The Age of Jihad

Irish journalist Patrick Cockburn reveals the intractability of the Middle East conflict, from Syria to Nigeria, from Tunisia to Afghanistan. He fills in his dispatches, written between 2001 and 2016, with anecdotes from eight Middle East wars. He explains how sectarianism weights any peace process and one country’s circumstances “cross-infect” neighboring countries. He asks if these conflicts could be stopped, if the lust for revenge could be staunched and if the wounds of history could be lanced. Most probably not, he concludes, because, “the demons in this age of chaos and war have become an unstoppable force.” While always politically neutral, getAbstract recommends this informed, sweeping overview.