Must Read Articles
​on the Middle East

Articles are not listed in any particular order. All are recommended for an improved understanding of the topic.
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Fractured Lands: How the Arab World Came Apart

Scott Anderson
​The New York Times Magazine
​10 August 2016

Simply stated, this is the best single article one can read to understand the complex problems embroiling the Middle East.  It is long; more than 40,000 words.  It is written in a narrative that tells the story of the region through the life experiences of six people from Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Iraq.  It is worth the time to read and ponder what this means for the region and for the US.

Inside Iran's Mission to Dominate the Middle East

Borzou Daragahi
​Buzz Feed News
30 July 2017

This is the best article I have read to provide the general scope and conduct of Iranian operations around the Middle East.  This provides information on Maneuver in the Narrative Space from an Iranian perspective.  The goals for Iran are spelled out by an Iranian International relations professor about half way into the article – in short, they are an expeditionary force that intends to secure Iran by promoting Iranian interests abroad.  A few paragraphs later, the author provides the conceptual underpinnings of Iranian maneuver in the narrative space.

The Libya Gamble, Part 1: Hillary Clinton, Smart Power’ and a Dictator’s Fall

The Libya Gamble, Part 2: A New Libya, With ‘Very Little Time Left

Joe Becker and Scott Shane
The New York Times
27 February 2016
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These two articles provide information on US government decision making and the conduct of the war in Libya.  They also provide information on how the initial overthrow of Muammar Ghaddafi developed into the current situation in Libya today.