American and British troops are not going to stay in Iraq for ever. But what will happen when they start to leave? In this lucid and enormously readable book, acclaimed analyst Gwynne Dyer predicts that the Middle East will go through the biggest shake-up since the region became part of the Ottoman Empire five centuries ago - and argues that the rest of the world should stand back and leave them to it.Taking a step back from issues of blame and ideology, Dyer looks at what motivates the key players in the Middle East, from the various Iraqi factions through Iran, Lebanon and Syria to Israel and the Palestinians - not to mention the United States and the United Kingdom. Along the way, he shatters many myths and identifies the real threats to the status quo - such as the enormous Iraqi refugee problem, and the demographic and political forces that mean that Israel may be running out of time.Refreshingly direct, entirely non-partisan and frequently disturbing, this is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the Middle East and the wider world.