Book excerpt: West Asia is in the throes of acute political turbulence today. Given West Asia's energy resources, developments in the region have profound implications for the wider world. The international community has been deeply concerned with the fragile conditions of the region in recent years. This book tries to analyse the evolving security environment in West Asia and its implication for global security. This edited volume discusses critical issues of our times: religious extremism, democratisation, WMD proliferation, international terrorism, external intervention in the region, and energy security. The articles in the book analyse these issues critically and suggest possible alternatives for securing peace and prosperity in West Asia. Book jacket.