A provocative story of war that offers rare insight into the real effects of conflict on civilians, reporters, and societies themselves. Once it was simple to write about war. States or ideologies clashed; battles were fought between national armies or movements. But war has changed. War has become “privatized” by small armed groups, states have fragmented and the conventional arms of the West are found wanting against warlordism. Drawing on the author’s experiences as a foreign correspondent in the world’s most dangerous places, The Secret Life of War focuses on the human cost of war: to the combatants, to civilians and to the author, as one who bears witness. Every encounter is arresting: a visit to the bombed and abandoned home of Mullah Omar; a deserted Al Qaeda camp where a plan to attack London is found; young bomb-throwers in Rafah refugee camp. Unflinching and exquisitely written, The Secret Life of War goes beyond classic reportage: it is a deeply personal and defining vision of the inner, secret nature of modern war.

Peter Beaumont has been on the ground in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya as the 'Arab Spring' has blossomed. He has witnessed the uprisings in all their messy reality. In this ebook he explains what is going on in the region and explodes the myths that the uprisings can be interpreted as an easily explainable revolution. He draws linkages between the countries ruled over by authoritarian regimes that promise 'reform' which is actually impossible to deliver, the frustration and anger this has caused, and then how this fulminated and eventually exploded, triggering a domino effect across the region. BRAIN SHOTS is the pre-eminent source for high quality, short-form digital non-fiction. The Summer of Unrest series brings together stellar writers to explore the issues surrounding the austerity measures in the UK, uprisings in the Middle East and the nature of the protest movements springing up all over the world.

This book, first published in 1976 and in this second edition in 1988, combines an examination of the political, cultural and economic geography of the Middle East with a detailed study of the region’s landscape features, natural resources, environmental conditions and ecological evolution. The Middle East, with its extremes of climate and terrain, has long fascinated those interested in the fine balance between man and his environment, and now its economic and political importance in world affairs has brought the region to the attention of everybody.

The second edition of the standard work on the subject. Offers comprehensive coverage of general Middle Eastern geography, and how historical, political, and socioeconomic factors relate to the environment and applied geography of the region. Early chapters cover systematic and regional geography, including geomorphology, climate, hydrology, population, land use, and industry, supported by uncluttered maps, clear line drawings, and high quality photographs. Later chapters comprise essays on topics significant to each country, placing the geographical facts in a broader perspective. ``The most current and comprehensive coverage of general Middle East geography....the work is also an outstanding reference and includes one of the best geographical bibliographies yet assembled on the Middle East.'' Geography Education On the first edition

Drylands, which cover over half the world's area, have witnessed rapid development, exploitation and change with the discovery of mineral reserves, urbanization and population growth. Environmental management is critical to the conservation and sustainable use of resources. This comprehensive text offers a systematic study of the physical nature of drylands and the history of human response to and uses of these harsh landscapes. Detailed case studies, including urban as well as pastoral drylands from California to Soviet Central Asia, the Middle East, the Sahara and Australia, contrast different management approaches and problems.