Britain and the Middle East in the 9/11 Era

Dr Rosemary Hollis is Director of the Olive Tree Scholarship Programme at City University London, and was formerly Director of Research at Chatham House.

"Hollis analyses British participation in the ‘war on terror', contending that New Labour failed to understand the lessons of the past and radically altered UK-Middle East relations. She argues that by involving itself in a failed American enterprise, Britain tarnished its global reputation." (Survival, December 2010-January 2011) ‘A wonderful and fascinating contribution to our understanding of Britain’s place in the morass created by 9/11. This is the first work to set these current events in their true historical context. An absolute must for anyone wishing to understand the UK’s role in the wider Middle East, placed four-square within the story of our journey from Empire to conflicted transatlantic European power.’—Jon Snow, Newscaster, Channel 4 News ‘Rosemary Hollis combines breadth of vision with painstaking attention to detail in this comprehensive analysis of New Labour and the Middle East. Anyone who wishes to understand the complexities of the region and the impact on British foreign policy of our relationship with the United States need look no further.’—Sir Menzies Campbell MP, former leader, Liberal Democrats‘This account of Britain's role in the Middle East under New Labour is a well-written and significant contribution to our understanding of the modern Middle East. It not only sheds light on the Blair government's involvement in Arab–Israeli peacemaking and the post-9/11 ‘war on terror’, but also enhances our understanding of EU involvement and US leadership. Required reading for anyone seeking to understand how events have unfolded in the region in the past ten years.’—Yossi Alpher, former director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies‘From her unique vantage point at the intersection of government, academia, civil society and London’s diplomatic corps, Dr Hollis incisively dissects Britain’s relations with the Middle East under New Labour as well as Blair's path to war in Iraq. This is as close to a definitive account as we are going to get for some time.’—Tarak Barkawi, Senior Lecturer, Politics and International Studies, University of CambridgeHollis is one of those rare scholars rooted in the history and policy-making process of her country yet capable of putting herself in the shoes of the people at the receiving end. In this richly documented and lively account of British policy in the Middle East … she provides an insightful analysis of a pattern of decision-making that is sadly not unique to Britain, in which experts are marginalized, regional complexities are treated as a nuisance and the policy is framed to defend certain interests and questionable values rather than respond to realities. Her critique is … implacable and severe.—Dr Bassma Kodmani

• Introduction. Chapter 1: Historical Background: Stages in the Relationship.Chapter 2: New Labour Worldview and the Middle East.Chapter 3: New Labour: New Policy-Making Process.Chapter 4: Britain’s Role in the Peace Process: 1997 to 2001.Chapter 5: The Road to War in Iraq.Chapter 6: Reaping the Whirlwind: the Fallout from the Invasion of Iraq for British Relations across the Middle East.Part I: Inside Iraq.Part II: Around the Region.Chapter 7: Realpolitik and the Peace Process after 9/11.Chapter 8: Still Flying the Flag: Britain and the Arab Gulf States.Chapter 9: Conclusions.Index.