This is the most up-to-date book your students can find on the past, present, and future of the countries of the Middle East. A statistical profile at the start of each country's chapter gives students detailed, current information in an easy-to-use at-a-glance format. Author, playwright, and journalist, Dilip Hiro applies his expertise and unique insights to explaining the struggles, conflicts, and alliances of this troubled area. From the days of Great Britain's dominance after World War I to the Gulf War and the emergence of the Palestinian National Authority in the 1990s, Hiro successfully weaves the varied threads of history, politics, and economics into a narrative that never lacks for high-interest drama.