The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations

In this provocative and timely book, Middle East expert Lee Smith overturns long-heldWestern myths and assumptions about the Arab world, offering...more

In this provocative and timely book, Middle East expert Lee Smith overturns long-heldWestern myths and assumptions about the Arab world, offering advice for America’s future success in the region. Seeking the motivation behind the September 11 attacks, Smith moved to Cairo, where he discovered that the standard explanation—a clash of East and West—was simply not the case. Middle East conflicts have little to do with Israel, the United States, or the West in general, but are endemic to the region. According to Smith’s “Strong Horse Doctrine,” the Arab world naturally aligns itself with strength, power, and violence. He argues that America must be the strong horse in order to reclaim its role there, and that only by understanding the nature of the region’s ancient conflict can we succeed.   less