Conflict in the Middle East (Compact Research: Current Issues)

The Middle East is home to three great religions, much of the world's oil, and some of the bitterest, most violent conflicts in modern times. Through objective overviews, primary sources, and full color illustrations this title examines the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict, the rise of Islamic militancy, the affects of U.S. involvement and the possibilities for peace in the Middle East.

Grade 9 Up—Naff has tackled a complex and broad topic in a concise and accurate manner, providing an easy-to-grasp and evenhanded resource on the subject. Although his outlook is grim, it is realistic and objective. The author provides a brief look at each topic, including the history, the current situation, and potential resolutions. The book covers many conflicts in the Middle East, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well as the Iraq War, and looks at America's involvement and the effects the fighting has and will continue to have on this country along with an overview of reactions from the global community. Each section includes several pages of direct quotes, statistics, and short summarizing statements. The layout is open, the illustrations (primarily graphs and maps) are colorful, and the back matter has plenty of suggestions for further research.—Sharon Senser McKellar, Oakland Public Library, CA
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