Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam (American Empire Project) (American Empire Project)

"The most clear and engaging history of the deadly, historic partnership between Western powers and political Islam."--Salon.com __Devil's Game__ is the first comprehensive account of America's misguided efforts, stretching across decades, to dominate the strategically vital Middle East by courting and cultivating Islamic fundamentalism. Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews with dozens of policy makers and CIA, Pentagon, and foreign service officials, Robert Dreyfuss follows the trail of American collusion from support for the Muslim Brotherhood in 1950s Egypt, to links with Khomeini and Afghani jihadists, to longstanding ties between radical Islamists and the leading banks of the West. The result is as tragic as it is paradoxical: originally deployed as pawns to foil nationalism and communism, extremist mullahs and ayatollahs now dominate the landscape, thundering against freedom of thought, science, women's rights, secularism--and their former patron. Chronicling a history of double-dealing, cynical exploitation, and humiliating embarrassment that continues to this day, __Devil's Game__ reveals a pattern that, far from furthering democracy or security, ensures a future of blunders and blowback.

the Most Clear And Engaging History Of The Deadly, Historic Partnership Between Western Powers And Political Islam.—salon.com

devil's Game Is The First Comprehensive Account Of America's Misguided Efforts, Stretching Across Decades, To Dominate The Strategically Vital Middle East By Courting And Cultivating Islamic Fundamentalism.

drawing On Extensive Archival Research And Interviews With Dozens Of Policy Makers And Cia, Pentagon, And Foreign Service Officials, Robert Dreyfuss Follows The Trail Of American Collusion From Support For The Muslim Brotherhood In 1950s Egypt, To Links With Khomeini And Afghani Jihadists, To Longstanding Ties Between Radical Islamists And The Leading Banks Of The West. The Result Is As Tragic As It Is Paradoxical: Originally Deployed As Pawns To Foil Nationalism And Communism, Extremist Mullahs And Ayatollahs Now Dominate The Landscape, Thundering Against Freedom Of Thought, Science, Women's Rights, Secularism—and Their Former Patron.

chronicling A History Of Double-dealing, Cynical Exploitation, And Humiliating Embarrassment That Continues To This Day, devil's Game Reveals A Pattern That, Far From Furthering Democracy Or Security, Ensures A Future Of Blunders And Blowback.

"Among the hidden stories of U.S. collusion with radical Islam that Dreyfuss reveals here are President Eisenhower's 1953 Oval Office meeting with a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the United States' later secret alliance with that group and their Saudi patrons against Egypt's President Nasser. Dreyfuss meticulously documents the CIA's funding of the Iranian ayatollahs in the coup d'etat that restored Iran's shah to power, the United States' support for Saudi Arabia's efforts to create a worldwide Islamic bloc as an antidote to Arab nationalism, and the longstanding ties between Islamic fundamentalists and the leading banks of the West "Devil's Game is the previously untold account of America's misguided efforts, stretching across six decades, to cultivate the Islamic right in an effort to dominate the economically and strategically vital Middle East. Drawing on archival research and interviews with policy makers and CIA, defense, and foreign-service officials, Robert Dreyfuss argues that America's historic alliance with the Islamic right is greatly to blame for the emergence of Islamist terrorism in the 1990s." With clarity and rigor, Dreyfuss also chronicles how the United States looked the other way when Israel's secret service supported the creation of the radical Palestinian-group Hamas and how a secretive clique of American strategists in the 1970s exploited political Islam to conduct a proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan - leading directly to the rise of the Taliban."--Jacket Provides the story of America's misguided efforts, stretching across decades, to dominate the strategically vital Middle East by courting and cultivating Islamic fundamentalists. THERE IS AN unwritten chapter in the history of the Cold War and the New World Order that followed.