Andrew Rathmell is a director of Aktis Strategy Ltd and Visiting Professor at Exeter University's Strategy and Security Institute.

'Middle East scholars have always had a hard time dealing with conspiracies as explanations for political turmoil. On the one hand, the political culture is prone to explain everything in terms of conspiracies, and the lack of tangible evidence is never a barrier to the most imaginative of theories. On the other hand, it is clearly naive to dismiss the political role of various intelligence services, particularly in the 1950s. The virtue of this book is that it examines the evidence supporting and refuting covert activity in Syria - an excellent choice since that nation was the target of many covert actions by its neighbours as well as powers outside the region.' William B. Quant, Foreign Affairs 'Rathmell - focus[es] on the "almost constant intrigues" in which Middle Eastern politicians indulged, and - show[s] just how important these are. He concludes, correctly, that Middle Eastern phobias about the West are partly justified, but that the main source of covert action lies within the region itself... And he locates the origins of today's rogue activities, especially terrorism, in the activities of forty years ago.' Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly

• AcknowledgementsA note on transliterationAbbreviationsPreface to the paperback editionIntroductionSyria in its environmentCoups and covert actionThe Shiskali era, 1949-54Syria between Nasser and the West, 1954-56Battling the Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957-58The United Arab Republic, 1958-61ConclusionNotesAppendix 1: Key datesAppendix 2: Key personalitiesBibliographyIndex

Andrew Rathmell is a director of Aktis Strategy Ltd and Visiting Professor at Exeter University's Strategy and Security Institute.

'Middle East scholars have always had a hard time dealing with conspiracies as explanations for political turmoil. On the one hand, the political culture is prone to explain everything in terms of conspiracies, and the lack of tangible evidence is never a barrier to the most imaginative of theories. On the other hand, it is clearly naive to dismiss the political role of various intelligence services, particularly in the 1950s. The virtue of this book is that it examines the evidence supporting and refuting covert activity in Syria - an excellent choice since that nation was the target of many covert actions by its neighbours as well as powers outside the region.' William B. Quant, Foreign Affairs 'Rathmell - focus[es] on the "almost constant intrigues" in which Middle Eastern politicians indulged, and - show[s] just how important these are. He concludes, correctly, that Middle Eastern phobias about the West are partly justified, but that the main source of covert action lies within the region itself... And he locates the origins of today's rogue activities, especially terrorism, in the activities of forty years ago.' Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly

• AcknowledgementsA note on transliterationAbbreviationsPreface to the paperback editionIntroductionSyria in its environmentCoups and covert actionThe Shiskali era, 1949-54Syria between Nasser and the West, 1954-56Battling the Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957-58The United Arab Republic, 1958-61ConclusionNotesAppendix 1: Key datesAppendix 2: Key personalitiesBibliographyIndex

Andrew Rathmell is a director of Aktis Strategy Ltd and Visiting Professor at Exeter University's Strategy and Security Institute.

'Middle East scholars have always had a hard time dealing with conspiracies as explanations for political turmoil. On the one hand, the political culture is prone to explain everything in terms of conspiracies, and the lack of tangible evidence is never a barrier to the most imaginative of theories. On the other hand, it is clearly naive to dismiss the political role of various intelligence services, particularly in the 1950s. The virtue of this book is that it examines the evidence supporting and refuting covert activity in Syria - an excellent choice since that nation was the target of many covert actions by its neighbours as well as powers outside the region.' William B. Quant, Foreign Affairs 'Rathmell - focus[es] on the "almost constant intrigues" in which Middle Eastern politicians indulged, and - show[s] just how important these are. He concludes, correctly, that Middle Eastern phobias about the West are partly justified, but that the main source of covert action lies within the region itself... And he locates the origins of today's rogue activities, especially terrorism, in the activities of forty years ago.' Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly

• AcknowledgementsA note on transliterationAbbreviationsPreface to the paperback editionIntroductionSyria in its environmentCoups and covert actionThe Shiskali era, 1949-54Syria between Nasser and the West, 1954-56Battling the Eisenhower Doctrine, 1957-58The United Arab Republic, 1958-61ConclusionNotesAppendix 1: Key datesAppendix 2: Key personalitiesBibliographyIndex