by Yevgeny Primakov, translated from the Russian by Paul Gould.
Published by Basic Books: A Member of Perseus Books Group, New York. 387 pages, 2009.
Reviewed by Commander Youssef Aboul-Enein, MSC, USN
Good analysis is about cultivating perspectives, seeing from the vantage point of others, we must resist the urge not to empathize with an adversary and enter their decision cycles, biases, and mental framework. In 2006, Yevgeny Primakov published in Russian his reflections on the Middle East, last year a translation of his book was made available to English speaking readers. Primakov has served as a journalist, diplomat, and has risen to become Russian Foreign Minister, and Russia's Prime Minister. His book offers rare insight, but also makes some very perplexing accusations against the United States without any sourcing, referencing, or even the context by which he arrived at his views. For instance, on page 17, he states that Bin Laden was given the green light to recruit fighters, even within the United States, for the Soviet-Afghan War, implying complicity of the CIA in such an endeavor. In his chapter on Lebanon, Primakov blames the assassination of popular Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on rogue elements of the Syrian Special Forces, but he makes no allowances in his discussion on the mysterious suicide of Ghazi Kanaan, head of Syria's Military Intelligence, or potential involvement of Hizbullah.
The book does contain excellent assessments of Arab leaders from the 1950s to the present with a focus on Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, and Yemen. Primakov's assessment and analysis of Egyptian President Sadat's shift to the west was an excellent piece of alternative thinking that Primakov engaged in while the Soviet leadership wanted to believe the status quo. He also warns that nation-states should not lump Islamic fundamentalism with violent Islamist extremism. The author also discusses how the Soviets utilized the newspaper Pravda, and the TASS News Agency to spread disinformation, and counter-narratives. It is troubling to see to what extent the media was an organ of the state in the former Soviet Union and its influence it would have in decision making. Primakov has an excellent grasp of the relationships of Egyptian strongman Gamal Abdel-Nasser with members of his internal circle and the Revolutionary Command Council, as well as an interesting chapter on the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Despite some of the problems of Primakov's work, Middle East, and Russia experts and foreign area officers will enjoy his perspectives. You will also detect chauvinistic and biased Russian thinking not only on American government policies, but also the Arabs themselves.
Commander Aboul-Enein is the Subject Matter Expert on Violent Islamist Ideology at the Joint Intelligence Task Force for Combating Terrorism. He also teaches part time at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he is Adjunct Islamic Studies Chair. Commander Aboul-Enein is author of "Militant Islamist Ideology: Understanding the Global Threat," published by Naval Institute Press (2010).