Storm from the East: The Struggle Between the Arab World & the Christian West

by Milton Viorst

America’s engagement with the Arab world stretches back far beyond the Iraq wars. According to Milton Viorst, the current conflict is simply the latest round in a 1,400-year struggle between Christianity and Islam, in which the United States became a participant only in the last century.

Today, the Bush Doctrine aims to free the Arab peoples from political oppression and create a democratic Iraq. So why are Arabs, and Iraqis in particular, so suspicious of our efforts? The explanation, Viorst says, is simple: “What the American leadership has miscalculated, or simply dismissed, is Arab nationalism.” In Storm from the East, Viorst offers a balanced, lucid, and vital history of America’s uneasy relationship with the Arab world and argues that brutal conflict in the region will continue until the West, with the United States taking the lead, honors the Arabs’ insistence on deciding their own destiny.

Viorst examines the long struggle of the Arab world to overthrow Western hegemony. He explores the Arab experiences with democracy and military despotism; Nasserite socialism in Egypt and Ba’athism in Syria and Iraq; tribal monarchy in Saudi Arabia and Jordan; guerrilla warfare waged by the Palestinians; and, finally, Islamic rebellion culminating in Osama bin Laden’s extremist al-Qaeda. All have the same goal: the liberation of the Arabs from foreign domination.

Storm from the East is a powerful work that, like no other, limns the political, religious, and social roots of Arab nationalism and the present-day unrest in the Middle East.

Genres: History, Middle East, Nonfiction, Politics

197 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2006

About the author

Milton Viorst was an American journalist who wrote and reported on the Middle East, writing in a series of publications, most notably The New Yorker. He wrote ten books over the course of his career.

Reviews

[pat simo]

decent historical account but short, like Destiny Disrupted Lite

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books wants to be a topical book about the invasion and occupation of Iraq, but instead presents about 100 years of the general history of the Middle East while constantly offering up parallels and contrasts to the current day events.

The first section is very scattered: the author jumps around in dates and events and it's not clear what point he's trying to make. After that there is not much history given of the Crusades or other significant events, the book starts at about 1915 and then moves forward chronologically while backing up occasionally when the country under discussion changes.

The book has some interesting history that I was not aware of, but is shallow. I think the first level of shallowness is for a person to view the motivations of everybody else as being for or against a single particular cause. The next level, where this book mostly resides, is to recognize that different groups of people have different overlapping causes that sometimes come into conflict and sometimes work together, but that those groups are mostly blind to that fact since they reside at the first level. In the book the author describes the actions of U.S. policy as always being in opposition to communism, and religious divisions or nationalism being the motivations for most others. But it's a useful simplification given the short length of the book.

[Paul Loong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise history of Middle East from ancient to current. However, as the book is only around 170 pages, and there is so much information to discuss, it is expected the reader should have some basic knowledge on the players and environment in the middle east. If you do not know much about Middle East, it will be a difficult read. It is better to read some other introductory books on Middle East before reading this. But if you have the knowledge, this is a good book for understanding the issues occurring in this region.

[mr. 阿創 · Rating 4 out of 5]

中東近代史真是一整個大混仗，好好的一個伊斯蘭黑社會，基督警察硬把人家的土耳其老大打入水牢水崩瓦解，搞得底下阿拉伯小弟群龍無首群魔亂舞。19世紀英法攪的屎，美國硬要撿來吃（這屎缺肥料還是美國大力供應的）。

千年爭戰恰好提供一個具體證明，宗教信仰僅能修身，至多齊家，拿信仰救國平天下勢必生靈塗炭──偏偏人類活得越悲哀越信仰宗教。阿拉伯地區在政治問題上若不揚棄泛阿拉伯伊斯蘭主義，提高國家認同，到頭來仍是被西方基督帝國乃至以色列欺負得七魂散掉三魄。

中文副標美其名「1400年的伊斯蘭聖戰」，主要內容仍著重20世紀中東地區的百年紛爭（原文副標是「阿拉伯世界與西方基督徒的糾葛纏鬥」）。剪不斷理還亂，為伊憔悴為伊盲。

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very concise but interesting history of the Middle East and the rise of Arab and Islamic nationalism. If you want to learn more about why the Middle East is the way it is today, I would recommend this book, although it is a little dry.

[Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the cultural obstacles separating the west from the muslim middle east. I disagree with some of the authors views. In particular regarding the United states toppling of Irans prime minister Mossadeq not having anything to do with oil.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Audiobook) This work is a concise history of Arab/Middle East history vis-a-vis engagement with the West. The emphasis is on the 19th century up to the 21st century. While it offers an overview of history of the region, especially of the history of Islam, the bulk and strength of the work is of more modern times. It is better suited for those with little to no exposure to the Middle East, especially in more modern history. It seeks to show that the US and the West had little to no understanding of the region in the required detail to make effective decisions/policy. It has its moments, but it is not the greatest history out there, especially if you are already familiar with many of the key players/events from the past 150 years.

[Ratratrat · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'ho letto per la seconda volta, è molto chiaro nello spiegare perché c'è tanto odio nel Medio oriente. Non vedo bene pe r il futuro

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book hoping to gain a better understanding of the Middle East. Unfortunately, however, I felt like I was hearing the history for the very first time and was unable to absorb the details. It seems quite clear that the West does not understand the East and with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that Western policy has deepened the divide between two very diverse cultures.

I am beginning to understand why US Policy and actions over the past two decades have created such bitter resentment from the Arab countries. Being the cynic that I am, I must conclude that our seemingly irrational actions are not primarily based on the “War on Terror” but rather because of oil.

Our actions seem to make little sense from any other perspective. The US has become the representative of ancient and modern Arab distain for things Christian, materialistic, immodest, secular, arrogant, Jewish, etc. Terrorism is an effective way for Muslim radicals to strike at their godless enemies.

I am disgusted with our current policy in the Middle East and wonder if we wouldn’t be better off minding our own business. Aren’t you glad I am not in charge?

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

The question that Milton Viorst sets out to answer--"Why is the U.S. so disliked in much of the Middle East?"--is one that many authors and media pundits, all over the political and ideological spectrum, have addressed. Viorst's work, however, stands out in that it not only traces the various root causes of Arab hostility toward the West, but shows how those causes have intertwined to create the current mess. In investigating not only how animosity toward the U.S., in particular, arose, but the ways in which attitudes have varied from country to country, and sometimes even regime to regime, he weaves a much more complex picture of a region than that which our policymakers would like us to see. Throughout the book, Viorst demonstrates repeatedly that the approach George W. Bush took to transforming Iraq has been tried many times in the past, often with similarly-disastrous results.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book purports to tell the story of relations between the Arab world and the West from the coming of Islam to the present. It presents a good overview of the relationship over several centuries, and provides some insight into thinking in the Arab world. However, I thought the author was too negative about Western influence, and it is somewhat dated, as it ends with Iraq descending into civil war and does not discuss the positive developments that have occurred there more recently.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise and lucid, a very nice refresher read the covers Arab/Western history and relations from the Crusades onward. It is only 170 pages, so you need to be paying attention, especially if you're not familiar with the events Viorst is referring to. Some of the analysis, given the length, is understandably a little shallow, but the book still manages to give valuable insight into why the exportation of US-style democracy hasn't been working so great.

[Tina (Bettina) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Good read on why the two sides will always struggle due to religious and cultural differences. Recommend to anyone who can read with an open mind how both sides are at fault for strife.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very concise (therefore also cursory) of Middle East history and what it might mean to understand an Arab ethnicity.

[Nklein98 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and very easy to read. Truly a book to be read to begin to understand the reasons why there is such an explosive world situation that is based in the Middle East.

[Janet Van]

a very good concise history of the midEast.

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trying to make sense of a very complicated issue. Don't agree with all his points. No real solution presented.

[Gabrielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dry, full of facts. Great book if you are getting sent there to work.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, concise and thorough examination of the players and history that have shaped the conflicts of the Middle East. Viorst is a pleasure to read. Better than a one-armed economist.

[Jane Dugger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the Arab World in the Modern Age - a lot of information.

[Riaz Ujjan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief but comprehensive history of conflict between Arabs and West helpful to one who seek a good overview of the events and issues that shape US engagement with Arab world.