---
product_id: 46049813
title: "Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect Paperback – Illustrated, September 20, 2016"
brand: "reese erlichnoam chomsky laureate professor  university of arizona"
price: "€ 42.78"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 7
url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/46049813-inside-syria-the-backstory-of-their-civil-war-and-what
store_origin: GR
region: Greece
---

# Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect Paperback – Illustrated, September 20, 2016

**Brand:** reese erlichnoam chomsky laureate professor  university of arizona
**Price:** € 42.78
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect Paperback – Illustrated, September 20, 2016 by reese erlichnoam chomsky laureate professor  university of arizona
- **How much does it cost?** € 42.78 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/46049813-inside-syria-the-backstory-of-their-civil-war-and-what)

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent read for a better understanding of the Syrian/Middle Eastern nightmare!!!!
*by S***S on December 24, 2015*

This book is a fascinating inside view of one of the Syrian centered troubled areas....one of too many in this world. Well researched and written. Written before the the most recent current events in the middle east, the book come across as prophetic. The author has many contact within the various and confusing factions in the Syrian conflict and puts them to good use. The book appears to me to be very balanced, pulling no punches and taking no sides. His sympathies are with all the victims of this ongoing and horribly devastating civil war.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ How Did Syria Get into This Bind and how did the US Unbecessarily Encourage It
*by J***E on December 5, 2014*

Erlich is a fine foreign correspondent with a long history in the Middle East. His sureness of touch is evident throughout. The early sections of the book seem to be mostly an amalgam of his old dispatches hastily glued together without much of a binding narrative. However, the last third of the book about the past three years of turmoil are far more carefully worked. In all it is a valuable explanation of how Syria got to this point and how the United States made a bad situation far worse with its mindless drive to defeat Assad at all costs.

### ⭐⭐⭐ and religious makeup will look like, what the geopolitical consequences will ultimately be
*by A***R on November 24, 2015*

Reese Erlich’s book Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect, gives us an analysis of several critical factors necessary to understanding Syria’s current day conflict to include: The history of Syria following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire to onset of their civil unrest in 2011, a thorough look at Syria’s long history of political instability, an overview of the ideologies which makeup the factions of their internal conflict, and the foreign influences involved within the Syrian Civil War which further complicate the internal and geopolitical situation. Erlich combines both historical data and his own interviews, often with those of opposing ideologies, to illustrate the complexity of the current situation. While the strengths of his book lie in his ability connect Syria’s past to its ongoing Civil War, there are instances where he veers away from conveying a non-biased point of view, and instead attempts to reinforce his own political ideology into the narrative. Nevertheless, we are presented with a well-organized chronology of the events leading up to the catalysts of the 2011 protests which sparked the complex conflict of opposing ideologies which we bear witness to today.Reese Erlich’s thesis is not clearly defined in the opening of his book, as the foreword is provided by social justice advocate and anarcho-syndicalist Noam Chomsky. Instead of a preliminary thesis to examine throughout his book, we are given an outline of how the 2011 social unrest led to the violent uprisings and Civil War which followed. However, we are provided with Erlich’s thesis in the final pages of his book. Erlich attributes the brutality, unpredictability, and complexity of the Syrian Civil war to the foreign intervention which overshadows the fighting taking place between the many ideologies and religious sects inside of Syria. Erlich (2014) states:The longer fighting continued, the more foreign powers interfered. Russia sent massive amounts of arms and provided diplomatic cover for Assad’s repression. Iran sent arms and military advisors, and it facilitated the entry into Syria of Hezbollah and Iraqi militias. The United States, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, and Israel all backed the rebels. The CIA trained selected rebels in Jordan. Foreigners bolstered the ranks of al-Qaeda-affiliated and other extremist rebels, further complicating matters. (p. 235)Erlich concludes that despite the complexity of the situation, the Syrian Civil War will eventually come to an end, and the Syrians will rebuild their country and government (Erlich, 2014). The thesis provided in the closing chapter, however factual, is rooted in the uncertainty of what Syria’s political, economic, and religious makeup will look like, what the geopolitical consequences will ultimately be, and what internal struggles are likely to continue following the conclusion of its Civil War. His chronology of the Syria’s history alludes to, that despite hoping for the best possible outcome, which is currently unknown, this will likely not be the last conflict within Syria’s borders.Aside from just providing a chronology of the history, ideologies, and foreign influences within Syria, Erlich’s reporting gives us insight into each of these factors through his interviews with many outside sources. From his interview with members of the United States State Department in Beirut, to former Palestinian refugees, to the members of the Muslim Brotherhood, we are given additional points of view which add further layers of complexity to the overall battlespace. These sources additionally provide us with insight into the ideologies, perceptions, and misconceptions of those effected by the current conflict. These interviews ultimately support Erlich’s final thesis concept in the sense that the impact of the Syrian Civil War will have far and wide reaching consequences which are yet to be seen.However, Erlich’s book will at times veer away from conveying a non-biased point of view on Syria’s history and the topics covered, and instead leans toward “leftist” ideology in an attempt to add depth to his chronology. Two notable instances of Erlich deviating from a neutral stance on the content he provides can be found in both his analysis of the United States’ foreign policy, and of his apologetic attitude toward the Palestinian movement (including Hezbollah). In Chapter 11 he tries to explain the United States’ foreign policy under the Obama administration, but instead resorts to blaming the shortcomings of President Obama’s inability to influence any outcome within Syria on the Republicans, Libertarians, and isolationists within our House and Senate leadership. Erlich (2014) then claims, “Right-wing isolationists, on the other hand, used anti-interventionist rhetoric to push a racist and xenophobic agenda” (p. 223). This is just one example of where we are presented with a very subjective opinion in a book that should otherwise contain only objective information.In Chapter 10, Erlich talks about his upbringing as a Zionist, and then later abandonment his faith following a debate with the outspoken Berkeley Rabbi Isaiah Zelden over the recognized rights of the Palestinians (Erlich, 2014). From this point forward we are subtly presented with Erlich’s disdain for Israel’s occupation of the Golan heights, Israel’s attacks on Syrian soil (despite these attacks being against suspected Syrian arms support to Hezbollah), and Israel’s internal policies towards Arabs within its borders. However, what connects these inferences to his sentiments of Palestinian apologetics comes in the closing lines of his book when he states, “Palestinian leader Hannan Ashrawi told me Palestinians stand in solidarity with the people of Syria. That makes sense to me. The people of Syria' with their tradition of tolerance' will ultimately prevail” (Erlich, 2014, p. 235). Well, of course the Palestinians stand in solidarity with Assad’s Syria, as Syria has been a substantial supporter of Hezbollah in providing them political and military aid.In summary, Reese Erlich’s book Inside Syria provides us with a substantial chronology of the history of Syria leading up to today’s conflict. The complexity of the situation is well conveyed through his use of historical facts and first hand interviews. Erlich’s elaboration upon the factions attempting to influence the current battlespace of Syria’s Civil War, in addition to his conveyance of the geopolitical climate of foreign influences trying to steer this Civil War in their favor, are well articulated and support the fact that there are too many variables to predict the outcome of the current day Syrian Civil War. Aside from the sometimes heavily subjective and politically motivated opinions provided, we are presented with a great reference for gaining a better understanding the conditions and motivating factors of this conflict.

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*Last updated: 2026-01-29*