A request for pointers

[stonebender]

I think of my friends here as a very bright group. Perhaps this is an impossible request, but I've been thinking about the stuff going on in the Middle East for obvious reasons. It occurs to me that I'm forming opinions with less and less understanding of the situation there. Would anybody have some good places to start reading about the Middle East and the forces contributing to the mess going on there? I know people could spend a lifetime, but I'm trying to figure out a good place to start. I'd prefer online sources, but if there are some good books that would give me a general overview to start with that's good too.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I'm in the middle of a few things and Joe'll be here in a minute, but here's what I bookmarked last night to read tonight:
http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0714-12.htm

[baerana.livejournal.com]

that's amazing! i was just about to post the exact same thing
will be watching this thread w/ interest :)

[sturgeonslawyer.livejournal.com]

H'mmm: the commondreams.org site seems to be decidedly biased. But I have a feeling that there are few if any sites for "unbiassed" information.

The thing is, how far back do you want to go? For at least six decades, every side has been able to justify their actions as self-defense/justice for the actions of the others. I have a kind of desire to blame the British for the whole thing (much as I blame the French for the Indochina wars), because in retreating from their empire they deliberately -- or so it seems -- drew lines (like the ones around India/Pakistan) that would create maximum conflict among the locals; and they did similarly in the Middle East.

I know, I know, you weren't asking for our personal opinions... my point really is that opinions are almost all there is to find at this point; there is no unbiassed viewpoint on where/how all this crap started.

[snippy]

That's a pretty general request, and most of what I've read addresses specific questions.

This is a refutation of the idea that Israel is a mistake.

This contrasts treatment of Muslims in Israel with treat of Jews in Muslim countries.

This discusses some of the actors and events of the last few years.

This is an Iraqi's view of the current conflict.

[abostick59.livejournal.com]

About what's going on right now two good summaries are Juan Cole's in Salon (http://salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/07/07/gaza/) and Billmon's response on Whiskey Bar (http://billmon.org/archives/002523.html). Cole attributes to malice what Billmon adequately explains with stupidity. Cole is in general the go-to guy on Middle East issues.