Book review: New generation in Middle East

“Children of Jihad A Young American’s Travels Among the Youth of the Middle East,” by Jared Cohen 

(New book available at our Library, Website: http://www.osgov.com/library.html)

By Marlene Penry 

A young American graduate student is sitting in McDonald’s, in Beirut, Lebanon.  He is waiting to interview several young members of the Hezbollah terrorist group. They arrive wearing designer clothes.  They don’t mind that he is American, or that he is Jewish.

That is a typical scene from this book that will make you question your perceptions of the Middle East.  

The student is the author, who spent 2004-2005 talking to the youth of this region.  

There are similarities between the youth of all the countries visited. Like American youth, they like parties, cars, clothes, TV, the Internet, and cell phones. Their easy access to satellite TV and the Internet gives them international exposure. Satellite TV is everywhere and they are channel surfing.  

They are enamored of Western culture. Dressing in our style is a mode of passive resistance. They are committed to Islam, but with a varying level of religious practice.  They separate countries from people:  some might hate the American government but love Americans;  they often feel the same about their own countries.  

Unfortunately, they are living in very poor socioeconomic and political conditions and have to worry about education and jobs. They might want to live in their country, but have to leave for work.  And everything has the underpinnings of whether they will survive the next bomb or war.

In Iran, the government tries to suppress the youth, but they find ways to express themselves anyway. Dissent is not one of those ways;  it is punishable by death. The young people have great pride in Iran’s nuclear program as a show of how technically advanced they are, but are naïve about its international consequences.

This generation of Lebanese was born into war and occupation. They saw the rebuilding of Beirut and other cities into vibrant areas. The first free elections were held in 2005 and the youth movement was involved.  

They generally see Hezbollah as their country’s defenders, but in 2006 when Hezbollah attacked Israel, they saw everything returned to rubble. They tasted the good life and lost it. 

Syria is a police state under a dictatorship. It is a minority-ruled government but there is no dissent.  Children are taught not to talk or even think about politics, and that the government keeps them safe. 

There is a timid young generation, but again with international access, one that is striving to make a new way for itself.

In the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq lays an oasis of peace in the Middle East.  With a backdrop of green mountains and waterfalls and a political system that allows free speech and free assembly, the youth of this portion of Iraq are free and proud.  However, they live just a few hours away from the insurgency in southern Iraq.

Will the first generation of technology-enabled youth change the Middle Eastern culture?  Decide for yourself. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Middle East or in listening to youth from any country.  

Have a map handy to follow the author’s travels.

Marlene Penry is a member of the Ocean Shores Friends of the Library.