Islam and the Myth of Confrontation: Religion and Politics in the Middle East

Book Description

The collapse of communism and the rise of militant Islamic movements in the Middle East, raised the specter of a future dominated by the conflict between "Islam" and "the West". September 11 has only branded that notion onto the world's consciousness. In this up-to-date edition of Halliday's classic text, he sets out to reject these interpretations. Considering the sources of Islamic militancy and analyzing the confrontational rhetoric of both Islamic and anti-Muslim demagogues, he provides an alternative, critical but cautious, reassessment.

Customer Reviews:

Thoughful essays by a scholar deserve attention.......2005-03-24

Halliday's title "Myth of Confrontation" has thrown off more than one reviewer and probably left some potential readers to dismiss the book entirely. (It is ironic and also unfortunate, that another book more shallow and less valuable became a big seller because it's title appeared to be confirmed by 9-11 shortly after it was completed, "What Went Wrong?" - such are the fates and irrationality of opinion formation.)

Readers should start with the new Preface written a year after 9-11 and be prepared to work a little harder to think rather than merely find simplistic confirmation of bias they may have. This is not to say one always agrees - only that Halliday has worthwhile things to say to those with an open mind.

The first section has chapters on the Middle East in International Relations reminding us that similar drives apply as elsewhere in the world and that it is not totally and mystically unique. An interesting essay on the Iranian Revolution is followed by another on the Gulf War.

Part two provides mature reflections on select issues: "Islam and the West" and the validity of their mutual threats; human rights issues; and many sources of anti-Muslimism (one might wryly comment that his oversight misses Amazon reviewers and the darker side of the US Media). The conclusion critiques both Said and the Orientalists although it is not terribly satisfying and not really tightly constructed conclusion for the book so much as another essay.

Some general readers may find the analytical style a bit tough going built as it is on more than the flaccid assertions of some other more popular books. Yet the case that Islam is too varied, focus too much centered on domestic concerns, and conflicts of interest and character of various Muslim regimes and Fundamentalist groups too considerable for a meaningful interpretation based on Islam's "confrontation" or "civilizational clash" to really explain anything worth explaining is made - however indirectly. Conspiratorial theorists, paranoids, and Crusaders will be disappointed - but probably would not think their way through the book anyway (fundamentally convinced of their own just truth already).

Huntington's thesis is not directly addressed here but is, and should be, discredited by the discussion of particulars. (For a more direct analysis of that one should see such things as relevant chapter's of "Why America's Top Pundit's Are Wrong".) This book draws from specific analysis, Huntington's from broad generalization and assertions. Halliday is a scholar of Muslim themes, Huntington read Lewis's essay on "Rage" and not a whole lot more. Pundits, politicians, polemicists, press people have climbed on Huntington's bandwagon and policy has been effected - it is a pity that few have honestly considered alternatives. But then "60 million Americans can't be wrong" - no that was `Frenchmen'.

Misses the point.......2004-04-20

Halliday argues that there is no 'one' Islam but doesn't address the factors that necessitate the clash of civilisations.

Islam cannot happily exist in a secular framework as it has its own framework which is mutually exclusive.

Huntingdon's initial prediction of a clash was shallow but ultimately correct and Halliday's cultural discussion ignores the essence of the debate.

Ooops.......2001-09-21

Given recent events, Freddy must be looking for work. Institutions as reputable as the LSE tend to demand that their faculty keep at least marginally in touch with the real world.

In seriousness, this book is poorly written, apologetic tripe. Those seriously interested in ME criticism should consult Ajami or Lewis, not hack journalists like Halliday (or Thomas Friedman, for that matter).

islam and politics.......2000-10-27

Over the last two decades, Islamic revivalism in the Muslim world has been the subject of heated debates among academicians and policy makers. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Islam has often been perceived as a world-wide menace and the major threat to the West. Some scholars have directed attention to a large scale confrontation between Islam and the West that they call a "clash of civilization." Fred Halliday sets out to reject such interpretations. He provides an alternative, critical but cautious reassessment.

Halliday asserts that the Islamic threat to the West is propagated from two contradictory sides--from the West that seeks to turn the Muslim world into another enemy, and from the camp of those within the Islamic countries who advocate contadiction with the Western world in order to remain in power. Halliday contends that the idea of a prennial conflict with West is not just an invention of European or American demagogues. "As communism collapsed, and with it the range of parties and movements in the Third World that associated with it, some in the Islamic world appeared to confirm Western prejudices by affirming that they would indeed replace Bolshevism as the major challenge to the West, and would do so more effectively because their challenge was inspired by God."

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

A Great Lakes Primer
Many of us know very little about the five Great Lakes
Recommended Reading
Description book
Beautifully Written

The Dynamic Great Lakes
Barbara Spring
Manufacturer: Independence Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Lakes & Ponds | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1588517314

Book Description

The five Great Lakes, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario with their connecting waters are the worldâ€™s largest freshwater system; about 20 per cent of all the fresh surface water on this planet. Each lake differs from the other and yet these connected lakes are one flowing system connected to the Atlantic through the St. Lawrence River. Unique ecosystems evolved in these lakes since the last Ice Age but in the last 200 years commercial fishing and the Lamprey Eel wiped out larger fish. Shipping on the Great Lakes from all parts of the world has brought exotic species that threaten to topple food pyramids. Pollution carried through the air and water damages life in and around these lakes. Through knowledge, and the democratic process, The Dynamic Great Lakes encourages us to appreciate and understand these lakes and to get involved in finding answers to their problems.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Lakes Primer.......2007-04-15

Barbara Spring's The Dynamic Great Lakes is a primer on the ecology of the Great Lakes. Written simply and clearly, this relatively short work begins with an overview of Great Lakes ecology and geology. It then takes us on a tour of each lake, highlighting both the natural ecology and environmental problems of each. She concludes with an overview of the 21st century challenges the lakes face, and a challenge to us all to work for their preservation.

Like a good teacher, Barbara repeats herself patiently and expresses herself simply so everyone will understand. The charm of the book made it easy to overlook a few minor inaccuracies. And, in the end, I learned a thing or two, which is probably what Barbara hoped for.

Many of us know very little about the five Great Lakes.......2004-04-25

Many of us know very little about the five Great Lakes other than perhaps being able to name them. As Barbara Spring states in her introduction to her outstanding primer The Dynamic Great Lakes they are "a flowing river of seas left behind by Ice Age glaciers and are nearly twenty percent of the world's supply of fresh surface water; the world's greatest freshwater system." The ecosystem of this great body of water is very complex and unfortunately due to pollution and the fallout of modern industry and agriculture they have gone through a gradual transformation.

One of the unique characteristics of this compact book is that it is written in a language devoid of esoteric explanations. The eight chapters of the book reflect the author's teaching and journalistic aptitudes in knowing how to unravel the mystery of the Great Lakes and the many painful dangers it has faced and continues to face.

Each of the five Lakes is introduced with a brief synopsis of important elements distinguishing one from the other such as: elevation, length, breadth, average depth, maximum depth, volume, water area, retention time, population and outlet. From this point of departure the author deals with the various changes that have taken place as well as the various major issues affecting the Lakes. There are also brief descriptions of the various animal life found in each of the Lakes and how they have been affected by pollution and the appearance of harmful species, such as the Lamprey Eel.

However, we are also reminded throughout the reading of the book that "people power" can have an effect and if we band together and make our voices heard we could exert influence in reversing some of the harmful trends that have caused ecological disaster. For example we are apprised of the situation that occurred in relation to Lake Erie. In 1969 a tributary river of Lake Erie, the Cayahoga, caught on fire due to being heavily coated with oil and debris. As a result, the Federal Water Quality Administration launched a one and half billion dollar municipal sewage treatment program for the Erie Basin which included the five surrounding states: Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.

The conclusion of the book most appropriately reminds us that: "we are all challenged to use our knowledge, creativity and common sense to keep the Great Lakes great. Can you think of ways to think globally and act locally?" We are also warned " life on earth is only possible as long as our limited life support system works."

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com