Escaping the Conflict Trap - (Middle East Institute Policy) by Ross Harrison & Paul Salem (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

How can the current civil wars in the Middle East be resolved? This volume brings together academics, experts, and practitioners to explore this question. The book covers the history of civil wars in the region during the 20th century, and then examines the specific causes, drivers, and dynamics of the ongoing civil wars in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Updated for a second edition, the book argues that while these are very different cases of civil war, there are patterns that are important to point out at the outset. First, while each of the conflicts appears to be a relatively recent phenomenon, each has a long historical tail. Second, each of the civil wars had deep and complex domestic drivers and dynamics over issues of governance, political identity, and resources; at the same time, all of the conflicts have had deep regional and international components. Finally, all of these civil wars have been affected by the presence or entrance of armed transnational non-state actors, which have had far greater involvement in the Middle Eastern civil wars compared to other regions. The book concludes that these conflicts will require a mixture of local, regional, and international interventions to bring them to an end, but that none of the conflicts are likely to end cleanly through either a negotiated settlement or a clear victory by one party or the other.

Despite this pessimistic overall assessment, the book emphasizes that policymakers should use knowledge of civil wars in the Middle East to develop and pursue specific national, regional and global policies. These should be built around mitigating the worst effects of the conflicts and towards ultimate resolution.

Review Quotes

"This timely volume provides a sober, thoughtful framework for understanding the roots of civil war in the Middle East, as well as ways to mitigate the human tragedy and strategic folly which all too often result." --William J. Burns, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Former Deputy Secretary of State

"This is a terrific volume on a desperately-needed topic. ... It furnishes a superb guide to the civil wars of the region, providing great wisdom and insight into their origins, dynamics, consequences, and possible solutions. ... If you really want to understand the conflicts of the Middle East, there is no better place to start than this slim, smart book" --Kenneth M. Pollack, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Former Director for Persian Gulf Affairs at the the National Security Council

"An enormously important book that goes beyond the common Sunni/Shia or Islamist/secular analysis of civil wars in the Middle East to offer unexpected insights and solutions. The book was clearly written by experts who lived these conflicts day-to-day, understand why they took place, and know what it will take to end them." --Anne W. Patterson, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

"This volume provides incredibly useful reflections on conflicts in the Middle East. It helps us all better understand specific wars--tragic Syria, messy Iraq, militia-riddled Libya ... and regional strife in Yemen--as well as broader trendlines that peer into the future." --Robin Wright, author of Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World

About the Author

Paul Salem is President of the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C, US. Prior to joining the MEI, he was the founding director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon between 2006 and 2013. He has also been director of the Fares Foundation, US, and he founded and directed the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, Lebanon.

Ross Harrison is Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C, US. He is also a member of faculty at the Department of Political Science in the University of Pittsburgh, US. He was previously Professor in the Practice of International Affairs for the Master of Science in the Foreign Service Program at Georgetown University, US.