In recent years, and particularly post-9/11, West Asian lands have become the base as well as the target of political and social turbulence. This turbulence has manifested itself in various forms of extremism, terrorism and anti-Western sentiments. Travelling Through Conflict explores the geopolitical imperatives and societal impulses that have induced conflict in the region, and tries to understand the dynamics of change in West Asia. A collection of academic papers, book-review essays and op-ed articles, this book, written over five years by an Indian diplomat with extensive experience of living and working in West Asian countries, sheds light on the root causes of recent and current turmoil. Travelling Through Conflict deals with two broad themes: contemporary questions pertaining to religion and politics in the Muslim world, as well as their implications for state policy; and specific subjects in the politics of West Asian countries, especially in relation to Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Saudi Arabia, the security of the Persian-Gulf, and proposed reforms.Advance PraiseMohammed Ayoob University Distinguished Professor of International Relations Michigan State University, USA Hamid Ansari has served in top diplomatic positions in more countries of the Middle East than any of his colleagues. He brings the intimate personal knowledge of these countries to bear effectively in his writings. An intellectual in the true sense of the term, Ansari is able to distance himself from his subjects and yet demonstrate empathy for them. His analysis of the Arab and the Indian Muslims? predicaments has been presented in a way that makes complex issues comprehensible to the lay reader. This collection of his writings?forms an excellent commentary on many major issues of our times. Joseph A. Kechichian Author of Succesion in Saudi Arabia (2001) and The Just Prince (2003) Through erudite essays on ?West Asia?, a preferred term over the Eurocentric and imperial ?Middle East?, Hamid Ansari walks his reader through many fault lines, to elucidate what many perceive to be violent behavior. A painter with a gentle brush, Ansari strokes nuances, clarifies arguments, cajoles commentaries, and criticizes intolerant investigations. He concentrates on what can be accomplished, and cautions those who take liberties to redraw maps and recreate new entities. At a time when fanaticism dominates public discourse, the reader is rewarded with a dose of humanity, interlocked in neutral prose that values traditions and supports modernity. Chinmaya R. Gharekhan Chairman, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts A timely and significant contribution to the ongoing, and often ill-informed, debate on Islam and the contemporary world. This book will help in spreading a proper understanding of the nature of Islam, the need for it to reform and the attempts being made by Islamic scholars to bring Islam into the mainstream of current realities without sacrificing the true essence of Islam.ContentsPart I: Of Islam and Muslims 1. Islam and the Democratic Principle 2. Religion and Politics 3. Militant Islam 4. The US and the Muslim World 5. Indian Muslims: A PerceptionPart II: In the Eye of the Storm 6. Securing the Persian Gulf-I 7. Securing the Persian Gulf-II 8. Palestinian Militancy and the Peace Process 9. Afghanistan: A Neighbour with a Difference 10. Palestine: Room for Diplomacy? 11. Reforming Saudi Arabia 12. Iraq Quagmire-I 13. Iraq Quagmire-II 14. Reforming the 'Greater Middle East' Part III: Occasional Musings 15. A Failed Edifice of Modernity 16. Timidity in Negotiations 17. Israel and the Arab State System 18. A New Paradigm for Human Rights Part IV: Appendices 19.Palestine 20.Saudi Reforms 21.MapsIndex