Description
Book SynopsisOffering a balance between analysis, personal memoir, and foreign policy remedies, this book injects much-needed wisdom into the public discussion of long-term US-Muslim relations. This title argues that an engagement with the Muslim world benefits the national interest of the United States.
Trade Review"[A] thoughtful book... Nakhleh makes a strong case for the importance of constructive engagement with all Islamists except the global jihadists."--Jonathan Benthall, Times Literary Supplement "Nakhleh, former director of the CIA's Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program, draws on nearly three decades of experience, current research and extensive polling to argue that the majority of Muslims strongly oppose terrorism and want good governance and a functional relationship with the U.S."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "In an informative and revealing book, A Necessary Engagement, Emile Nakhleh, a former director of Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program in the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence, says that although midlevel U.S. officials knew better than to frame the war in black-and-white terms, ever-expanding the territory of the enemy, they had little say and input in decision-making... Nakhleh paints a grim and stark portrait of the failures of U.S. policy makers to understand the most basic attitudes that Muslims have of themselves, each other and the West."--Fawaz A. Gerges, The National Interest "This book should be required reading for the non-expert who wants a real understanding of militant Islam and how the United States should deal with it. Even experts in Islam, foreign policy and public diplomacy would find it worth reading. The author has marshaled persuasive arguments and presented a systematic analysis that is carefully grounded in fact and sensible conclusions... Nakhleh's years of careful study have been distilled into a highly readable 146 pages. Because of the nature of the issues he discussed, this book will be relevant to understanding our world for some time to come."--William A. Rugh, Middle East Policy "Nakhleh draws extensively on his government background in this slim, must-read volume, which combines cogent and balanced analysis with well-reasoned policy recommendations culminating in a useful 'blueprint' for US public diplomacy that offers some novel suggestions."--Mona Yacoubian, Middle East Journal "In this slender volume, Nakhleh examines the relationship between the U.S. and the Muslim world, presents cogent criticisms of U.S. assumptions and policies, and extends sound advice on how to undo what has been done through mistake, ignorance, or arrogance... The book is optimistic, succinct, and timely."--A. Ahmad, Choice "[A]nyone reflecting on how the US policy towards the Muslim world should be developed would be well advised to read it."--Harold Walker, Journal of Islamic Studies
Table of ContentsAuthor's Note ix Introduction xi Chapter 1: Political Islam and Islamization 1 Islamization and Islamic Activism 4 Stages of Islamization 8 Islamic Activism and Radicalization 12 Islamic Radicals and WMD 14 Manifestations of Islamization 17 Factors Contributing to Islamization 20 Education and Islamization 23 Shia Activism 26 Islamic Political Party Politics 30 Islamic Activism, CIA Briefings, and U.S. Policy Responses 33 Chapter 2: Intelligence, Political Islam, and Policymakers 37 Intelligence and Policy: Roots of Tension 38 Politics Trumps National Security 40 Building Expertise 41 Academic Outreach 43 Training of Analysts 46 Cultural Expertise and Intelligence Analysis 47 Open-Source Data Mining 50 Visiting Muslim Countries 51 Analytic Products, Briefings, and Policymakers' Response 53 Iraq: Critical Briefings before and aft er the Invasion 54 Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and the American Response 61 Authoritarian Regimes and Political Reform 64 Bureaucratic Impediments 66 Collecting Data on Political Islam 68 Chapter 3: Public Diplomacy: Issues and Attitudes 71 Polls and Attitudes 73 Global War on Terror 80 Invading Muslim Countries 84 Democratization 90 The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An "Honest Broker" Role? 94 Unilateralism Resonates Poorly 98 Chapter 4: Public Diplomacy: A Blueprint 101 Caveats and Challenges 105 Secularists and Modernists 107 Traditionalists and Radical Salafis 112 Core Themes 120 A Blueprint 125 Conclusion Looking Ahead 140 Acknowledgments 145 Glossary 147 Sources Cited 151 Index 155
