American OrientalismAmerican Orientalism
Little begins by exposing the persistence of "orientalist" stereotypes in American popular culture and then examines U.S. policy toward the Middle East from many angles. Chapters focus on America's increasing dependence on petroleum; U.S.-Israeli relations; the threat of communism; the rise of revolutionary nationalist movements in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Libya; the futility of U.S. military and covert intervention; and the unsuccessful attempt to broker a "peace-for-land" settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The overarching theme of the book is that a combination of American omnipotence and profound cultural misunderstanding ensured that the United States would encounter trouble in the Middle East after 1945 and continues to bedevil the relationship between these vastly different cultures to the present day.
Little explores the American encounter with the Middle East since 1945, focusing particularly on the complex and sometimes inconsistent attitudes and interests that have shaped U.S. relations with the region.
The history professor reconstructs America's modern relationship with the Middle East, beginning with the end of World War II and the creation of the State of Israel. (History)
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- Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, c2002.
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