The great betrayal: the struggle for freedom and democracy in the Middle East

"A history of the political instability in the Middle East, driven largely by great power conflict, and predictions for the future of the region. The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 divided the Middle East into states with unnatural boundaries, drawn by colonial powers with short-term interests and no consideration for the people or future of the region. The century that followed saw bad governance, systemic corruption, geopolitical rivalries, and endless foreign intervention and meddling, effectively redrawing borders by force. While there is no singular cause for instability in the Middle East, Gerges's analysis explains the origins of numerous past and ongoing conflicts to draw conclusions about where the region is heading, using the past to predict the future of Arab politics, religion, and life. The Hundred Years War for the Middle East introduces Gerges's new Middle East, shaped by the changes and discontinuity of present day. He presents five major predictions for the next century: state collapse and the emergence of new states; the present state system enduring with minor alteration; durability of political authoritarianism; a new social contract based on constitutional arrangements; and a combination of both constitutionalism and political authoritarianism. From the Sykes-Picot Agreement to the rise of ISIS, our modern understanding of the key actors, non-state organizations (like Al Quaeda and ISIS), and dominant forces allows us to examine how changing relationships and rising tensions will shape the next century"--