For anyone trying to make sense of the Middle East, this narrative is harrowing with no punches pulled. The author Robert Fisk lays the dramatic and sweeping history of this region’s conflicts from a pedigree of over 30 years in the field, from the Algerian Civil War, the Iranian Revolution, from The Hostage Crisis in Beirut to the Iran. Iraq war, the invasion of Iraq following the Gulf War.
It’s a history of blood and guts, totally without glory with Fisk presenting the reader with a verbal picture of actual Wars. He was present in all these areas before ‘being embedded’ with any particular Army was currency for correspondents and journalists. Fisk was the panultimate reporter for the second half of the 20th century and the first decades of the 21st. Reading it today, it should be required reading for anyone interested in current events.
THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION is a wonderfully written work, some of it ugly for its brutally honest description of death and destruction, mostly falling on innocent combatants as well as innocent civilians. He’s angry at the policies on all sides. The expression Casualties war takes on a severe pointing tone distilling more than 30 years of reporting into a variable micro history of Contemporary Middle East come up a staggering war Saga in a state of Flux.
In a perplexing way it teaches more about the forces that shaped rather Miss shaped the Middle East post World War 2. It’s a book of searing drama, lucid and insighted, a work of importance in today’s world. Powerfully written from a gift of writer and storyteller that both is stimulating and absorbing. He scooped extensive interviews with key figures like Osama bin Laden Saddam husseini and ayatollah Khomeini as well as Vivid descriptions of this Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Irani rock war. Critical perspective on Western policies of Plenty, especially the War on Terror.
It’s a large body of work, some 1041 riveting Pages detailing dealings with Iran and Iraq, the overthrow of mossedge, the Shah, Iran Iraq war and its consequences, the sanctions imposed by the USA. Akin to warrant peace it has precious little piece of that, although fisks Forte for straight reporting has biases, but what reporter doesn’t ? Complex and self-righteous may compromise his objectivity but the analysis is an unflinching Chronicle of the tragedy in the region.
Not for the faint-hearted, this book challenges the commonly held belief that democracies always act externally in democratic ways, Fisk sheds light on the corruption of many Middle Eastern regimes, with the toxicity of religious fundamentalism and sectarianism in the minds of some groups currently in this Arena. It’s sobering to say the least but always highly informative.
Humanity and inhumanity is at the core of his observations and message. To be fair, I have not read a historical account that takes such a comprehensive listing of influences, forces, corruptions, power, and revolts. Fisk answers for me, one of the most difficult questions: who are the Arabs, and why are they so angry.
One thing that he leaves out completely is the role of corruption in this whole process, maybe because it’s too subjective or cannot be easily documented or proven except maybe on superficial levels while talking to taxi drivers.
Working through it, is challenging, difficult and long, but worth every word. Even though the dark corners of humanity are ever present, such imagery necessitates frequent timeout to reflect. The strength of his narrative is the documentation that takes it out of the reach of personal opinion and positions it in factual history.
It certainly unlikely to appeal to those who like cliches or black and white answers.
