Sowing Crisis: The Cold War and American Dominance in the Middle East

by Rashid Khalidi

During the 45 years of the Cold War, policymakers from the United States and the Soviet Union vied for primacy in the Middle East. Their motives, long held by historians to have had an ideological thrust, were, in fact, to gain control over access to oil and claim geographic and strategic advantage. In his new book, Rashid Khalidi, considered the foremost U.S. historian of the Middle East, makes the compelling case that the dynamics that played out during the Cold War continue to exert a profound influence even decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The pattern of superpower intervention during the Cold War deeply affected and exacerbated regional and civil wars throughout the Middle East, and the carefully calculated maneuvers fueled by the fierce competition between the United States and the USSR actually provoked breakdowns in fragile democracies. To understand the momentous events that have occurred in the region over the last two decades-including two Gulf wars, the occupation of Iraq, and the rise of terrorism-we must, Khalidi argues, understand the crucial interplay of Cold War powers there from 1945 to 1990.

Today, the legacy of the Cold War continues in American policies and approaches to the Middle East that have shifted from a deadly struggle against communism to a War on Terror, and from opposing the Evil Empire to targeting the Axis of Evil. The current U.S. deadlock with Iran and the upsurge of American-Russian tensions in the wake of the conflict in Georgia point to the continued centrality of the Middle East in American strategic attention. Today, with a new administration in Washington, understanding and managing the full impact of this dangerous legacy in order to move America toward a more constructive and peaceful engagement in this critical arena is of the utmost importance.

Genres: History, Middle East, Politics, Nonfiction, War, American History, International Relations

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

Rashid Ismail Khalidi (Arabic: رشيد إسماعيل خالدي; born 18 November 1948) is a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. He served as editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies from 2002 until 2020, when he became co-editor with Sherene Seikaly.

He has authored a number of books, including The Hundred Years' War on Palestine and Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness; has served as president of the Middle East Studies Association; and has taught at the Lebanese University, the American University of Beirut, Georgetown University, and the University of Chicago.

For his work on the Middle East, Professor Khalidi has received fellowships and grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the American Research Center in Egypt, and the Rockefeller Foundation, among others.

In October 2010, Khalidi delivered the annual Edward Said memorial lecture at the Palestine Center in Washington. He is the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Colombia University. On October 8, 2024, Khalidi retired from Columbia University citing the university's crackdown on pro-Palestinian student protests, which he had vocally supported, and the transformation of the university into a "hedge fund-cum-real estate operation, with a minor sideline in education" as reasons for his retirement.

Reviews

[Rose Clubok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Khalidi is prescient as always. Written in 2009, Khalidi's historical analysis and predictions are perhaps even more relevant today.

[Douglas Grion Filho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man o man Rashid knows his stuff. This book was published just after Bush introduced the "War on Terrorism", and it goes deep into how US and Soviet interference literally 'sowed crisis' in the Middle East. Not only that, but he also doesnt silence Middle Eastern people as just victims to imperialism, but shows the several instances of resistance and agency and terrible things that the people and governments of the Middle East did. There's no ultimate good person or country in this book - though there are several evil. Very good read and it was awesome that I got a chance to read this while having a class with him teaching. He's an incredible lecturer by the way, and I think you get that from this book too. Highly recommend for those interested in the Middle East during the cold war and what it means for the country today. Even though this was published in 2009 and A LOT of shit has happened and changed since then, even apart from the so-called Arab Spring of 2012, its still very current and a fantastic source of info. He's very opinionated in the book but he bases those opinions on events and facts, and is very clear when he is making a claim that is his opinion only. This is one way in which this is way better than say Gelvin's book for me, where Gelvin tries to sneak in his opinions as fact without making sure you know what he is saying is his opinion. Anyway, great read overall really enjoyed it.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Per usual, Khalidi exposes his wealth of knowledge about the region. But! the book is horribly written. He constantly refers back to things that he has "already discussed at length" or that he "will discuss at length". This is not a book for people new to ME studies-- even those with a background in Mid East history are bogged down by the knowledge he assumes the reader has before launching into discussions about the Baghdad Pact, etc.

And the students hate the polemical tone... so many readers are put off by that that one has to wonder whether or not Khalidi will ever learn that his confrontational approach is not the best way to persuade, inform, and convince.

[Mayyada Shair · Rating 4 out of 5]

should be 3 but i’m giving it 4 because i generally love rashid khalidi (despite him making us read his own book for his course lol). literally so poorly written, but i suppose i can forgive him since he provides a toooon of facts.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dry and a bit hard to follow, this unified theory of Cold War strategy dictating American action in the Middle East from World War 2 to publication (2009) fell flat for me. As with many overreaching unified theories, some of it makes sense, some of it is a bit forced.

This book argues that American policy in the Middle East was formed by the Cold War and was not altered upon the Cold War’s end. We still play a lone-great-game of sorts in Afghanistan, still bet on whatever horse looks strongest in this very moment, still play the political scenario to achieve our (short term) objectives. Additionally, it argues that all of the jockeying between the US and USSR in the Middle East is a root cause of the region’s instability to this day.

I have a lot of feelings. I don’t think I disagree with his thesis, but it felt like it was stated and then not supported. Also, the huge swath of countries and topics covered allowed for almost no nuance in his analysis of history across the Middle East.

For all of the problems I had with the book, there is some fascinating material that I think people don’t put into context when studying history in the 21st century. My favorite example: While America was losing in Vietnam, Israel gave America two “wins” in 1967 and 1973 against Soviet proxies. Khalidi argues this forged the relationship that still exists today. More, this Middle Eastern conflict’s elevation to the world stage meant that Arab states could exploit their relationship with the USSR, and Israel (having proven success) could exploit the United States. Khalidi argues this dynamic persists to the present day: Israel and several Arab states still dictate their own actions in the region, at one moment proxies and the next making decisions autonomously, often contradicting the desired of “parent” states.

Favorite quotes:

“The history I survey in this book… will give us all yet another opportunity to determine whether men and women learn anything from history. The signs for the post Cold War era so far, are not entirely encouraging.”

“… [the United States] was determined to monopolize and control peacemaking efforts in ways that enhanced American influence and diminished that of the USSR. It did so irrespective of whether that facilitated the achievement of a lasting peace between all the parties concerned.”

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very thorough piece of history--the Cold War was criminally undercovered in my history education, and what I’ve read about it on my own has primarily focused on how Latin America served as a proxy setting for the conflict. Learning about how the Middle East served the same function was very enlightening.

[Joshua Pechthalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've listened to by Rashid Khalidi. If one is concerned about what is happening in IsraelPalestine, read or listen to Khalidi. His books are like taking a course from your favorite professor.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the author and there is a wealth of info here that illustrates the contradictions and violence at the heart of Cold War policy. That being said, this book desperately needed an editor.

[claire cleary · Rating 4 out of 5]

love khalidi love the points he is making here but why is it so disorganized

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

insightful

[Grisha Temchenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful critique of American foreign policy in the Middle East after WW2 until 2008; but a book to learn about the actual history since it's structured around the argument rather than the timeline. It's a good supplementary book to read about the Middle East region.

[Hafsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling overview of the role of the US (and other Western powers) and the Soviet Union in the Middle East. Khalidi's main argument is that the Middle East played a critical playing field for the great power rivalries--due to its strategic location, resources (oil), and vulnerability. He questions the dominant role of ideology in the Cold War and shows that perhaps more pragmatic political and economic concerns caused tensions between the two powers. He explores their positions primarily in the Arab-Israeli conflict, Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. Khalidi also makes a number of important parallels to the war on terror and the Bush administration. A good overview, although focuses primarily on diplomatic history--doesn't give as much agency to local issues or the role of the Arabs themselves in the development of their political history.

[Conrad]

While I don't think this an especially well written book, the information to be found in it makes up for it. I have read reviews in other locations in which people labeled this as just being anti-American propaganda. I really didn't get that from it. I think the author did a good job of presenting his evidence. For those that dismiss this as simply anti-American are missing the bigger picture, that this is how our foreign policy during the cold war and now is perceived from the outside looking in.

[Matvei · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives a fantastic background to the political situations currently held in both the Middle East and South Asia. It provides historical details explaining the resultant current state of affairs among countries such as Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, and others. It begins with the beginning of the twentieth century and the two world wars before delving into the Cold War era when the United States and the Soviet Union used the world like chess pieces.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really wanted to like this book. it seemed to jump all over the place in sense of time, subject matter. it's relatively short with big print and i just couldnt seem to follow it. it was an inter-library loan item and i wasnt able to finish it and doubt i will pick it up again.

[Jean Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about the effect of the Cold War in the Middle East and how the then super powers of USSR and US affected, often negatively, the countries in that part of the world. Depressing but informative.

[Jfarley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting perspective and history, but I always get very disappointed when the author includes facts that are demonstrably false...

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great comprehensive overview of the US involvement in the Middle East. Why doesn't anybody teach us this stuff in school? Probably because it would seem unAmerican..

[Yas · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

This book makes a compelling case arguing that the Cold war between the soviet union and USA was an influential actor in shaping many of the middle east politics. He goes to explain that the many setbacks (chapter 3) the region suffered of lack of democracy and human rights and became a casualty as a result of the rivalry between the two powers.