Review (PDF)

The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, And The Clash Of Arab Civilizations

In this provocative and timely book, Middle East expert Lee Smith overturns long-held Western myths and assumptions about the Arab world, offering advice for America’s future success in the region.  Seeking the motivation behind the September 11 attacks, Smith moved to Cairo, where he discovered that the standard explanation—a clash of East and West—was simply not the case. Middle East conflicts have little to do with Israel, the United States, or the West in general, but are endemic to the region. According to Smith’s “Strong Horse Doctrine,” the Arab world naturally aligns itself with strength, power, and violence. He argues that America must be the strong horse in order to reclaim its role there, and that only by understanding the nature of the region’s ancient conflicts can we succeed. Smith details the three-decades-long relationship between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the United States, and gives a history of the Muslim Brotherhood, which would likely play an important role in the formation of a new government in Egypt. He also discusses Lebanon, where tipping the balance against Hezbollah in favor of pro-democracy, pro-US forces has become imperative, as a special tribunal investigates the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Eye-opening and in-depth, The Strong Horse is much needed background and perspective on today’s headlines.

Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: Anchor (January 11, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0767921801

ISBN-13: 978-0767921800

Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.6 x 8 inches

Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #1,124,508 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #86 in Books > History > Middle East > Lebanon #579 in Books > History > Africa > Egypt #1928 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Ideologies & Doctrines > Democracy

Lee Smith's 'The Strong Horse' dismantles many of the false assumptions about the Middle East commonly held by scholars and observers of the region in the West. Most people have a difficult time understanding that not everyone is 'just like us', or holds the same values and ideals as do the citizens of Western democracies. The book's basic thesis should not be controversial: it is that human culture and belief matters, and that Arab political culture, unlike ours in the West, is and always has been violent. For readers used to thinking of the region as inhabited homogeneously by "Arabs", this book will help to break down that myth and demonstrate how Middle Eastern regimes are divided amongst themselves, and how they employ violence to advance their political ends.But this book also suffers from a number of serious flaws. Firstly, it lacks a truly coherent structure. Smith interweaves accounts of his personal experiences with historic material, contemporary politics, political analysis, and cultural commentary, and reaches conclusions by drawing on all these sources. Although this makes the book somewhat 'lighter' than an academic text, it can also make it difficult to follow and relate back to the book's thesis. The second issue is related to the first: this book resembles more a work of journalism than an academic text. This is not entirely surprising given Smith's background as a journalist, nor is it necessarily a weakness in itself. Footnotes are used very sparingly to support what is, in the academic world at least, a controversial thesis. In light of this it would have been a good idea to devote more time to making the book more academically robust.

The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations Egyptian Mythology: Discover the Ancient Secrets of Egyptian Mythology (Egypt, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Civilizations, Gods, Pharaohs, Ra, Isis, Set) (Ancient Civilizations and Mythology) Power Training: For Combat, MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, Martial Arts, and Self-Defense: How to Develop Knockout Punching Power, Kicking Power, Grappling Power, and Ground Fighting Power UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Country Studies: A brief, comprehensive study of United Arab Emirates Strong Women, Strong Bones: Everything You Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis, Updated Edition Strong Women, Strong Bones: Everything you Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis 400 STRONG VERBS FOR ROMANCE AND EROTICA WRITERS (Strong Verbs for Writers Book 1) Start Strong, Finish Strong Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters Devotional: 52 Devotions Every Father Needs Strong Verbs Strong Voice Politics and Power in the Maghreb: Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco from Independence to the Arab Spring The Life and Death of Hobby Horse Hall Race Track: Documentary on horse racing in The Bahamas 200 years of lost rich Bahamian history. You never know what got until you lose it. The Horse Doctor Is In: A Kentucky Veterinarian's Advice and Wisdom on Horse Health Care Understanding Equine Medications: Your Guide to Horse Health Care and Management (Horse Health Care Library) The Fire Horse: No One Wanted the Horse Named Neville. Then Along Came a Rider Who Lived for Long Shots. Horse Racing Winners: A Track Betting System (Horse Gambling Series Book 1) BETTING GUIDE FOR HORSE RACING: Professional betting strategies for "Horse Racing" Betting Guide is all about placing your Bets intelligently for better winning results. "Bet Smart" How to Make Money Online from Horse Racing: Gambling for a Living, Horse Racing. Horse Racing Handicapping - 1: Horse Racing Handicapping Tips, Advice, Angles (The Handicapper Series) A Journey Through the Horse's Body: The Anatomy of the Horse