Wednesday 10 February 2010

The Tanzania President saluting Col Gadhafi as the out going President of the African Union

Britain and the Middle East in the 9/11 Era
Britain’s participation in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 marked a dramatic shift in the direction and focus of British relations with the Middle East. This new Chatham House book provides the first extensive examination of the impact of 9/11 on the UK's policy towards this critical region.The book places Britain’s involvement firmly within the rich historical context which is essential for understanding the legacy of empire and demonstrates how the New Labour leadership willfully ignored the lessons to be learned from past experience. It also argues that Britain not only paved the way for US engagement in the Middle East, but also became tainted by association with a US project for reforming the region that has foundered.Dr Rosemary Hollis analyses in detail how the Blair government handled the Iraq crisis, invasion and fallout, including developments in relations with Iran. She also documents Britain’s ‘niche’ role in the Middle East peace process, arguing that arms sales, trade and finance bind Britain to the Arab Gulf states.Praise for Britain and the Middle East in the 9/11 Era:‘A wonderful and fascinating contribution to our understanding of Britain's place in the morass created by 9/11. This is the first work to set these current events in their true historical context. An absolute must for anyone wishing to understand the UK's role in the wider Middle East.'Jon Snow, Newscaster, Channel 4 News'Rosemary Hollis combines breadth of vision with painstaking attention to detail in this comprehensive analysis of New Labour and the Middle East. Anyone who wishes to understand the complexities of the region and the impact on British foreign policy of our relationship with the United States need look no further.'Sir Menzies Campbell MP, former leader, Liberal Democrats'This account of Britain's role in the Middle East under New Labour is a well-written and significant contribution to our understanding of the modern Middle East. It not only sheds light on the Blair government's involvement in Arab–Israeli peacemaking and the post-9/11 ‘war on terror’, but also enhances our understanding of EU involvement and US leadership.Yossi Alpher, former director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies'Dr Hollis incisively dissects Britain's relations with the Middle East under New Labour as well as Blair's path to war in Iraq. This is as close to a definitive account as we are going to get for some time.'Tarak Barkawi, Senior Lecturer, Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge