Böcker av Edgar O'Ballance

For many centuries, the mountainous Caucasus region was a strategic backwater, inhabited by insular peoples and tribes, where the raw edges of Christian and Muslim empires rubbed abrasively together. Most of the Caucasus was absorbed into the Russian empire in the 10th century; its 112 recognized nationalities were thus all eventually smothered by the Soviet Union, only to reemerge with a vengeance when the Soviet empire collapsed. In the 1990's, the saga of the Caucasus republics has been one of clashing war-lord militias, coups and international attention of now increasingly focused on the tension, particularly since the discovery of the vast Caspian-Azerbaijan oil fields, reputed to exceed those of Kuwait. A pithy, accessible account of recent developments in Chechnya and Georgia and of the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaujan ethnic conflict, Edgar O'Ballance's latest book is the perfect primer for those hoping to gain a basic understanding of this hot spot region.

A fascinating account of the Intifada (struggle) by Palestinians in the Occupied Territories against Israeli governments, the first part of which was a mass civil disobedience movement of ''stone against bullets'', which Israeli security forces contained only with great difficulty, resorting to doubtful methods that included detention without trial, kidnapping and assassinations. Criticized by human rights organisations and the United Nations, Palestinians and the Iranian-supported Hezbollah operated suicide-bombers, and some Palestinians resumed terrorist activity. America intervened sponsoring a comprehensive Middle East peace process in which Israelis dragged their feet, at the same time expanding Jewish settlements on illegal territory. Eventually Arafat became President of the self-ruled Palestine National Authority.

As Soviet Communism dissolved it was replaced in the Caucasus by nationalism enabling the Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to obtain independence: Chechenya is still fighting on.

The Muslim President of Bosnia battled for almost two years in a 'war the West could not stop', against Serb and Croat separatism, to preserve its entity, saving its sovereignty, but losing half his territory.