, sectarian and ethnic disputes that recur. There are some kernels of insight in the book, but overall it tends to be broad brush strokes with generalisations or superficial conclusions. The coherence across the chapters is weak and the narrative can be quite plodding. There are definitely better books on Lebanon and the region, even those that do more sweeping histories like this one. So, I'd give this book a miss.

[Bud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandra Mackey calls the current situation in the middle east the clash between the believers and the thinkers - and at this point the believers are winning. She shows why current Lebanese governmental structure makes it likely that the upheavals in the Levant will continue to show up in Lebanon as true believers - radical Muslims, Christians, Jews - try to push their world view. This was an enlightening book about the many complexities of Lebanese society and the history of these various groups from the PLO to Hezbollah.

[Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. The author uses events in Lebanon to point out how entangled all politics are in this part of the world. It's a sad case in Lebanon of every person of consequence making bad decision after bad decision. The author spares no one including Lebanese politicians, the USA, Israel, Syria, The Saudis and Iranians all players in the destruction of Lebanon. Highly recommended as it fleshes out many of the things you might have intuitively grasped about events in the country.

[Alex Raines · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is poorly written and I don't think I could reccomend it to anyone. It got 2 stars, however, because the quality of the e-book was nice & because there were portions of the book that showed promise, but then it would inevitably let you down. Basically, she used too much detail in parts and way too little detail in many other parts.

[Karim Souki · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Harvey]

Fascinating.