The Middle East Crisis Factory: Tyranny, Resilience and Resistance

by Iyad El-Baghdadi, Ahmed Gatnash

Why is the Middle East a crisis factory, and how can it be fixed? What does the future look like for its 500 million people? Should the West strong-arm it towards democracy, or leave it alone to its tyrants and terrorists? Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash explore the entrenchment of tyranny, terrorism and foreign intervention in the Middle East, showing how these systems of oppression superficially feed off each other, even as they battle each other. They assess the region's prospects in light of demographic, economic and social trends, painting a picture that is both alarming and hopeful. Finally, they present an ambitious and thoughtful manifesto to fix the crisis factory, without resorting either to aggressive military intervention or to non-interventionist wishful thinking. This is a book about the failures of Arab history, the reality of its horizons, and the reasons for hope. Written by children of the region, whose lives have been shaped by its turmoil and who care deeply about its future, The Middle East Crisis Factory offers a bold vision for those seeking peace and democracy in the Middle East.

Genres: Middle East, Politics, Nonfiction, History

216 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2021

Reviews

[Sanjida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I followed the authors for some time via their podcast - the Arab Tyrant Manual - and on Twitter. This book is the culmination of years of ruminations on what happened to the 2011 Arab Spring, why it happened, and what needs to happen now. It's an honest and passionate work of history and political philosophy by two individuals whose own life histories are intimately connected to the evils of tyrants and the callousness (and sometimes evil...) of Western powers. It's also
stubbornly hopeful and optimistic. I hope this work finds an audience, and I really really hope it's put into the hands of receptive politicians and foreign policy types in the US. The authors lay out what can be done, and why. Things could get better if Western powers cared enough to care about human rights rather than just say they do.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few authors I respect as much as Iyad and Ahmed. If you're going to read one book about MENA, make it this one. It will almost certainly change the way you look at the region.

[Mariam · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The origin of uprising is not mobilisation—that comes rather late in the process. Rather, the origin of uprising is a broken social contract. Dictators do not rule by force alone—they also rule by fraud, threats, and promises, until they run out of lies.”

“…colonialism is defined by its inherent racism. The colonisers justify their subjugation and right to determine our fate not merely because they are more powerful than us, but because they are better than us. We may try to assimilate, to literally become similar to the colonisers; while that might make us a little bit more human-like in their eyes, we will never be equals. ”

Great book on Arab politics, but once again the question on democracy in the Arab Gulf States should be addressed by people from the Arab Gulf States, and not by people from neighboring countries (or anywhere else).

[Jane Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half is a good reminder of the historical perspective from the Middle East, contrary to Western portrayals. The second half explores solutions which make sense and inspires.

[Dalan Mendonca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a great run through of the history and plight of the people in the MENA ("Middle east and North Africa") region. After offering a quick historical roundup, the book delves into what keeps the autocratic power structures of the MENA region intact. Most people have superficial understandings and pet theories of why the Arab countries exist as they are - mostly coloured by racism and othering; which the book calls out very well through great counter-examples. I love this book the most because of its deeply hopeful tone about the future of the 500 million people as they script the fate of their nations. As someone from a country who's
failure as a democracy was taken as a given and now watching as "great empires" wither away without the blessings of colonialism, I empathize and cheer from side-lines.

[The Contented · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5? Maybe 3.75

The analysis: “ We’re not safe until we’re all safe, and we’re not free until we’re all free”

[Tobias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, covering a lot of history in a relatively short amount of time. Some memorable analysis and policy suggestions as well.

[Garima Maheshwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half is a good portrayal of the Middle East history from someone close to the Middle East (vs Western account)! Must read to get more perspective on the MENA region.