Shadow Wars

Christopher Davidson is a Reader in Middle East Politics at Durham University.

‘This is an outstanding book, bracing in its understanding of the rapacious forces that set upon the Middle East and meticulous in weaving the historical threads that explain why.’

• Introduction 1  Counter-revolution – A Pattern EmergesLessons from the past – nothing is newLessons from the past – the preventive counter-revolutionsBritain’s hungry empireThe threat from Arab nationalismTrouble on the Arabian Peninsula – revolution reaches YemenThe contagion spreads – the Sultanate of OmanThe smaller sheikhdoms – preventive measures 2  Cold War, Oil War – America Takes OverAmerica’s even hungrier empireAmerica’s global counter-revolutionAmerica’s Middle East – special treatment for a special caseRemoving the rivals – Iranian democracyRemoving the rivals – taking on the ArabsStrengthening the status quo – the arms tradeStrengthening the status quo – military basesStrengthening the status quo – mercenaries 3  The Road to al-Qaeda – The CIA’s BabySearching for an Islamic state – Britain’s caliphateSearching for an Islamic state – Wahhabism and the Muslim BrotherhoodMobilizing jihad – the case of AfghanistanOperation Cyclone – Anglo-American jihadForeign fighters, foreign cashThe Islamic Republic of Iran – a secret relationship 4  Allied to Jihad – Useful IdiotsThe Taliban – America’s new allyKeeping bin Laden on boardThe war against Serbia – Bosnian jihadThe war against Serbia – Kosovan jihadThe Libyan Islamic Fighting Group – Britain’s new allyThe road to 9/11 – managing blowback9/11 – saving Saudi Arabia9/11 – protecting the funding networksThe fake ‘War on Terror’ – AfghanistanThe fake ‘War on Terror’ – Iraq 5  The Arab Spring – A System ThreatenedA new challenge, a new hopeThe road to 2011 – regimes in decayTunisia – the Jasmine RevolutionEgypt – the Republic of TahrirYemen – revolution in ArabiaBreaking the fear barrier – a chance for cosmopolitanismThe economic storm – enter neo-liberalismThe economic storm – the rise of crony capitalismThe economic storm – the rise of Gulf capitalismFrom modernizing Arabs to revolutionary ArabsCosmopolitan communications – from satellites to social media 6  Plan ‘A’ – Islamists Versus the Deep StateThe need for counter-revolutionEgypt – back to the BrotherhoodEgypt – an uneasy allianceEgypt – military dictatorshipEgypt – ‘Sisi mania’Egypt – the Qatar connectionEgypt – Saudi Arabia takes on the BrotherhoodTunisia – under pressureTunisia – sleepwalking to counter-revolutionYemen – outmanoeuvring the Arab SpringBahrain – the forgotten revolution 7  Plan ‘B’ – A Fake Arab SpringContainable protestsAxis against axis – faking the Arab SpringLibya – Gaddafi’s strange regimeLibya – flirting with neo-liberalismLibya – not so supplicantLibya – the uprisingLibya – subverting the National Transitional CouncilLibya – NATO takes actionLibya – an international crimeLibya – the scramble for assetsLibya – a role for al-QaedaLibya – searching for a SisiSyria – parallel plansSyria – the uprising beginsSyria – preparing for interventionSyria – enter the proxiesSyria – arming the rebelsSyria – searching for the ‘red line’Syria – back to the battlefieldSyria – the media warYemen – a painful interventionYemen – bringing back al-Qaeda 8  Enter the Islamic State – A Phantom MenaceAl-Qaeda’s limitsThe need for ‘national jihadists’Iraq – the incubation chamberIraq – the emerging Islamic StateIraq – the proto-caliphateThe Islamic State – mysterious new leadershipThe Islamic State – a persuasive ideologyOpportunities in SyriaExpansion in IraqThe caliphate restoredThe resurrection of Saddam Hussein‘Remaining and expanding’ – services and recruitment‘Remaining and expanding’ – masters of propaganda 9  The Islamic State – A Strategic AssetQui bono – to whose profit?The manufacturing of evil – the new bogeymanThe business of evil – a history of cashing inThe business of evil – the arms industry bonanzaSurprise, surprise – the Islamic State came from nowhereThe strangest road to warA campaign of contradictionsExplaining failure – the official lineSuspicions mount – challenging the narrativeFollow the money – the self-funding narrativeFollow the money – the Islamic State’s fundersFunders need facilitators – the role of Turkey 10 The Islamic State – A Gift That Keeps GivingThe return of the ‘War on Terror’The Islamic State in LibyaThe Islamic State in YemenThe fight for MaliBoko Haram – Nigeria under attackBoko Haram – the shift to the Islamic StateBoko Haram – generous sponsorsBoko Haram – delivering resultsBeyond Panetta – other pledges to the Islamic StateRussia and China – superpower implications Epilogue – Keeping the Wheel TurningGetting business back to usualThe exploitation of EgyptWild card number one – opening up IranA new Iran, a new sectarian warWild card number two – American oilA new Saudi Arabia, a new chapter Notes Index