Description
When protesters in Egypt began to fill Cairo’s Tahrir Square on January 25,
2011—and refused to leave until their demand that Hosni Mubarak step down
was met—the politi of the region changed overnight. And the United States’
long friendship with the man who had ruled under emergency law for thirty
years came starkly into question. The Road to Tahrir Square is the first
book to connect past and present—from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s brief meeting
with King Farouk near the end of World War II, to Barack Obama’s 2009
speech in Cairo, and the recent fall of Mubarak—offering readers an
understanding of the events and forces determining American policy in this
important region. Making full use of the available records, including the
controversial WikiLeaks archive, renowned historian Lloyd C. Gardner shows
how the United States has sought to influence Egypt through economic aid,
massive military assistance, and CIA manipulations—an effort that has
immediate implications for how the current crisis will alter the balance of
power in the Middle East. As millions around the world ponder how the
Egyptian Revolution will change the face of the region and the world, here
is both a fascinating story of past policies and an essential guide to
possible futures. ‘When it comes to understanding the tangle of
contradictions addling present-day US policy in the Arab world, Lloyd
Gardner has become our most astute guide. This compact, timely, and
altogether admirable study is his best yet.’ Andrew J. Bacevich, author of
Washington Rules: America''s Path to Permanent War ‘This book is a clear,
concise, and insightful account of Egypt’s long decline, focusing on both
the mistakes of its own leaders and the ignorant meddling of outside
powers.’ Stephen Kinzer, former New York Times correspondent and author of
Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq
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