Product Description

The volatile Middle East is a site of vast resources, profound passions, frequent crises, and long-standing conflicts, as well as a major source of international tensions and a key site of direct US intervention. Two of the most astute analysts of this part of the world are Noam Chomsky, the pre-eminent critic of US foreign policy, and Gilbert Achcar, a leading specialist of the Middle East who lived in that region for many years. In their new book, Chomsky and Achcar bring a keen understanding of the internal dynamics of the Middle East and of the role of the United States, taking up all the key questions of interest to concerned citizens, including such topics as terrorism, fundamentalism, conspiracies, oil, democracy and anti-Arab racism, as well as the war in Afghanistan, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the sources of US foreign policy. Timely, erudite and incisive, Perilous Power provides the best readable introduction for all who wish to understand the complex issues related to the Middle East from a perspective dedicated to peace and justice.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21641 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-27
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Noam Chomsky was recently named the world’s number one public intellectual in a poll by Prospect magazine. He is the author of numerous bestselling political works, including Hegemony or Survival, Imperial Ambitions and Failed States, all of which are published by Hamish Hamilton and Penguin. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, and is a professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. Gilbert Achcar lived for many years in Lebanon and now teaches politics and international relations at the University of Paris. He is a frequent contributor to Le Monde Diplomatique and is the author of several books on contemporary politics.

Customer Reviews

Useful ideas to reduce the dangers of wars
This fascinating book records Noam Chomsky and Gilbert Achcar's talks in January 2006. They are astoundingly well-informed and full of good ideas for reducing the dangers of war. They discuss terrorism, fundamentalism (especially in Saudi Arabia), the sources of US Middle Eastern policy (particularly oil), the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Achcar points out that the Bush-Blair claim that they must now stay in Iraq because, having invaded, `we have the responsibility', is like the vile rule in some societies that a man who rapes an unmarried woman must marry her. They cite the US military commander in Iraq who admits that the presence of US troops `fuels the insurgency'. They note that most people in Baghdad believe that the USA's chief aim is to `rob Iraq's oil' and they note that most Americans think that the USA should get out of Iraq.

Chomsky and Achcar point out that the EU gives the Israeli state economic privileges and they suggest that the EU should desist until Israel stops building new illegal settlements and the illegal Separation Wall. They agree that an academic boycott of Israel is a bad idea, but worse, it is a divisive diversion from academic unions' main job, to defend their members' wages and conditions.

Chomsky observes that in October 2003, Iran suspended its nuclear enrichment programme in order to reach a general agreement. The EU said that it would provide `firm commitments on security issues', but it reneged when the USA refused to join the talks. In January 2006, Iran offered to suspend its nuclear programme again; the EU rejected this offer too.

Achcar observes, "There's a general trend at the level of the mainstream media to praise those ruling politicians who rule without consulting the polls; that is deemed a great virtue. But behind it is the very elitist idea, also embedded in the very concept of `representative democracy', that, once elected, a representative is free to do whatever he or she wants, even against the unanimous will of his or her constituency." So the Labour government opposes the will of the British people over the attack on Iraq, the EU, the Private Finance Initiative, immigration, breaking up Britain, etc., etc. But are we really surprised that capitalist states do not represent the people?

Amazing as always
It is a stunning book as always filled with Chomsky's subtle humour. It's interesting when Achar and Chomsky get into arguments, achar gives these long winded rebuttles, but chomsky shoots him down with single liners. I also found Chomsky's input to be far more interesting than Achar's

The detail and analysis in Chomsky's books never surprise me, but they always inform me-vital for understanding the middle east
What this book is, in short, is a series of conversations Professor Noam Chomsky and Professor Gilbert Achar had about various factors in the middle east, such as the history and politics of it, us involvement and foreign policy there, discussions about ethnicity and religion, and what they see in the future, and the result is brilliant. Because of it's conversational tone, for a book of this type it is relatively easy to read, both Chomsky and Achcar clearly have a deep knowledge and understanding of the middle east and it's history, and both bring different things to the book. It really helps you understand a lot of things going on/that have gone on, such as Us-saudi relations, to the kurdish issue, to the gulf war and relations with Iran, to the Israel/Palestine problem and the internal problems within Israel and Israeli politics that make it difficult to solve, and more. The book is written in a scholarly way, fully academically referenced, and every point is backed up by evidence. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the world, and particularly in the middle east.