 The
Algerian Civil War by Luis Martinez, John Entelis
Now entering
its eighth year, the civil war in Algeria shows no sign of imminent
resolution. Yet little has been written about the conflict, its
various participants, and the opinions of Algerians - indeed,
even about what exactly is being fought over. Restrictions on
movement within Algeria have severely limited the ability of foreign
journalists to analyze these issues, and there has been a paucity
of firsthand accounts of how the conflict has played out across
Algeria. Now, one of Europe's leading authorities on contemporary
Algerian politics has gained the kind of access necessary to present
a clear, evenhanded account. The author interviewed residents
in places in which few journalists have set foot: the impoverished
suburbs of the major cities and the infamous "Triangle of
Death" - the stronghold of the Armed Islamic Group and the
scene of some of the worst carnage. Rather than presenting a historical
account, The Algerian Civil War focuses on the strategies
employed by the war's main combatants, seeking to understand the
significance of the conflict to all parties embroiled in it.
|
