Battleground | Christopher Phillips

Battleground: 10 Conflicts That Explain the New Middle East

Praise & Significance

• Essential Geopolitical Guide: Recognized as a crucial and timely resource for understanding the complex dynamics of the modern Middle East.
• Comprehensive Analysis: Provides a deep dive into the post-American regional power vacuum and the ensuing scramble for influence by global powers.

Extended Synopsis

The Middle East is in crisis. The shocking events of the war in Gaza have rocked the entire region. More than a decade ago, the Arab Spring had raised hopes of a new beginning but instead ushered in a series of civil wars, coups, and even harsher autocracies. Tensions were exacerbated by the meddling of outsiders, as regional and global powers sought to further their interests. The United States, for so long the dominant actor, had stepped back, leaving a vacuum behind it to be fought over.

Christopher Phillips explores geopolitical rivalries in the region, and the major external powers vying for influence: Russia, China, the EU, and the US. Moving through ten key flashpoints, from Syria to Palestine, Phillips argues that the United States’ overextension after the Cold War, and retreat in the 2010s, has imbalanced the region. Today, the Middle East remains blighted by conflicts of unprecedented violence and a post-American scramble for power—leaving its fate in the balance.

About the Author

Christopher Phillips is an expert and author specializing in international relations and the history of the Middle East. His work focuses on examining regional power dynamics, conflict resolution, and the geopolitical impacts of global superpowers on Middle Eastern stability.

Reader Targeting

• Students and academics of political science, international relations, and Middle Eastern history.
• Readers seeking to understand the ongoing geopolitical shifts, regional rivalries, and conflicts in the modern Middle East.
• Professionals in foreign policy, journalism, and global economics interested in the post-American scramble for regional influence.

Bibliographic & Physical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What central argument does the author make in Battleground?
Christopher Phillips argues that the United States' overextension after the Cold War and subsequent retreat in the 2010s imbalanced the Middle East, leading to a power vacuum and a volatile scramble for influence by global powers.

Which external powers are analyzed in this book?
The book explores the geopolitical rivalries and maneuvering of major external powers, specifically Russia, China, the European Union, and the United States.

How many conflicts are covered?
The book focuses on ten key flashpoints, moving from Syria to Palestine, to explain the current crisis in the region.

Bust-Down Books: More Than a Bookstore