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Timothy Paris examines Winston Churchill's involvement in the struggle for power in a number of Middle Eastern countries between 1920 and 1925. His study traces the development of the Sherifian policy, a policy that was devised by the British. ... Read more

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What caused the decline of the Ottoman empire in the Persian Gulf? Why has history credited only London, not Istanbul, with bringing about the birth of the modern Gulf States? Using the Ottoman imperial archives, as well as European and Arab sources, Anscombe explains how the combination of poor communication, scarce resources, and misplaced security concerns undermined Istanbul´s control and ultimately drove the Gulf shaikhs to seek independence with ties to the British. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

short but very useful
This book covers the interactions between the Ottoman Empire and the Arabian penensula. This is one of many interesting but mostly ignored bits of world and regional history. The author makes good use of the Ottoman archives to give a good picture of the players and political interactions in the area before 1914. Most books on the region treat the first world war as the beginning of history in the area. Western historical maps *to this day* simply draw a dotted line south of modern Syria/Iraq within the Ottoman Empire and treat arabia as a wilderness without landmarks. This book fills in the landmarks.

He also sheds light on the continuous european involvement in the region from the Portugese to the British and the creation of the Persian gulf states. This book is the best easily accessable source for anyone interested in the history of the Arabian penensula and its relations with (and within) the Ottoman empire.

The Ottoman Failure in the Persian Gulf States
In The Ottoman Gulf, Frederick F. Anscombe sets out to show the inaccuracy of the thought that Britain was the main force behind the creation of the Persian Gulf's Arab states.Anscombe indicates the responsibility of the Ottoman Empire and its operations in Arabia as the central factor behind the development of the states of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.Instead of the conventional notion that Britain always intended to establish its influence and gain dominance in the region, Anscombe argues that it was rather the Ottoman rule of the area that led to the formation of the states.As Anscombe states in his introduction, "...if the Ottomans had governed the mainland effectively, Britain would not have become entangled in the territories that were to become the states of Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia...the British were drawn, often unwillingly and even unwittingly, into mainland politics" (3).
Anscombe begins his narrative by tracing the causes for the renewed Ottoman interest in the Arabian Peninsula that arose during the 1870s.Istanbul felt that it needed to reassert its right to rule over the area so that a Wahhabi insurrection could be avoided and so that the Ottoman governance of the area north of the Peninsula, such as Iraq and Syria, could be protected from the raiding tribes that achieved were so prevalent in the Peninsula in the late 19th century.However, as Anscombe also points out, the Ottomans did feel competition from the British in the region.But Anscombe describes that this competition was fictitious and created much more by Ottoman insecurity than actual British interest and action.
The author then proceeds to cover the Ottoman take of the region of Hasa and the subsequent governance of Midhat Pasha in the area.Anscombe looks very favorably upon the programs of Pasha and believes that if Pasha had been allowed to stay in power for a longer period of time, his program would have succeeded in subduing the tribal problems that disrupted Ottoman rule.As Anscombe writes, "Midhat may have been an optimist, yet his visions were not beyond reason" (37) and states later of Pasha's plan to implement taxes on the region and promote agricultural development that, "If implemented as planned, the new economic, administrative, and social regimes would have been marked improvements on the decaying institutions of the Wahhabi era...His successors did not build on his initiatives, and the upheavals that were soon to strike the empire distracted Istanbul's attention for the remainder of the decade.The bad effects of official neglect were to appear within several years of Midhat's departure from Baghdad in 1872" (53).
In the following chapters, Anscombe portrays the numerous problems that eventually caused Ottoman rule to fail in the Arabian Peninsula.Anscombe places the blame for this failure squarely on the Ottomans and the financial difficulties.He writes, "As a result of the empire's extreme financial troubles in the period, anything that was to be attempted in Hasa was to be done cheaply.Money was not to be invested there, it was to be extracted.In such a harried atmosphere, political efficiency received as little attention as the economy.Consequently, little trace of Midhat's plans survived, and when challenges to the Ottomans' position rose thickly in the 1890s, they found that it rested on a fatally flawed foundation" (55).Thus, it was not the British, but rather the Ottomans that are at fault for the turmoil in the Persian Gulf states from the late 19th century until the outbreak of WWI.Incredibly corrupt Ottoman officials attempted to extract taxes from the local population that created a great deal of resentment to the Ottoman presence in the area.The Ottomans dug their own grave.Bribes amongst officials were common and such horrible governors as Bazi only caused hatred for Ottoman influence in the Peninsula.
Anscombe is able to effectively close his narrative and prove his thesis by following Mubarak's insurrection in Kuwait.Anscombe dispels the contention that Mubarak's success came from long and developed British involvement in his revolt.Rather, the author illustrates how it took a great deal of time and pressure to finally get the British to support Mubarak and it was the inability of the Ottomans to deal with Mubarak that was the true cause of the upheaval's success.Anscombe even goes so far as to state in his conclusion that, "On the whole, Britain's experience in the Gulf prior to the war was positive, especially when compared to the mixed fortunes of the Ottomans" (173).While a slightly more comprehensive dealing with history prior to 1870 would help the strength of Anscombe's objective, he is able to convey in a limited number of pages a very compressive survey of the region.The portrait he paints of the Persian Gulf states prior to 1914 is one of disorder and chaos chiefly due to the Ottoman inability to govern effectively in the region.
Overall, Anscombe is very successful in showing how Ottoman, and not British influence, was the direct cause of the states in the Arabian Peninsula.By chronicling the ineptitude of Ottoman governance in the region and highlighting the financial difficulties that limited the amount of control the Ottomans could exert of the area, Anscombe is able to contradict convincingly the notion of British superiority of influence in the history of the Persian Gulf states.While the author does not ignore the obvious impact of British influence after World War I and the discovery of oil deposits in the region, he points out the lack of intention and planned involvement in the affairs of Arabia that British showed before 1914.The inability of the Ottomans to control tribal factions and institute a government that appeased the people of the region was a much more significant factor to political development in Arabia than any pre-1914 British involvement.Responsibility for the Ottoman loss of the Arabian Peninsula rests solely with Ottoman inadequacy and blame directed at outside sources is only an attempt to divert this responsibility.Anscombe's analysis of the history behind the formation of the states is entirely successful in highlighting this responsibility of the Ottomans for their Empire's own problems and failing reign in the region.

New perspective on gulf history
The modern history of the Persian Gulf has been the subject of several published studies, most notably those of J.B. Kelly and Briton Cooper Busch.The perspective of those works was, however, decidedly Anglocentric, relying heavily on British documents from the Foreign and India Offices.Frederick Anscombe offers a new perspective; he relies largely on the Ottoman archives, though the standard English language works are by no means ignored.

Anscombe is particularly interested in the economic factors which hindered Ottoman attempts to subjugate the eastern Arabian littoral (largely, between Qatar and Kuwait) during the period 1870-1914.The initial impetus for the Ottoman policy of asserting control over this largely autonomous area was provided by the British.The Ottomans were concerned that British obsession with maintaining the routes to India would result in attempts to establish hegemony over the Gulf (in which the British already had a large presence), Arabia and Kuwait.These fears had some justification during the last quarter of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th.But the Ottoman plan for bringing eastern Arabia under tighter control was doomed from the outset, because however well-conceived the plans for doing so, the Ottomans had neither the economic strength nor the will to bring their plans to fruition.

Al-Hasa, the province of eastern Arabia bordering the Gulf, had little to offer the Ottomans in the way of economic return.This meant that the reforms, the communications infrastructure and, ultimately, the political dependence which the Ottomans intended to establish in the region would have to be funded by the Porte.With external pressure already being brought to bear in more strategically significant areas, such as the Balkans, Hasa ranked very low on the Ottoman list of priorities.This over-arching point has been made by Kelly, Busch and others, but Anscombe's study offers confirming evidence from the Ottoman perspective.

Anscombe's text of 173 pages is accompanied by some rough and unhelpful maps, ill-situated in the text.The 60 pages of endnotes contain many interesting substantive points, some of which would have been better woven into the text.

The Ottoman Gulf is suited to students of modern Ottoman history, the modern Middle East and the British Empire.For these readers, Anscombe has provided a valuable study.

The Ottoman Connection
Anscombe does an excellent job of balancing the predominant British viewpoint of Persian Gulf history with his original research in the Ottoman Imperial Archives.He gives an interesting and readable perspective, notonly to 19th century history, but also to how this continues to affect theGulf, and much of the rest of the world, today.

Britain still at fault
Was British India such a high prize for the declining empire ? at least Anscombe thought it was. The book seemed to try everything at defending the British policy during those years of the Ottomans decline. Imperialism never been defended so thoroughly before. The idea of the Arabs better offsiding with the British rather than the Ottomans stood on a shaky ground,The Lawrence of Arabia proved it all. We even had a 'Snouck Hurgronye' inAceh as equivalent for this so called 'Lawrence' who roused 'national' andemotional feeling against fellow Muslims.

The account on naval advantagesof Britain was accurate enough to maintain the integrity of this book. TheOttomans and the whole Islamic power throughout the history were alwayshandicapped by a naval deficiency, at least that was presentedsuccessfully.

Try it only if you have read similar books, otherwise stayout or stay cool. ... Read more

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Al-Yamama, the ancient name of a region of the Arabian peninsula which is thought to have roughly coincided with today's administrative district of al-Riyadh, was from the sixth century until the end of the Umayyad caliphate the centre of a diverse economy and thriving local culture. This title documents the little known historical geography and political development of al-Yamama in the pre-Islamic era, drawing together a wealth of information on its geography, ecology, population, settlement patterns, economy and history. Professor al-Askar argues that a marked regional identity emerged among the people of al-Yamama during this period and persisted until its economic productivity seriously declined in the ninth century and the region lost much of its population. This identity owed a great deal to the ecology of al-Yamama and its economic structure, as well as to its control of trans-peninsular trade routes, which brought its population into frequent contact with Persians to the East and Hijazis to the West, and allowed them to perceive the cultural differences between themselves and their neighbours.Its existence also helps our understanding of political movements in al-Yamama such as the attempt by the Banu Hanifa to establish a state, the reign of King Hawdha b. 'Ali, the false prophet Musaylima's attempt to establish a theocratic state and, much later, the Kharijite revolt of Najda b. 'Amir. ... Read more

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The dramatic rise to power of the Sa'udi family in Central Arabia and the emergence of the country from early Moslem ways into the modern materialism of the West are vividly described in this book by a Dutch official stationed in South Arabia from 1926 to 1931 and from 1941 to 1945. This is much more than a personal memoir. Through the account of his long service in Sa'udi Arabia, the author gives the reader a unique perspective on this feudal land. The personal glimpses of Arab life the authors acquaintance with Ibn Sa'ud and St. John Philby, and his affection for the pilgrim town of Jedda, are the more interesting because he is Dutch and thus in a position to compare impartially the impact upon Arabia of the British and the Americans. The story of Ibn Sa'ud whose story this book relates, is superficially, or materially, a success story. But spiritually, as Mr. van der Meulen views it, it has its bitter aspect, as the King began to realise before he died. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great resource!
This is a wonderful resource for anyone writing on Saudi Arabia.The book is very easy to read and spellbinding if you're interested in the subject.Van der Meulen starts off with his background and how he ended up in Saudi Arabia.He then goes on to tell of his experiences there, off and on, over a span of almost thirty years.He personally met Ibn Saud as well as Philby, Saud, Faisal, and many others.He saw Arabia grow from tiny villages to large Americanized cities.His analysis of the changing situation is almost ranting at times, but nonetheless accurate.The book includes a small glossary of Arabic terms used and an index. ... Read more

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Expanding the scope of Ottoman historiography
While most works on the Ottoman Empire are centered on Istanbul (where the vast majority of sources are), this work charts a different course. Examining Ottoman rule in Syria, this work deals with the peripheralprovince as much to illuminate a new area for study as to mine little-usedsources. He gives an excellent summary of the administrative policies, aswell as how these impacted local social, economic, and political aspects ofthe community. He spends much time showing how the Ottoman administrationrepresented only the highest level in the government heirarchy, while thevast majority of power remained in the hands of the local elite. This workis quite valuable in that it gives a real sense of the Syria of the time aswell as the nature of Ottoman rule and how that reflects on the Ottomangovernment in general. This work charts a course that many other works havefollowed, yet still remains the starting point, one for scholars andstudents alike, to embark on a study of Ottoman Imperial policy. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on December 1, 1998. The length of the article is 891 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Ottoman Gulf: The Creation of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.(Review) (book reviews)
Author: Virginia H. Aksan
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1998
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: 33Issue: 3Page: 492

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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This is the second in the series of three titles that combine to create a large collection which offers historical evidence for the creation of Saudi Arabia, illustrating the political, social and economic changes which in just over half a century transformed the desert amirate into one of the richest countries in the world. The period 1961 to 1965 includes details of the illness of King Saud, his power struggle with Prince Faisal and the eventual accession of King Faisal; the death of Yusuf Yasin; boundary disputes including those at Buraimi, Khor al-Odaid and the boundary with Yemen, sometimes exacerbated by the demands of the oil industry; the intervention of the United Nations in the Buraimi dispute; Saudi-Jordan defence and economic agreements; UAR aggression against Saudi Arabia, particularly the poor relations between Cairo and Riyadh. ... Read more

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The events of the period 1966 to 1971 reveal a tumultuous period in the history of Saudi Arabia: the exile of King Saud; the war with Yemen over Asir and other disputed territories; the concerns for security engendered simultaneously by aggression from the UAR in support of Yemeni insurgents and from the Arab-Israeli War of 1967; unresolved territorial contests with other Gulf states; the implications for the region of the dramatic decision of the British to withdraw firstly from Aden, then from the Gulf, by 1971; and increasingly complex negotiations over petroleum rights through OPEC. However, by the close of this period several boundary agreements were reached; more positive relations with neighbouring states, including Egypt, were consolidated, partly through aid and partly by the Saudi desire to fill the power vacuum left by the end of the British presence; and the war with Yemen was concluded. ... Read more

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The book's editor, political scientist Dr. Winberg Chai, provides in his introduction a concise overview of this largely unknown kingdom from its geography and history to its contemporary role in the "war on terrorism." Saudi Arabia: A Modern Reader provides readers enough historical data and contemporary information about the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand theirrole in the Middle East and to form their own opinions about its present and future relationship to the UnitedStates. ... Read more

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Political, cultural and social insights in a college reader
Winberg Chai, Ph.D., D.H.L., D.L.'s SAUDI ARABIA: A MODERN READERis a powerful nonpartisan examination of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S., and is a recommended pick providing college-level students with historical data, political and social insights, and examinations of actions and events on both sides. Dr. Winberg Chai is a political scientist but includes a great deal of social and cultural insights in his reader, offering key analyses of the Kingdom for lay readers. Documents range from journalists' articles to political leaders' public statements and academic analyses to provide a reader which is up to date, readable, and informative for modern readers. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

good and factual
This book was informative, and unbiased.It gives the reader an almost fly on the wall picture of inside Saudi Arabia.

knowing an unknown
It is an excellent attempt to discover the hidden layers of Saudi's government, culture and society. The author has done a great job of introducing the difficult tribal and religious concepts in a very simple and understandable language.
This book clearly shows why we need to know dangerous fundamentalism from its origin in Saudi in order to be able to defeat it. I think this is a great source for anybody who is interested in the history of Middle east and why this very spot in the world has become such a mess in last few decades.

well-written research of an unfortunately narrow scope
i would give the book itself, as it is, 5 stars, had it not been entitled and promoted the way it is

the title 'inside the kingdom', at least to me, somehow implies that we are about to be briefed in on special insights that come from someone who intimately knows the country and its people as an insider, or, in the case of saudi arabia, at least a semi-insider

on the front flap, the text reads 'with inside the kingdom, bestselling author robert lacey gives readers a remarkable portrait in full of this most enigmatic of lands', so that also helped to build up expectations that, eventually, did not materialize whatsoever

the book is little more than an extremely meticulously researched list of political events of the last 30 or so years, more or less in chronological order, and focussing almost exclusively on the royal al-saud family and their halo circle, and their significant political enemies within and outside saudi arabia

so far so good, and if that's what you are after, you will get it in excellence (in fact, the subtitle does narrow down the scope of the book), but do not expect real insider's knowledge. the book, for the best part of it, may have been written in a library anywhere in the world with good research facilities. the book is also very materialistic in the sense that it focusses on material events and, sometimes quite annoyingly, in such painstaking detail that i got the impression that digging up details had become to the author an end and not a means. you will learn little about the national psyche, culture (apart from its aspects in religion), youth (apart from some easily diagnosable issues such as unemployment) and in general, the saudi people as such do not feature very much, issues the discussion of which would help the reader to relate to and understand the focal issues of the book. there is no memorable discussions of the arab or saudi mind, attitudes, thinking patterns in general. even if the author very often quotes individuals regarding specific issues, the focus of the book is definitely on political events and not people

the statements on the back cover, like 'provide[s] an insightful and intimate portrait of a country' or 'sweeping, beautiful writing', are also lacking substance, in my opinion. i would not think the author even made as much as an attempt at 'sweeping, beautiful writing'

this book would be very satisfactory if it had not been misrepresented and had a different title, something that truly expresses the nature of the book. it could be an excellent source of reference, and it contains tons of interesting data. it is a very thoroughly researched and well (although not remotely 'beautifully') written piece, and it would surely deserve 5 stars had it been sold for what it is. unfortunately, what it is sold for, it is not

(i have been living in saudi arabia for several years now and thus feel somewhat qualified to contribute this book review)

recommended
Possibly the most informative book on Saudi Arabia out there right now that is not out of date.There are other good books, but Lacey's book subsumes many of their best features and, published late in 2009, is as up-to-date as anything on the market.If nothing else, this superannuates Sandra Mackey's "The Saudis," Lacey's own "The Kingdom" (1982), and a few others.Certainly if you're going to only read one book about Saudi Arabia, it should be this one.Lacey has years of experience as a writer and it definitely shows when you're reading this:the thing is well-balanced and never boring.

Kind of interesting, too, that he was even permitted to write it.As he informs you early in the book, his first book about Saudi Arabia ended up being banned in the Kingdom -- mainly because of what the royal family must have perceived as "dirt" about them:we Westerners would probably disagree that it was "dirt," but there you go.Lacey wonders whether this outing will also be banned in the Kingdom.(I can tell you this:yup.)

What I mean, though, is:I thought that once you wrote a book that got banned, you were forever after persona non grata in the Kingdom.Apparently not!Lacey managed not only to get back in the Kingdom, but to come back as an effin' journalist!Holy cow!He must have some friends in high places.

Does this mean Lacey has been co-opted and cannot be trusted?I was initially leaning towards this opinion, but after concluding this volume have to be more reasonable.Obviously if Lacey were to haul off and start detailing a laundry list of charges against the Saudis or their government, he'd certainly never get back in.On the other hand, if he were to whitewash everything, nobody would read his books.Ergo there is much that is left understated in the book.Understated, but not unsaid.At no point, for example, does Lacey try to make it seem like a tiny minority of extremists have hijacked a peaceful religion, etc.At no point does Lacey (unlike that screwball Quisling, Mark Weston, in his Prophets and Princes: Saudi Arabia from Muhammad to the Present) exempt the royal family from criticism or the culture that is Saudi Arabia from human rights considerations.I'm just saying that one needs to read this book with careful attention to glean what the author's positions must amount to.

So: a fine job, at least the best job that could have been done under the circumstances.Lacey's interviews range from liberals, to (former) jihadis, to royals, to disgruntled women's rights activists.It's quite the snapshot of modern Saudi Arabia:I don't know that you could get a more complete picture from any other single source.And Lacey does not shy away from discussions of news items that his Saudi hosts would probably have preferred he elided:the "girl of Qatif," the Meccan girls' school fire, the dual shocks of 1979, etc.

Not that by any of this praise I mean to say this is the best book I've read about Saudi Arabia.That would still have to be Yaroslave Trofimov's The Siege of Mecca: The 1979 Uprising at Islam's Holiest Shrine, the basic outline of which Lacey borrows here while discussing that event.

Good analysis, to be read as a novel, with several anecdotes
I enjoyed this book. Very easy to be read, also by non English mother tongue readers. I was looking a book which could give an insight on current Saudi life and politics and it gave it.
For the issues that I have already known, I found them correctly described.
An important book for people who want to know more about last years Saudi Arabia.
Congratulations to Mr.Lacey. ... Read more

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What accounts for the dramatic rise of Saudi Arabia as a key ally of the United States in the Middle East?Though the answer has a lot to do with oil, a full explanation requires studying the nature of American power in the postwar world.From Arab Nationalism to OPEC re-examines the relationship between President Eisenhower and King Sa'ud and the Anglo-American changing of the guard in the Middle East. The book provides a framework for understanding the transition from British imperial hegemony to an American capitalist order in the Middle East, and the historical antecedents of America's leading role in the Gulf War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tough Read!
One of the most difficult books I've ever "struggled" to read. The author sometimes introduced subjects as if he assumed the reader already "knew". Nevertheless, it included a wealth of information. ... Read more

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A true story of a soldier/nurse, woman, and wife/mother who went to war and her undying couraged and Supreme Being that enabled her to weather the storm, before, during and after Desert Sorm. A rich book about heroic courage and perserverance to survive the war after the war. ... Read more

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A Must read for all Reserve and Guard members
Loretta Scott "Yes I Can "delivers an entertaining account and perspective on Operation Desert Shield/Storm. This book is a must read for Army Reserve and National Guard members, also an excellent resource to students and educators.
With U.S. forces still trying to solidify peace in Iraq, and the necessity for military spending being bantered around in the media, now might be an excellent time for readers to pick up Loretta Scott's book, " Yes I Can" This book is a blow by blow description of what happened to this citizen solider during the first Gulf War in 1990/1991 as United Nations troops, led by U.S. forces, liberated Kuwait.

Good Job Soldier

Retired E-7
US Army 1983-2008

Up Close and Personal
I, like most Americans, have a deep respect for the men and women who represent our country through military service.While we all appreciate the sacrifices made on behalf of our rights and freedom, I wonder how many of us have considered all that such a sacrifice entails.

Through the pages of "Yes I Can", Loretta Scott gives us a glimpse by allowing us to follow her life while in service.She gives us an upclose look at what it is like to live a life of discipline as an Army nurse.We are taken on an emotional journey that begins with a phone call; and several moves, drills, custom adaptations, patients, disappointments, and tests of faith later ends with a much stronger woman emerging.

I highly recommend reading this book.

Must Read for Prospective Army Nurses
Loretta Scott kicks her story into high gear in chapter one - dire trauma of seperation, as she moves from family to Army life in Saudi Arabia. This story is told in intimate day-to-day detail; a diary of people and events, terrors and joys experienced and survived by an Army nurse in Desert Storm. The charm of this book is that you feel very close to its author because she writes in the hurried emotional and sensitive language of a woman as she experienced her events. And Loretta shows her sense of humor (wisdom, too). I am still pondering how a wounded soldier could have chopped a hole in his buttocks by sitting on a bandanna. And the Iraqi (Muslim) soldier who received his "Last Rites" from an Army Chaplain (I doubt that Allah was confused by this). And then we have her fears regarding the contraband Iraqi sand! A tour-de-force of trials and tribulations, Loretta Scott's "Yes I Can" gives the inspirational vision of how faith will bring you to a happy ending.

An engaging read
"Yes I Can" by Loretta Scott is a very visceral read. Loretta is a very descriptive writer and her narrative draws you in, making you feel as if you were there with her amongst all her experiences. This account of her journey to the Middle East to serve in the Gulf War, her experiences there, and her return to civilian life, intimately details the journey of the human spirit forever seeking a higher reality as an anchor amongst the chaos that is War and the uncertainties that making a life can present.Indeed empowering material.

A VERY GOOD BOOK, A MUST READ ESPECIALLY BY ALL MILITARY PERSONEL
I really enjoyed this book, it shows the intense preparations that goes into being deployed. I encourage and reccommend this book to all military personel, because somewhere in this book you can find yourself. Great book, I look forward on seeing more by her. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (25)

great condition
This book was brand new. It had no creases or marks anywhere on the cover or in the book. It came pretty quick too.

Factual Errors
I was extremely disappointed in this book.It contained some glaring factual errors.For instance, in the chapter called "Funding Terror" the author states that Muhammad al-Durrah, the father of a suicide bomber, was given money by the Saudis.A simple search online will show that Muhammad al-Durrah was a 12-year-old child who was unarmed when shot dead by Israeli Defense Force troops.He was unarmed and certainly NOT a suicide bomber!!His father's name was Jamal.So the author certainly needs to get his facts straight.Take anything in this book with a grain of salt!

Damning, but credible story of a Kingdom on the edge
Posner has written an information-packed, slim volume that is a concise statement on the terrible ambivalence of relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia.Posner supports Craig Unger's research, which documented Saudis leaving the U.S. shortly after 9/11 without being properly interviewed by FBI officials.Posner then begins with a fairly comprehensive introduction to how Saudi Arabia started as a nation, and some detail on its Wahhabi roots.Posner traces how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is caught between funding the radical Wahhabi doctrine that has made up its political lifeblood and essence, and the comfortable relationship of selling oil to the United States.The problem of lavish and corrupt princes betraying their Wahhabi roots, the Saudi links to supporting terrorism and anti-Semitism also receive substantial attention.Posner has dug extensively, and while one might not concur with all his reported facts or ideas (some of his Koranic translations seem suspect), his portrait of Saudi Arabia seems to be backed much more by accurate insight than by error.In short, this is a recommended, concise book that blends with skill the problems of religion, politics, and oil.

Something lacking with this book
This book does not seem as well researched, as factual as Posner's previous books. It certainly does have some facts we don't often see, and for someone who knows little about Saudi Arabia this might be of value. However the overall description of the Saudi government leads one to think they are 99% thugs and thieves -- e.g. the way the monarch induces Saudi royal family to "earn" rather than just accept welfare, is to set them up to receive bribes! There certainly are repetitive examples of over-the-top spending and behavior by high ranking members of the Saudi Royal Family. Is the message class envy, or something more important here?

Early in the book I got the feeling that Posner was too personally involved in the news here, for example some of the . Certainly the anti-Jew and anti-Israel world view attributed to the Wahabbi thinking, is shocking and could imaginably lead to another Jewish Holocaust if they got what the Wahabbis wanted. I don't even know for certain whether Posner is Jewish, but get the impression he cares too emotionally about this book's subject, to write a 1st rate book here.

This book focuses on Saudi Arabia, but to address the world's Arab problems, anti-Semitism problems, and oil problems would require we look at the other parts of the Arab world as well. This book instead shows the threats posed by Wahabbi Islam, and the corruption that is brought about by unearned oil wealth, from a land that was seized by warfare in the first place.

Each of the chapters seems to me to be a half proved argument, there is just something a little flimsy about the sources by journalistic standards. I'm glad I read this book but feel there must be other books to read, before I get any kind of balanced picture of Saudi Arabia or the Arab world. Each of Posner's other books that I have read, is better than this one.

this a dangerous book with lots of holes
I know very little about Saudi Arabia.Yet, on page 34, I knew right away that the incident where the 15 girls died in a fire at their school because the religious police prevented firemen and others from saving the girls because they were not properly covered, the author had the wrong date.He stated that this happened on March 14, 2000. It actually happened on March 15, 2002 and you can still find an article on the incident at the BBC website (and elsewhere).I knew this because I was not paying attention to Saudi Arabia in 2000.I definitely was paying attention in March of 2002 (only 6 months after 9/11/2001) and I remember the incident well.Well, that is okay because out of 191 pages of text (I am not including the index, etc in this page count), it would be easy to make a mistake.The problem is that this mistake was made on page 34.I wondered through the rest of the book what other mistakes were made.

In spite of this error of date of the fire at the school (admittedly a minor error unless it was one of your own children who died), I will say that the book is an intriguing one (but also dangerous).I feel that it is a dangerous book because of how the author presents the Saudis.I feel the author is irresponsible in how he frames Saudi-US relations and the Saudis.After readng this book, one would be tempted to want to end all US relation with the Saudis and to begin to see all Saudis with suspicion and in the most negative light.The truth is, whether we like it or not, the US and Saudi Arabia do have a very long relationship and just as the US is not completely without possibility for betterment, neither are the Saudis.Not all Saudis are terrorists!However, if you read this book and believed everything in it, you would certainly be prone to think that not a single Saudi is worth any degree of trust or partnership.

Part of what makes the book such a page turner is that it reads like a horror story.For instance, on pages 125-134 he describes radiation dispersal devices.He provides a technical description of how the rulers of Saudi Arabia might have engineered the possibility within their oil fields for the destruction of their own land so that it would be completely useless for decades and decades due to radiation.RDD is part of a possible and theoretical scorched earth Saudi policy should the House of Saud ever fall.

Other topics explored in the book include the history of the Saud royal family, Arab and Jewish lobbying and influence on American policy, buying of arms by the Saudis, the massive buying of America (did you know the second largest shareholder of the Fox channel is a Saudi prince? indeed this same prince owns a portion of the company that is presenting the very same web page that you are now reading (I verified this on the prince's website), as well as corruption, extravagance, and excessive spending of and by the royal family, and of course terrorism.

Unlike Thomas Lippman who actually spent decades living in, exploring, and writing of Saudi Arabia in books such as the "Inside the Mirage: America's Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia"), I don't remember reading a single word by Posner where the Saudis were shown in any kind of favorable, moderate, or humane light.Lastly, the book describes Posner as having undertaken a 2 year investigation.Again, if you read authors such as Lippman, you will hear people who have decades - even lifetimes - with the culture.

So read this book if you really want to be frightened, if it doesn't bother you that a whole people of a nation is painted in a negative light, if it doesn't matter that the author is one of the least experienced authors of his subject matter, and lastly, that at least part of the book is pure speculation (although the author freely and openly makes that disclosure).
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Product Description
Fascinating history of the oil-rich Middle East. 16 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

it's perfect, I love it.
THe book is in a very good shape. The dilevery was unexpectedly fast. I got what I want.

Best explanation of the history of oil and how we got where we are now
This is an excellent history of Saudi Arabia.While you may not really care about their history -- you should, because it goes a long way towards explaning why we are in the mess we are today with our overwhelming dependence on oil and foreign oil.Yes, I'm a left-wing tree-hugging oil-spill-hating liberal, but I have no love lost for either political party and am sick to death of being patronized by them on this issue."The Kingdom" educated me so that I can make intelligent arguments to my elected officials, whether they listen or not.Highly recommend, worth spending the money on even a used copy, too bad it's out of print.

Earlier example from the author
This author is always capable of providing deep research and interesting facts.
This example however, in my opinion, does not match the enjoyment I received from "Great Tales from English History ".
That example provided many moments of "dip in' enjoyment.

At least a B+, if not an A-
At the beginning of Mr. Lacey's monumental work he relates a conversation he had with a Georgetown educated member of the House of Saud: "I have lived in the Kingdom over 30 years, yet if I was to put down on paper how my family and this country worked, I would be lucky if I got a B+ mark. You have spent four years with us.The best you can hope for is a C." Lacey clearly did his homework, as the large bibliography indicates. Moreover, he actually lived in the Kingdom, unlike so many "Saudi experts." And while there, he conducted numerous interviews with key individuals, who entrusted him with versions of historical reality not often seen in other works. He mastered his source materials, and wrote an immensely readable history of the Kingdom until the ascension of King Fahd to the throne in 1982.

A full 40% of the book relates to events prior to the actual proclamation of the Kingdom in 1932. This portion covers the ancient political alliance of the Al-Saud's with the conservative preacher, Abdul Wahab, and his family. Also, Ibrahim Pasha's 1819 destruction of Diriyah, the Saud's home village, for defying the sultan-caliph in Constantinople. But the main thrust of this section is the exile, and return of the Al Saud family in the late 1800's, culminating in the capture of the fort in Riyadh from the Al Rashed clan in January, 1902. Thereafter is a 25 year consolidation of power for the Al Saud's over most of "Al Jazeera," the peninsula. The first significant conflict was at Dilam, when Abdul Aziz only had enough ammunition for one mighty fusillade. After taking Al Hasa in 1913, he made a fateful alliance with the Ikhwan, "the Brotherhood," of fanatical conservatives who were indomitable in battle. This alliance was key to the conquest of the rest of what would become the Kingdom, including the ouster of the Hashemites from the Hijaz. Alliances are also broken, often after success, and at the end of the 20's, Abdul Aziz used some modern British weaponry to eliminate his former allies at Sabillah. Lacey says that the "big man" version of history is now passé, with the historical schools which emphasis social forces and the common man, yet he clearly credits the drive and energy of Abdul Aziz for accomplishing something never done before: the unification of most of the Arabian peninsula.

Not long after the Kingdom's formation, "black gold," the oil for which the country is now famous, was discovered in the Eastern province. The principals involved in the oil exploration are covered well in a couple of chapters, as is the impact of the subsequent wealth on what was one of the poorer countries of the world.Less well remembered, at least in the West, was the conflict between Nasser of Egypt, and the Al Sauds, with the former proclaiming that "To liberate all Jerusalem, the Arab people must first liberate Riyadh." The two sides supported the opposing parties in the Yemen Civil War in the early `60's, and only the intervention of the American Air Force prevented Egypt from bombing the Kingdom. Lacey also covered the weak, sorry rule of Abdul Aziz's first successor, Saud, and his eventual replacement with Faisal. The later was a true leader who tried to edge the Kingdom into modernization, while retaining traditional values, but eventually paid with his life for his efforts, assassinated in 1975 by a deranged nephew over the events associated with the introduction of television. The Kingdom's place in the larger world is also addressed, from inter-Arab conflicts, to the creation of the State of Israel, to the formation of OPEC. From the perspective of a quarter century, there is dissonance in Lacey assigning a full chapter's worth of importance to the movie "A Death of a Princess," an arms wheeler-dealer, Mr. Khashoggi, and the taking of the mosque in Mecca, in 1979, by the "expected Mahdi." It was only the later that had truly lasting importance, since the Al Saud's had to tact to the more conservative social side, thwarting social reforms.

Lacey tells his story well, and has a charming habit of illustrating points via "tales," identified as such, much like the Saudis themselves do. At the book's end, he wisely eschews predictions as to the future direction of the country. He does make the wise point: "Westerners assume that life in the Kingdom will, one day, be very much like life everywhere else. No Saudi will accept that assumption." (p517).The book contains some excellent historical pictures, as well as vital maps to further the reader's understanding.

Quibbles? He did make one prediction that turned out not to be true. He said that an Arab country would have the A-Bomb before the end of the 20th Century. And one of his pictures is labeled as a village in the Asir, but it is clearly the conical huts of the Tihama.

Oil and Islam.They are in the headlines literally everyday in the West, as the "wolf finally came," with gas prices soaring, and war without end continuing. Lacey's book is essential for understanding one of the most important countries of the world today, for "they" understand us far better than "we" understand them.

A lively and dynamic history
Lacey provides a colorful portrait of Arabia and the House of Saud, important players in history of the Middle East. Abdul Aziz ibn Saud and his descendants, ibn Abdul Wahhab, the Rasheeds, the Husains, Philby, Shakespear, and many others are vividly portrayed in a skillful narrative.

Though first published in the early 1980s, this remains one of the best profiles of the land and dynasty. ... Read more

Product Description
On the eve of World War I Britain and the Ottoman Empire reached an agreement on their respective spheres of interest in Arabia, drawing boundaries known as the Blue and Violet lines. Based on political convenience and bad law, the Blue and Violet lines have been a constant source of legal disputes between Saudi Arabia and its neighbours. This book looks at the history of boundary drawing between these states in the light of the geo-political structure of Arabia, concepts of territory and criteria for sovereignty, and the appropriateness of international law for solving the problems of drawing boundaries in the desert. ... Read more