{"product_id":"beware-of-small-states","title":"Beware Of Small States","description":"\u003cp\u003e''Beware of Small States'' wrote Mikhail Bukanin in 1870. He could have meant Lebanon: a sectarian state no bigger than Wales that has become battleground for one of the defining conflicts of twentieth-century history. Throughout its short existence, it has been attacked, invaded, occupied or interfered with to serve the political interests of foreign powers, resulting a series of devastating wars and crises. To understand Lebanon''s history is to understand the history of the entire region - and, with the rise of Hizbullah, it has come to assume a disproportionate, dangerous power of its own. Iran and Israel now face each other in the hills of south Lebanon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDavid Hirst, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Gun and the Olive Branch\u003c\/i\u003e, is a hugely respected commentator on the Arab-Israeli crisis. In a masterly narrative, he gives a much-needed, comprehensive history of the country and its conflicts, culminating with the recent war in Gaza and its fallout in Lebanon. Powerful and often moving, \u003ci\u003eBeware of Small States\u003c\/i\u003e is a magisterial book, essential reading for understanding Lebanon or the current political climate of the Middle East.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57318889914750,"sku":"NW9780571237425","price":12.47,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9780571237425.jpg?v=1778700512","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/products\/beware-of-small-states","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}