Power, faith, and fantasy

Michael B. Oren's book traces the United States' 230-year relationship with the Middle East, starting from the Revolutionary War and encounters with Barbary pirates, through 19th-century missionary efforts and Restorationism supporting a Jewish state in Palestine, to 20th-century diplomatic and military engagements up to the Iraq War. It examines how U.S.

policy has been shaped by strategic power interests, religious faith influencing attitudes toward the region, and romanticized fantasies drawn from popular culture like Arabian Nights.

Oren argues that contemporary challenges echo historical patterns, providing context for modern U.S.

-Middle East relations.