Power and policy in Syria : intelligence service, foreign relations and democracy in the modern Middle East /
Radwan Ziadeh.
- London : I.B. Tauris , 2011.
- xxi, 228 pages ; 20 cm.
As Bashar al-Asad rescinds emergency rule in the face of demonstrations and protests, Syria finds itself in a key position in a Middle East beset by regional tensions, the repercussions of the global "war on terror" and popular uprisings. The bloodless coup by General Hafez al-Assad, in 1970, put in place a powerful autocratic machinery at the core of the state which continues today under the control of his son Bashar. Here, Radwan Ziadeh presents a fresh and penetrating analysis of Syria's political structure - a "despotic" state monopoly, a bureaucratic climate marked by fear, and the administrative structure through which centralized control is exercised. With a focus on Syria's intelligence services which have significant influence in legal and policy decisions, and the conditions and patterns of foreign policy decision-making, particularly vis-a-vis the US, Power and Policy in Syria is essential reading for all those interested in Syria, the modern Middle East, International Relations, and Security Studies.
9781848854345 (hbk.) : USD92.00
INTELLIGENCE SERVICE --SYRIA SECRET SERVICE --SYRIA DEMOCRACY --SYRIA