THE CLASH OF BARBARISMS

The shift in the U.S. global role precipitated by the events of September 11, 2001—although the events were unexpected—was a long time in the making. In this challenging work, Gilbert Achcar analyzes how this shift came about and examines its fateful consequences. Achcar’s Clash of Barbarisms traces the rise of militant and anti-Western Islamic fundamentalism to its roots in U.S. policies aimed at control of the oil reserves of the Middle East, and above all, Saudi Arabia—the “Muslim Texas.” Achcar examines the political premises of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda and shows how these led to the massive miscalculation of the September 11 attacks, with results both politically counterproductive and morally reprehensible.