Asad: The Struggle for the Middle East [Paperback]

One gains a great appreciation for the achievements of Hafez Asad and Syria.Of all of the Arab states, Syria has remained the most faithful to the vision of the modern Arab nation,despite being under constant harassment and attack from Israel, Islamic terrorists, the United States and even other Arab governments.In fact, it is Syria's faithfulness to secular Arab nationalism which makes it anathema to Israel, the oil interests and the Islamists.

Although I am in no position to judge the truthfulness of Seale's Syrian interviewees they certainly ring true in many cases, and his published sources are impeccable.The "revelations" concerning Israel's arms trade to Iran which some find objectionable are corroborated by Iranian, Israeli, Syrian and Western sources.If not for the activism of Ayatollah Montazeri and Syrian intelligence, Reagan's "arms for hostages" deals and the North network would have never come to light.Syrian claims were fully vindicated.

Seale's account of Kissinger's manipulations and the behavior of other US officials is consistent with what is known from Iranian, Egyptian and Jordanian diplomats.Asad's version of the 1973 War is certainly less contradictory than the self-serving accounts provided by Egyptian, US and Israeli officials.Admirers of Sadat will be enlightened but disillusioned by his betrayal of the Arab cause in 1973 and in the years of negotiation which ensued.

Asad's shrewdness in his handling of the Lebanese Civil War is justly highlighted by Seale, and one comes to appreciate the skill and intelligence behind the Syrian alliance with Iran.The account of the attempted union of Syria and Iraq, which precipitated Saddam Hussein's ultimate power grab in 1979 is also invaluable to an understanding of Middle East politics which is totally at odds with what powerful Western media interests would have us believe.

Incidentally, Seale asserts that the number of people killed in 1982 when the Muslim Brotherhood stronghold in Hama was destroyed was 7000, not 20,000.He clearly states that the figure of 20,000 which was promoted in the West by Syria's enemies was innaccurate and inflated.

Asad is a truly modern man. A secular socialist from a minority sect in Syria he crushed the fundamentalist Muslims at Hama, killing more then 20,000(remmember the only rile is that muslims are allowed to kill eachother but westerns get critisized for dooing so). This he rid his country of the fundamental extremeists that one find in other nations. Neverhteless Asad was a fervent supporter of Habash and the PFLP and he tried to have Arafat killed.

An interesting book the details the inner hatreds between the Arab nations.

I give this book three stars just because it does contain some very interesting information that I haven't seen before where even though Seale is an Arab-world-apologist he is still considered an expert on the subject.