Chapter 13 Summary: "Night Draws Near"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses chapter 13 of Anthony Shadid's chronicle of the American military's recent experience in Baghdad, "Night Draws Near." The paper discusses the title of the chapter, "A Bad Muslim" and then looks specifically at American incomprehension of the Middle East and how it is a reoccurring pattern in American history. The paper looks at how Shadid's chapter 13 reflects this incomprehension.

From the Paper:

"American incomprehension of the Middle East is a reoccurring pattern in American history. It lies partially misunderstanding of how America's close ties with Israel make it seem partisan in Arab eyes, not a neutral force as it regards itself, in its own democratic vision. It lies partially in the American ideal of secularism that is so anathema to the Middle East. Americans thought that ancient rivalries in Iraq could be swept away with new a new form of governance, with democratic ideals that America regards as universal ideals, and with superior but just military force. America thought that the terrors of the Saddam Hussein regime were enough to eradicate the hatred of America and the ideology of militant Islam. Instead, the chaos of civil war made religion and the identity afforded by nationalism even more comforting to Iraqis. Of course, it is not only in the Middle East that America has made this mistake: "Their destiny will be the same as in Vietnam," says one Iraqi (285). Hearing unfortunate American involvement in a foreign land analogized with Vietnam is nothing new for Americans, but it sounds especially chilling in the voice of an Iraqi, not just in the voice of an American critiquing the Iraqi war."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Shadid, Anthony. Night Draws Near. New York, Henry Holt and Co., 2005

More papers on Chapter 13 Summary: "Night Draws Near":

• Film Review # 120751 : "Personality Change in "Thirteen"
• Analytical Essay # 56063 : "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"
• Analytical Essay # 230 : "Nightmares and Night Terrors"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: