Faith at War: A Journey on the Frontlines of Islam, from Baghdad to Timbuktu

by Yaroslav Trofimov

Book Overview

An eye-opening political travelogue that reveals the Muslim world as never before Drawing on reporting from more than a dozen Islamic countries, "Faith at War" offers an unforgettable portrait of the Muslim world after September 11. Choosing to invert the question of what "they" have done to "us," "Wall Street Journal "reporter Yaroslav Trofimov examines the unprecedented American intrusion in the Muslim heartland and the ripples it has caused far...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805077545
• ISBN13: 9780805077544
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very informative and superbly written

This is a remarkable book. On one hand it is written as a travelogue that makes for pleasant reading and on the other hand it contains observations and interviews that provide a significant insight into what is happening in the Moslem world. Most of the time the author does not offer his own opinions explicitly, but lets readers draw their own conclusions. Even when he does they are mostly pointers to facts that the other side ignores. For example, when Muslims rail against the Crusaders the author reminds the reader: "Nobody in the (West) dwells on how Muslim armies, before and after the Crusades, burned and pillaged Christian towns all the way from Budapest to Bordeaux, or how lands from Tunisia to Turkey used to be Christian." About one third of the book is devoted to Iraq (four chapters) and this part provide significant insight on what is happening and why. For example, he describes how Sunnis detonate a roadside bomb near a Shiite village and U.S. troops search for the culprits there. Some villagers are killed and now the villagers are hostile towards the U.S. His account of the events in Iraq left me with the impression that the U.S. campaign was poorly planned and several poor decisions were made afterwards. As a result, even Iraqis who were happy to see the Americans in the beginning became unfriendly, if not outright hostile, eventually. Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan have two chapters each, while Tunisia, Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mali, and Bosnia one chapter each. The book shows that bin-Ladden's version of Islam is not mainstream even though he would like the West to think otherwise. Western actions that ignore that distinction and are directed against all Moslems serve as a recruiting tool for al Qaeda. The author was a colleague and friend of Daniel Pearl and there are touching references to the latter's ordeal and tragic death.

Faith at War

I was anxious to write about this book, but the other reviewers have beat me to it. I found this book to be as arresting as a mystery that grabs you from the first sentence, and has you wanting more at the end. I even liked the forward & the acknowledgements. The book is also a fascinating travelogue; a "you are there" war story; an easy to read & understand coverage of Islam & current politics in the Middle East; and conversations with a wide range of people - poor, rich, religeous, political, and military. It is extremely well written, and shares a gamut of emotions - had me from tears to laughter. Read it!!!

A Great Personal Journey - An Exciting Personal Account

First of all let me say: I love first-person accounts of events and activities. There is nothing more fascinating, in my opinion, than reading about the experiences that someone has endured firsthand and who is providing an interpretation of those very experiences. Even more fascinating and, for that matter, relevant, is someone who is providing us with a diary or journal about contemporary events that we are watching or reading about on the daily news via television, radio, magazines, and the newspapers. Yaroslav Trofimov, in his book "Faith at War," is doing just that. While I may contest the author's interpretations of the experiences he has had, I cannot in good faith dispute the "facts" of his experiences. He is, so to speak, "telling it as it is and as it was," and I cannot argue with that, considering the fact he has "been there" and "done that." I have not experienced what he has, nor have I gone where he has gone. I have to listen to what he has to say, as does every reader of his book. He has, however, provided me with an insight into much which I didn't understand and which, I hope, others who read his book, can begin to understand as well. Considering what is going on "really" in our world today, Trofimov, in his "Faith at War," does provide a window that all of us need to consider and contemplate. There is no question about the relevance of his subject. Islam and what is going on in the Middle East is important to us all. Trofimov, who covers the Middle East and Islamic culture for the "Wall Street Journal," gives us an insightful look into what is going on and what may be anticipated in that part of the world. I think what impressed me most about Trofimov's book is the lack of an obvious political agenda, a problem which afflicts most books about the Middle East "problem" today and which he seems to deliberately avoid. His appears to be merely a "sane" account of his own experiences as those experiences occurred. While no personal narrative is completely free of some editorial position, Trofimov certainly doesn't, in my view, flaunt any particular political prejudice. I was particularly interested in his discussion of Mali, a "democratic" country in Africa where most of the people are Muslim. This was news to me; but, then, I don't currently study African nations or society. While I was under the impression that almost every country which was Islamic was "undemocratic" by nature of the religion, it was refreshing to learn that that was not exactly true. The journey that Trofimov takes is actually awesome. The book begins in Saudi Arabia (and he provides some information that every American needs to know), proceeds on to Tunisia ("Teaching Freud to the Mullahs," 'nuff said), then on to Yemen and Kuwait, then on to Iraq (very, very interesting to say the least), then on to Afghanistan for two chapters, ending with chapters on Lebanon, Mali (the "Muslim democracy"), and finally Bosnia (which is primarily Muslim in case you ha

Arab Perspectives on the 2001 Iraq War

Although the author traveled throughout the Middle East during the 1990s (as a roving foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal), this book is based on his travels through various Islamic countries: Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Yemen, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Mali and Bosnia, in 2001-2004. With his knowledge of Arabic he was able to have direct talks with many Muslim leaders and civilians. He was always diligent in asking almost each individual as to why they disliked U.S. military personnel in liberating Iraq from Saddam, and why they wanted the U.S. military out of Iraq and quickly as possible. He notes how the average Saudi's income has "shrunk by as much as three-quarters in one generation." Explained why Saudi's fear the U.S. presence there to control the Middle East and keep oil prices low (okay, sounds fairly reasonable, besides the pro-democracy pitch). One Saudi holy man didn't want to talk to the author because he didn't want to "be defiled by direct contact with me." Trofimov noted how Saudi's don't like visitors, and journalists even less. Saudi's like to know which Islamic "sect" you belong to. He noted that Saudi officials don't like foreign businesses to have an "X" it their name, because it "looks too much like a Christian cross" (pg.8). Trofimov notes how Islamists dislike the Sufis. The author notes how Hindu workers who live in Saudi cannot be cremated there because the practice is barred by the Sharia; so the Hindu corpse has to be shipped out (pg.13). Non-Muslims cannot be buried in Saudi Arabia, because they would defile the land. So some are buried in the semi-secret non-Muslim cemetery in Jeddah (p.14). While women can't drive cars, they can drive small dune buggies at parks. There are literally hundreds of these small, personal "snippets" that one doesn't read in U.S. newspapers; they alone are worth buying this book. The author notes how he traveled behind U.S. military forces that invaded Iraq; and the perils of driving unescorted by the military. The author discusses the road blocks, the aftermath of some of the suicide attacks, and being shot at. This is not a history book on Arabia; this is really more of a "travel adventure" book -- but of your worst nightmare: in the Iraqi combat zone. There are so many fine things to say about this book, written by an individual who "was there" during the liberation of Iraq, and one who witnessed the building frustration by some Iraqis to the American presence there. Nor to be overlooked are the findings by Trofimov about how Muslims in the other Arab countries that he visited view the American adventure into Iraq. Many, many personal anecdotes written by a reporter who got away from Baghdad's "Green Zone" to talk with the villagers.

read this to understand "why they hate us"

This beautifully reported and written book give readers a real on-the-ground feel for how people in the Muslim world view America and how 9/11 and our intervention in Iraq have intensified feelings about American power, consumerism, and intentions. Particularly compelling are this book's insights into how religion defines so many aspects of life and how others are viewed. Even as you are disgusted at some of the abuses perpetrated on the Muslim world by its own leaders, you will be ashamed at the insensitive behavior of American soldiers and strategic mistakes that undermine the benevolent image that many Americans want to believe characterizes our efforts to "bring democracy" to the Middle East. The author does not let either side off the hook. Reading FAITH AT WAR will help readers understand why the results of the Iraq invasion fell so far from what was hoped for. This is a much-needed critical view of the Middle East from the point of view of those who live there.