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strategic importance to the rest of the world.” Dyer admits that even though this will
probably result in a considerable amount of bloodshed and a fundamental transformation
of the political landscape, ultimately the region will sort itself out for the better.
Superficially, the book may appear to be yet another diatribe against American
foreign policies and the intelligence of the current American administration. Indeed, from
the patronage of Israel to its stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Dyer is uncompromising
in his critique of American foreign policy in the Middle East. There is also an unflinching
attack against the neoconservatives, whose motives Dyer connects to efforts to maintain
the superpower status of the United States via control of China’s sources of oil imports.
Yet beyond this lies the true value of this study, namely Dyer’s commendable effort
to piece together the vast cultural, religious, political and historical mosaic of the region.
All too frequently, geopolitical assessments have tended to focus almost exclusively
upon one particular aspect or another, resulting in an incomplete picture. While some of
his points are certainly debatable, Dyer’s systematic breakdown of the internal social
and political dynamics of Middle Eastern countries reveals a host of motivations and selfinterests.
Contrary to the fears of some political analysts, these pose an almost
insurmountable barrier to the emergence of any unified ‘Shia crescent’ or new Caliphate.
Even if Islamist governments should emerge in the aftermath of any American
withdrawal, Dyer notes they are unlikely to be as rabidly fanatical as is feared. Moreover,
their ascension to power might turn out to be a good thing. With the Americans out of the
region, a great deal of their ideological thunder would be rendered mute and they would
be left with the much more difficult task of running a country. Should their efforts be less
than successful, it is utterly conceivable that their populations, tiring of their religious
zeal, would turn to more prosperous democratic forms of government. While many of the
other possible outcomes Dyer details are bleak or utterly catastrophic, and include ethnic
cleansing and the use of nuclear weapons, instead of unrealistic fears they are based
upon solid assessments and a comprehensive understanding of the forces at work.
Admittedly, despite the breadth of Dyer’s coverage, his account is a journalistic
assessment rather than an academic study. The lack of a bibliography, footnotes, or an
index undermines what would otherwise have been an extremely insightful and useful
source to further the study of the issues it addresses. Moreover, little or no mention was
made of the past, present, or future involvement of Russia, China, or Europe in the
region. Even if the United States has played the greatest role, it would be naïve to
assume that it has been the only force influencing and shaping events in the Middle East.
Even though such omissions detract somewhat from its comprehensiveness, they
do not compromise the significance of this study. Easy to read and written in an informal
tone, The Mess They Made is an important starting point for any informed speculation
regarding the transformation of the Middle East in a post-Iraq world.
Canadian Army Journal Vol. 11.1 Spring 2008