This book surveys the main conflicts and insurgencies in recent Middle East history, focusing mainly on the period since the 1980s. Taking a historical-analytical appreaoch, it covers challenges from revolutionary groups, civil wars and the main conventional wars in the region. In addition to providing detailed narratives, the contributors also analyse the lessons for political and military affairs stemming from these conflicts.

What do Middle Eastern armies do? / Barry Rubin -- The Arab as insurgent and counterinsurgent / Norvell B. DeAtkine -- The Iran-Iraq War : will without means / Joana Dodds and Benjamin Wilson -- The lessons of the jihadist insurgency in Saudi Arabia / Hassan Mneimneh -- Egypt's civil war / Barry Rubin -- Terrorism as a military factor : the Israeli-Palestinian peace process era, 1993-2000 / Boaz Ganor -- Lebanon 2006 : unfinished war / Jonathan Spyer -- Lebanon's militia wars / Tony Badran -- The Soviet-Afghan War : a superpower mired in the mountains / Lester W. Grau -- The Morocco-Polisario War for western Sahara, 1975-1991 / Jacob Mundy -- Islamism and insurgency in post-independence Algeria / Yahia H. Zoubir -- The Iraq insurgency / William S. McCallister -- Innovation and war : the U.S. military and the Iraq insurgency / James A. Russell.