Inside Syria

Starred review from July 28, 2014
Erlich (Conversations with Terrorists), a journalist with extensive experience in the Middle East and Syria in particular, clearly and succinctly explains Syria’s current political and military stalemate in this important, informative, and well researched book. Erlich methodically addresses current events: he first describes the history of Syria from WWI to the present; then examines how the “Arab Spring” rebellion evolved from 2011’s peaceful protests to all-out civil war by 2013; and concludes with a systematic analysis of the important internal and external organizations influencing the war. In preparing this book, Erlich interviewed leaders, academic authorities, and ordinary citizens in 11 different countries. Of particular interest are his interviews with Syrian opposition leaders, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and U.S. State Department analysts. His analysis of the rise of the conservative Syrian opposition, which dominated by al-Qaeda-associated organizations like the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), is also illuminating, especially given ISIS’s recent aggression in Iraq. Erlich is up front about his left-leaning political views, and he sees the region through that prism, but his insights and conclusions are objective and valuable. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the current turmoil in the Middle East. Agent: Laura Gross, Laura Gross Literary Agency.

September 15, 2014

Syrian society has been devastated by the civil war that has raged since early 2011; well over 100,000 people have died and millions have been driven from their homes. Erlich (Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East Leaders on Politics, Violence, and Empire) presents eyewitness accounts and numerous interviews that portray the destruction, chaos, and political rivalries in Syria, framed by a brief historical outline and references to a wide array of academic and journalistic narratives. He demonstrates how the early peaceful demonstrations calling for democratic reforms in the authoritarian Assad regime have been supplanted by vicious fighting against the government, brutal government reprisals, and struggles among rival militias. Intervention and support from other countries, including the United States, has done little to influence the warring parties or to spark change. Erlich is particularly critical of America's muddled policy and inconsistent rhetoric but sees little hope that the United States, the UN, or any other outside power can bring peace or national reconciliation. VERDICT A timely, immediate description and explanation of social and political disintegration at huge human cost in war-torn Syria.--Elizabeth Hayford, formerly with Associated Coll. of the Midwest, Evanston, IL

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