Asad: The Struggle for the Middle East

For more than twenty years, the ruler of Syria, Hafiz ad-Asad, has been at the heart of the struggle for power in the Middle East. A remote, enigmatic figure, he is arguably the most important Arab leader of our time. Based on unique access to the Syrian ruler, his associates, and his adversaries, Patrick Seale’s biography traces how Asad developed from a simple country boy into a politician of great subtlety in a series of brutal contests with such skilled opponents as Henry Kissinger and Anwar al-Sadat, Golda Meir and Menachem Begin, King Husayn of Jordan, Saddam Husayn of Iraq, and U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz. Asad’s rule has been dedicated to a battle with Israel—and his fellow Arabs—for supremacy in the Middle East. Seale’s biography tells a tale of war and diplomacy, of frustrated ambition, of intrigue and dirty tricks. Drawing on interviews with dozens of key participants, Seale explodes many myths about the Six Day War of 1967, the Black September crisis of 1970, the October War of 1973, the Lebanese Civil War of 1975–76, about how Egypt made peace with Israel and Iraq went to war against Iran, and about Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982 with its ugly sequel of anarchy, violence, and hostage taking. Asad’s dramatic story throws light on virtually every important episode of Middle East history since the 1960s. For many, Asad remains an enigma despite his international prominence. Now for the first time this book reveals the full truth about Asad’s early years, his skill as a conspirator, and his ruthless, often brutal, but always masterful rise to power. He emerges as a leader driven by his personal vision for Syria and the Arab world.

Table of Contents:
Preface PART ONE: THE REVOLUTIONARY 1 Coming Down the Mountain 2 The French Legacy 3 Party School and Army College 4 The Peasants' Revolt 5 The Cairo Conspiracy 6 Capturing the State 7 Capturing the Party 8 Blindly to the Brink 9 The Six Day Walkover 10 The Fight to the Top 11 The Black September Fiasco PART TWO: THE LEADER 12 Asad's State 13 Sadat, the Unsound Ally 14 The October Illusion 15 Duel with Henry Kissinger 16 1975: The Year Things Fell Apart 17 The Lebanese Trap 18 Jimmy Carter's False Dawn 19 The Enemy Within 20 Standing Alone 21 Ally of the Ayatollah 22 Battle with Menachem Begin 23 The Defeat of George Shultz 24 The Brothers' War (revised 1995) 25 Forging a Nation 26 Dirty Tricks 27 Conclusions: the Balance Sheet Notes Select Bibliography Index

Review :
"There is much for the student of the Middle East to appreciate and digest in Asad. . . . It offers valuable insight into the development and thinking of this hard man, whose stubborn desire to stay at the center of events is a reality that cannot be ignored. . . . Mr. Seale does not shrink from describing the darker side of Asad's rule—the corruption, the suppression of dissent by torture and killing, and the use of terrorism as a tool of policy." "This is a book in the finest tradition of investigative scholarship. The research is awesome. . . . Seale's great strength is his ability to explain the confusing kaleidoscopic nature of Middle Eastern diplomacy. He understands the game being played and also knows the players. . . . [An] impressive book." "A major contribution to our knowledge and understanding of Middle East politics, written with insight and sympathy. Although Seale is evidently fascinated by his subject, the account given is generally fair and objective, and represents an honest attempt to confront the blacker sides of recent Syrian history." "More than an excellent biography of Hafiz al-Asad, Syria's national leader, this is a tour de force of contemporary Syrian history and politics .... Seale perceives Asad as a masterful politician maneuvering Syria into a position of dominance in the Middle East and uncovers much of the mystery that has surrounded the Syrian leader by documenting Asad's interactions, directly and indirectly, with national and regional leaders. Well recommended and indeed required reading for anyone interested in the contemporary Middle East."