Pre-Owned 100 Myths about the Middle East (Paperback) 0520247213 9780520247215

Much ink has been spilled in recent years about the Middle East. At the same time, no other region has been as misunderstood, nor framed in so many cliches and mistakenly held beliefs. In this much-needed and enlightening book, Fred Halliday debunks one hundred of the most commonly misconstrued "facts" concerning the Middle East--in the political, cultural, social, and historical spheres. In a straightforward and simple way that illuminates the issues without compromising their underlying complexities he gets to the core of each matter. The Israel-Palestine crisis, the Iran-Iraq war, the U.S.-led Gulf invasions, the Afghan-Soviet conflict, and other significant milestones in modern Middle East history come under scrutiny here, with conclusions that will surprise and enlighten many for going so persuasively against the grain of commonly held (mis)perceptions.
A FEW MYTHS FROM "100 MYTHS ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST: "
* The Arabs are a desert people.
* There is today one Arabic language, spoken from Iraq in the east to Morocco in the west.
* Oil has been and may become even more of a source of conflict in the modern Middle East.
* Islam does not allow for a separation of religion and politics.
* Palestinian nationalism is a creation of Arab states and manipulated by them to put pressure on Israel.
* Israel is not a colonial or settler state.
* Islam forbids alcohol.
* For Muslim women, it is compulsory to wear a headscarf or veil. Contributor: Fred Halliday