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West Asia At War: Repression, Resistance and Great Power Games
Events in West Asia constantly demand global attention due to regional conflicts, faith-based divisions, sectarian violence and wars that are often ignited by external powers. Popular agitations for political, economic and social reform frequently make the scenario even more fragile, turbulent and uncertain.
West Asia is a destination for millions of pilgrims to sacred sites venerated by the three Abrahamic faiths - Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It is also at the heart of global energy, trade and financial dynamics, the centre of logistical connectivity projects, and an emerging hub of technological research and development.
As a new world order asserts its claims across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, West Asia is witnessing new diplomatic initiatives to reshape regional alignments and define the new order. Developments here are of abiding concern for India - it is closely tied to the region in terms of energy, trade, investment, logistical connectivity and the interests of its eight-million strong resident community.
West Asia at War, written by veteran Indian diplomat Talmiz Ahmad, combines an understanding of the diverse forces that are shaping the politics and economics of this region, and paints a portrait that is at once grim, painful, colourful and exciting.
West Asia is a destination for millions of pilgrims to sacred sites venerated by the three Abrahamic faiths - Islam, Christianity and Judaism. It is also at the heart of global energy, trade and financial dynamics, the centre of logistical connectivity projects, and an emerging hub of technological research and development.
As a new world order asserts its claims across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, West Asia is witnessing new diplomatic initiatives to reshape regional alignments and define the new order. Developments here are of abiding concern for India - it is closely tied to the region in terms of energy, trade, investment, logistical connectivity and the interests of its eight-million strong resident community.
West Asia at War, written by veteran Indian diplomat Talmiz Ahmad, combines an understanding of the diverse forces that are shaping the politics and economics of this region, and paints a portrait that is at once grim, painful, colourful and exciting.
723 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 3, 2022
Brilliant book. It is everything that one wants to understand about the region.
August 3, 2022
𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝘼𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝘼𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙢𝙞𝙯 𝘼𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙙
"𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬"
🌐As a new world order asserts its claims across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, West Asia is witnessing new diplomatic initiatives to reshape regional alignments that will define global power equations in times to come. Developments here are of abiding concern for India-in terms of energy, trade, investment, logistical connectivity and the interests of its eight-million-strong resident community.
🌐This book combines an understanding of the diverse forces shaping the politics and economics of this region, and paints a portrait that is at once grim, painful, colourful and exciting. It seeks to piece together these diverse matters into a coherent narrative that would help make sense of the dynamics of the region - the political, religious, military, socio-economic and cultural dimensions that have shaped present-day alignments and divisions, and made the region seem so unstable and volatile.
🌐There are several villains here - monarchs, presidents, princes, officials-many of whom have worked together for cynical self-intere reap short-term advantage, or occasionally use narrow the religion to wreak havoc upon the doctrinal enemy. There are also bo here mostly unhonoured and unsung - who resist the violence injustice heaped upon them. This is the story of those villains and the heroes.
🌐It's a must read if global politics & international affairs interests you in any way. Though Contemporary world affairs are so complex yet there are people out there who chose to read about such matters.
"𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬"
🌐As a new world order asserts its claims across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, West Asia is witnessing new diplomatic initiatives to reshape regional alignments that will define global power equations in times to come. Developments here are of abiding concern for India-in terms of energy, trade, investment, logistical connectivity and the interests of its eight-million-strong resident community.
🌐This book combines an understanding of the diverse forces shaping the politics and economics of this region, and paints a portrait that is at once grim, painful, colourful and exciting. It seeks to piece together these diverse matters into a coherent narrative that would help make sense of the dynamics of the region - the political, religious, military, socio-economic and cultural dimensions that have shaped present-day alignments and divisions, and made the region seem so unstable and volatile.
🌐There are several villains here - monarchs, presidents, princes, officials-many of whom have worked together for cynical self-intere reap short-term advantage, or occasionally use narrow the religion to wreak havoc upon the doctrinal enemy. There are also bo here mostly unhonoured and unsung - who resist the violence injustice heaped upon them. This is the story of those villains and the heroes.
🌐It's a must read if global politics & international affairs interests you in any way. Though Contemporary world affairs are so complex yet there are people out there who chose to read about such matters.
August 12, 2026
This book covers a great deal of the geopolitical history of West Asia. Condensed yet detailed on important far reaching events.
Unfortunately it's very hopeful ending with the future of this region has been essentially obliterated by the events since 2023. Israel with a new extremist government and US backing has waged and is waging a ruthless genocide against the Palestinian people reducing Gaza to rubble; creating millions of displaced people, killed countless children and now continues this onslaught into the West Bank and Southern Lebanon. It goaded the new Trump administration into a war with Iran assasinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a brutal bombing and then bombing a girls school killing over 100 children. The war continues, has also led to the closure and domination by Iran over the Straight of Hormuz and is looking very poorly for the US as well as Arabic countries who've sided with Israel. Gulf countries have recieved the brunt of Irans anger for siding with the US. Meanwhile much has been altered in the various countries which make up West Asia and those changes are too lengthy to detail here.
The book still serves as a very good entry reference to this very important area of the world. I would definitely reccommend it to anyone wanting background information to orient oneself into this arena which is always changing. Presently those changes taking place leave many more questions to be answered as events play out.
This is a very dynamic area whose history and cultures have had and continue to have dramatic affects on the world stage.
Unfortunately it's very hopeful ending with the future of this region has been essentially obliterated by the events since 2023. Israel with a new extremist government and US backing has waged and is waging a ruthless genocide against the Palestinian people reducing Gaza to rubble; creating millions of displaced people, killed countless children and now continues this onslaught into the West Bank and Southern Lebanon. It goaded the new Trump administration into a war with Iran assasinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a brutal bombing and then bombing a girls school killing over 100 children. The war continues, has also led to the closure and domination by Iran over the Straight of Hormuz and is looking very poorly for the US as well as Arabic countries who've sided with Israel. Gulf countries have recieved the brunt of Irans anger for siding with the US. Meanwhile much has been altered in the various countries which make up West Asia and those changes are too lengthy to detail here.
The book still serves as a very good entry reference to this very important area of the world. I would definitely reccommend it to anyone wanting background information to orient oneself into this arena which is always changing. Presently those changes taking place leave many more questions to be answered as events play out.
This is a very dynamic area whose history and cultures have had and continue to have dramatic affects on the world stage.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews