What do you think?
Rate this book
الحملة الأمريكية: مستعربون وسفراء ورحالة
هذا الكتاب بالغ الأهمية ، ننشره رغم خلافنا الجوهري مع كاتبه خاصة أنه يتضمن قدراً هائلاً من المعلومات المهمة .
فالكتاب يبشر القارئ بظهور نوع جديد من المستعربين الموالين لأسرائيل ، ينظرون إلي العرب على انهم فسيفساء من السنة و الشيعة و العلويين و الدروز و المارون و الارثوذكس و الكاثوليك ، و النجاحات التي حققتها السياسة الامريكية نتيجة إحلالهم محل الجيل القديم ، و هؤلاء يعود لهم الفضل فى مشروع التسوية العربية الاسرائيلية .
و علي العكس تماماً ، فالمستعربون الجدد الذين يؤيدون مواقف اسرائيل على طول الخط هم العقبة الرئيسة فى تحقيق السلام ، و هم يصادرون امكانية قيام علاقات متينة بين الولايات المتحدة والدول العربية .
ويثير هذا الكتاب التقدير بكمية المعلومات التي جمعها المؤلف والتي قام جزء اساسي فيها على الارشيف الشفاهي للخارجية الامريكية ، الذيل يسجل كل من عمل فى موقع تجربته وخبرته .
فالكتاب يبشر القارئ بظهور نوع جديد من المستعربين الموالين لأسرائيل ، ينظرون إلي العرب على انهم فسيفساء من السنة و الشيعة و العلويين و الدروز و المارون و الارثوذكس و الكاثوليك ، و النجاحات التي حققتها السياسة الامريكية نتيجة إحلالهم محل الجيل القديم ، و هؤلاء يعود لهم الفضل فى مشروع التسوية العربية الاسرائيلية .
و علي العكس تماماً ، فالمستعربون الجدد الذين يؤيدون مواقف اسرائيل على طول الخط هم العقبة الرئيسة فى تحقيق السلام ، و هم يصادرون امكانية قيام علاقات متينة بين الولايات المتحدة والدول العربية .
ويثير هذا الكتاب التقدير بكمية المعلومات التي جمعها المؤلف والتي قام جزء اساسي فيها على الارشيف الشفاهي للخارجية الامريكية ، الذيل يسجل كل من عمل فى موقع تجربته وخبرته .
385 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
41 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Robert D. Kaplan
54books1,185followersRobert David Kaplan is an American journalist, currently a National Correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly. His writings have also been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, The National Interest, Foreign Affairs and The Wall Street Journal, among other newspapers and publications, and his more controversial essays about the nature of U.S. power have spurred debate in academia, the media, and the highest levels of government. A frequent theme in his work is the reemergence of cultural and historical tensions temporarily suspended during the Cold War.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 11, 2018
An enlightening story about the generations of Americans who have come into contact with the Arab world, starting with the 18th century Protestant missionaries who arrived in the region and leading up to the late 20th century's ambassadors and State Department officials. In contrast to the hostility that characterizes U.S.-Arab relations in most respects today, for many years Americans were viewed highly favorably in the Middle East. Unlike the British and French colonialists, through their good works the Americans built a popular perception of themselves among the Arabs as friends and disinterested purveyors of modern education and medicine. The first Americans to spend time in "Araby" were likewise charmed by the local inhabitants and became genuinely invested in their wellbeing. This mutual sympathy was transmitted down for generations, only starting to fray with the creation of Israel and the decades of war and double-dealing that followed. Even still, as Kaplan shows, American officials well-versed in Arab culture and language have traditionally retained far greater sympathy for the Arab perspective than the general public in the U.S., at least to some degree up until the early-1990s when this book was written.
With some exceptions, the original "Arabists" came from a very particular northeastern WASP milieu. The State Department Near Eastern Affairs office retained that elite composition until the Nixon-era when it began to take on a more ethnic middle-class character. Kaplan is particularly concerned with the issue of anti-Semitism among some Arabists, though he takes an evenhanded stance on the subject. Kaplan himself is an American who volunteered for the IDF in his youth and his sympathies in the Arab-Israel conflict are obvious. Having said that, he never strikes me as propagandist and you really have to respect his take on events even when you disagree with them. In this book dealing so heavily with WASPy northeasterners who were often hostile to Israel, he still conveys that their position was almost always born out of sympathy with the Arabs rather than racial animus towards Jews. Missionaries, teachers, envoys and others who'd spent extended time in the Middle East were often charmed by the warm traditional culture of the Arabs, while the Germanic-eastern European mores of the Israelis tended to be alienating. The sympathy that foreign service officers usually developed for the Arabs made them disproportionately favorable to their political positions, even while U.S. foreign policy began downgrading the importance of area expertise in favor of placating domestic audiences and lobby groups.
There are too many characters from this book to go over in full, but I was really fascinated by the lives of Loy Henderson, Dick Murphy, Daniel Bliss and others who built America's first ties with the Arab world and established institutions like the American University of Beirut which have had an outsized impact on intellectual life in the region. It really comes across clearly how the creation of Israel, which Arabists almost universally opposed, was the beginning of the end of America's warm relationship with the Arab world. The book is rich with quotes from frustrated career diplomats laying out their opposition to the United States one-sided approach to the conflict and presciently articulating the consequences that it would have.
Kaplan is a great writer and he really makes the history here come alive. This is one of his best works and a must-read for those interested in the United States history of engagement with the Middle East. While one may disagree with him at times, he is fair and earnest scholar who has done a great service in writing this incredible story.
With some exceptions, the original "Arabists" came from a very particular northeastern WASP milieu. The State Department Near Eastern Affairs office retained that elite composition until the Nixon-era when it began to take on a more ethnic middle-class character. Kaplan is particularly concerned with the issue of anti-Semitism among some Arabists, though he takes an evenhanded stance on the subject. Kaplan himself is an American who volunteered for the IDF in his youth and his sympathies in the Arab-Israel conflict are obvious. Having said that, he never strikes me as propagandist and you really have to respect his take on events even when you disagree with them. In this book dealing so heavily with WASPy northeasterners who were often hostile to Israel, he still conveys that their position was almost always born out of sympathy with the Arabs rather than racial animus towards Jews. Missionaries, teachers, envoys and others who'd spent extended time in the Middle East were often charmed by the warm traditional culture of the Arabs, while the Germanic-eastern European mores of the Israelis tended to be alienating. The sympathy that foreign service officers usually developed for the Arabs made them disproportionately favorable to their political positions, even while U.S. foreign policy began downgrading the importance of area expertise in favor of placating domestic audiences and lobby groups.
There are too many characters from this book to go over in full, but I was really fascinated by the lives of Loy Henderson, Dick Murphy, Daniel Bliss and others who built America's first ties with the Arab world and established institutions like the American University of Beirut which have had an outsized impact on intellectual life in the region. It really comes across clearly how the creation of Israel, which Arabists almost universally opposed, was the beginning of the end of America's warm relationship with the Arab world. The book is rich with quotes from frustrated career diplomats laying out their opposition to the United States one-sided approach to the conflict and presciently articulating the consequences that it would have.
Kaplan is a great writer and he really makes the history here come alive. This is one of his best works and a must-read for those interested in the United States history of engagement with the Middle East. While one may disagree with him at times, he is fair and earnest scholar who has done a great service in writing this incredible story.
January 19, 2016
Although published in 1993, this book provides valuable insight into the violent morass of the Mideast in 2016 by tracing the role of Americans, from missionaries to diplomats, in the area. The term "Arabist" denotes one who is proficient in the Arabic language, admires the culture, and works closely with the nations of the region; it is also a term of derision when used by Zionists, according to Kaplan. As usual, he provides a deep, analytical history of his subject, tracing American involvement there back nearly 200 years; missing, however, are the maps as in some of his other fine, more recent books.
In particular, he focuses on the Arabists in the American diplomatic corps. Many of these over the years have followed in the cultural immersion, the going native, of the "sand mad" Britons, such as Richard Burton and T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia), and other early explorers and anthropologists.
The creation of the State of Israel following WWII roiled the Arab nations of the region. Kaplan
details the conflicts of Arab-Israeli geopolitics as it affected the United States and the rest of the world up to the point of the first Gulf War. He points out that the American relationship with the Arab countries since the Truman administration became increasingly driven by domestic political considerations in the US rather than by the diplomacy practiced earlier by the Arabists.
Kaplan's presentation of the struggle to balance the interests of the US regarding the Arabs and the Israelis seems even-handed. He suggested the possibility, " that the coming decades in the Middle East may be less traumatic for America than the previous decades," something that now, two decades later, is hard to imagine. Part of his optimistic outlook is based on what he saw as a changing American diplomatic corps. He notes that the makeup of the group is becoming far more diversified demographically than the historical mix that drew heavily on well-to-do, Ivy League types. Unfortunately, he finds that the new diversified population places less importance on knowledge of their area and more on personal rewards, including the perks of overseas postings.
Kaplan rewards his readers (some of his biographical portraits are marvelous), but sometimes makes them work: here that formula works again. If there had been maps, I would have rated this five stars.
In particular, he focuses on the Arabists in the American diplomatic corps. Many of these over the years have followed in the cultural immersion, the going native, of the "sand mad" Britons, such as Richard Burton and T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia), and other early explorers and anthropologists.
The creation of the State of Israel following WWII roiled the Arab nations of the region. Kaplan
details the conflicts of Arab-Israeli geopolitics as it affected the United States and the rest of the world up to the point of the first Gulf War. He points out that the American relationship with the Arab countries since the Truman administration became increasingly driven by domestic political considerations in the US rather than by the diplomacy practiced earlier by the Arabists.
Kaplan's presentation of the struggle to balance the interests of the US regarding the Arabs and the Israelis seems even-handed. He suggested the possibility, " that the coming decades in the Middle East may be less traumatic for America than the previous decades," something that now, two decades later, is hard to imagine. Part of his optimistic outlook is based on what he saw as a changing American diplomatic corps. He notes that the makeup of the group is becoming far more diversified demographically than the historical mix that drew heavily on well-to-do, Ivy League types. Unfortunately, he finds that the new diversified population places less importance on knowledge of their area and more on personal rewards, including the perks of overseas postings.
Kaplan rewards his readers (some of his biographical portraits are marvelous), but sometimes makes them work: here that formula works again. If there had been maps, I would have rated this five stars.
August 17, 2016
اول حاجة اللى كاتب اللى ع ضهر الكتاب حمار مش عارف هو الكتاب بيتكلم عن ايه و مقرأهوش اساساً فالاغلب
المهم الكتاب بيتكلم عن المستعربين ، الناس الامريكية و البريطانية اللى تعاملت مع الشرق الاوسط و اتعلمت العربي ثم اصبحت سفراء و غيره
فى البداية كان الامريكيين موجودين لأعمال التبشير و الخدمة الانسانية ، و افتتاح الجامعة الامريكية فى بيروت للسبب ده ( محورية فالكتاب الجامعة دى ) ، و كان فى حب حقيقي منهم ناحية الشرق العربي و اللغات و القضية القومية العربية و ضد اسرائيل ، لدرجة ان فى ناس فيهم بقى عندها ولاء مزدوج ناحية العرب و ناحية امريكا
لكن بمرور الوقت ، و بمجئ نيكسون و تغييرات السياسة الخارجية اللى اصبحت مؤيدة لأسرائيل و قوة اللوبي اليهودي تم احلال البيروقراطيين مكان دول ، الناس بتاع المصلحة بس و اللى كانوا و مازالوا مش مدركين بما يكفي ابعاد الموقف و ملهمش اى ترابط مع السكان او مع اللغة او مع القضية ، و بالتبعية كانوا مع اسرائيل اكتر
من الحاجات مثلاً المثيرة للاهتمام ان الجامعة الامريكية فى بيروت كانت منبع للمقاومين لاسرائيل و للقومية العربية ، و ان لحد حرب 67 مكانش اسرائيل ليها اى دلال على امريكا و اكنت معظم التقارير ضد تواجدها حتي من السفراء و المستعربين الامريكان
الكتاب تتبع لأبرز الناس دى و تاريخها و مواقفها ، مش مفيد قوي الا فى انك تبص ع كيفية ادارة الامور و تاخد لمحة تاريخية ، و الاهم انك تشوف المواقف اللى بتتم بين الامريكان و العرب وازاي بيحكمها احياناً الصدف و حسن النية و غيره
المهم الكتاب بيتكلم عن المستعربين ، الناس الامريكية و البريطانية اللى تعاملت مع الشرق الاوسط و اتعلمت العربي ثم اصبحت سفراء و غيره
فى البداية كان الامريكيين موجودين لأعمال التبشير و الخدمة الانسانية ، و افتتاح الجامعة الامريكية فى بيروت للسبب ده ( محورية فالكتاب الجامعة دى ) ، و كان فى حب حقيقي منهم ناحية الشرق العربي و اللغات و القضية القومية العربية و ضد اسرائيل ، لدرجة ان فى ناس فيهم بقى عندها ولاء مزدوج ناحية العرب و ناحية امريكا
لكن بمرور الوقت ، و بمجئ نيكسون و تغييرات السياسة الخارجية اللى اصبحت مؤيدة لأسرائيل و قوة اللوبي اليهودي تم احلال البيروقراطيين مكان دول ، الناس بتاع المصلحة بس و اللى كانوا و مازالوا مش مدركين بما يكفي ابعاد الموقف و ملهمش اى ترابط مع السكان او مع اللغة او مع القضية ، و بالتبعية كانوا مع اسرائيل اكتر
من الحاجات مثلاً المثيرة للاهتمام ان الجامعة الامريكية فى بيروت كانت منبع للمقاومين لاسرائيل و للقومية العربية ، و ان لحد حرب 67 مكانش اسرائيل ليها اى دلال على امريكا و اكنت معظم التقارير ضد تواجدها حتي من السفراء و المستعربين الامريكان
الكتاب تتبع لأبرز الناس دى و تاريخها و مواقفها ، مش مفيد قوي الا فى انك تبص ع كيفية ادارة الامور و تاخد لمحة تاريخية ، و الاهم انك تشوف المواقف اللى بتتم بين الامريكان و العرب وازاي بيحكمها احياناً الصدف و حسن النية و غيره
April 30, 2009
The Arab world sounds interesting. Maybe a post in that part of the world will be next for my wife and I. I am glad our post here in Guate is not full of the Ivy League white rich guys that was so prevalent in the Foreign Service years ago. The author made a very interesting point about the importance of Peace Corps types in the FS. The chapter about Jerry Weaver in the Sudan was by far my favorite.
February 17, 2025
Robert D. Kaplan’s The Arabists: The Romance of an American Elite (1993) offers a historical and critical examination of the elite group of American diplomats, scholars, and intelligence officers who specialized in Arab culture and politics from the early 20th century to the post-Cold War era. Through a blend of historical narrative and journalistic analysis, Kaplan explores the rise and decline of this distinctive cohort, highlighting their deep affinity for the Arab world, their influence on U.S. foreign policy, and the tensions between their idealistic engagement with the region and the pragmatic realities of American interests.
Kaplan argues that the “Arabists� formed an elite cadre within the U.S. diplomatic and intelligence services, distinguished by their linguistic fluency, cultural immersion, and often critical stance toward American policy in the Middle East. Many of these individuals, educated at institutions such as Princeton and Harvard, entered government service with a romanticized view of Arab civilization, often shaped by personal experiences in the region. However, their admiration for Arab culture frequently placed them at odds with the broader trajectory of U.S. policy, particularly after the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the rise of American strategic interests in the Gulf.
A key theme of the book is the gradual marginalization of the Arabists within the U.S. foreign policy establishment. Kaplan traces how their influence waned as American policy became more aligned with Israel, and as Cold War imperatives and the rise of political Islam reshaped U.S. engagement with the region. He also examines how the Arabists� deep personal and professional connections to the Arab world sometimes led to accusations of bias or detachment from American geopolitical interests.
Kaplan employs a narrative-driven approach, combining historical research with firsthand interviews and personal anecdotes. He situates the Arabists within the broader context of American diplomatic history, drawing on both archival sources and contemporary policy debates. His analysis is at times critical, particularly in highlighting the elitism and insularity of the Arabist tradition, but he also acknowledges their contributions to understanding and interpreting the Middle East for American policymakers.
Upon its release, The Arabists received significant attention for its engaging prose and critical perspective. Some scholars and former diplomats praised Kaplan’s ability to bring to life the personalities and experiences of this unique group, while others criticized the book for its sweeping generalizations and occasional oversimplifications. Critics have argued that Kaplan sometimes portrays the Arabists as overly romantic and disconnected from political realities, without fully considering the constraints and challenges they faced within the U.S. government. Additionally, some have questioned his implicit suggestion that their decline was inevitable or justified.
The Arabists is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of a once-influential group within American diplomacy. Kaplan’s work sheds light on the complex relationship between cultural expertise and foreign policy decision-making, offering valuable insights into the historical evolution of U.S.-Middle East relations. While some of his conclusions remain contested, the book remains an essential read for scholars of diplomatic history, Middle Eastern studies, and U.S. foreign policy.
GPT
Kaplan argues that the “Arabists� formed an elite cadre within the U.S. diplomatic and intelligence services, distinguished by their linguistic fluency, cultural immersion, and often critical stance toward American policy in the Middle East. Many of these individuals, educated at institutions such as Princeton and Harvard, entered government service with a romanticized view of Arab civilization, often shaped by personal experiences in the region. However, their admiration for Arab culture frequently placed them at odds with the broader trajectory of U.S. policy, particularly after the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the rise of American strategic interests in the Gulf.
A key theme of the book is the gradual marginalization of the Arabists within the U.S. foreign policy establishment. Kaplan traces how their influence waned as American policy became more aligned with Israel, and as Cold War imperatives and the rise of political Islam reshaped U.S. engagement with the region. He also examines how the Arabists� deep personal and professional connections to the Arab world sometimes led to accusations of bias or detachment from American geopolitical interests.
Kaplan employs a narrative-driven approach, combining historical research with firsthand interviews and personal anecdotes. He situates the Arabists within the broader context of American diplomatic history, drawing on both archival sources and contemporary policy debates. His analysis is at times critical, particularly in highlighting the elitism and insularity of the Arabist tradition, but he also acknowledges their contributions to understanding and interpreting the Middle East for American policymakers.
Upon its release, The Arabists received significant attention for its engaging prose and critical perspective. Some scholars and former diplomats praised Kaplan’s ability to bring to life the personalities and experiences of this unique group, while others criticized the book for its sweeping generalizations and occasional oversimplifications. Critics have argued that Kaplan sometimes portrays the Arabists as overly romantic and disconnected from political realities, without fully considering the constraints and challenges they faced within the U.S. government. Additionally, some have questioned his implicit suggestion that their decline was inevitable or justified.
The Arabists is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of a once-influential group within American diplomacy. Kaplan’s work sheds light on the complex relationship between cultural expertise and foreign policy decision-making, offering valuable insights into the historical evolution of U.S.-Middle East relations. While some of his conclusions remain contested, the book remains an essential read for scholars of diplomatic history, Middle Eastern studies, and U.S. foreign policy.
GPT
December 26, 2008
I recommend this book for anybody interested in the Middle East. It starts with the history of our romance with the Middle East -- how the sweeping sands and "exotic" people have captured certain people -- and leads to an explanation of how this romanticized view lead to the first Iraq War.
August 21, 2018
Arabesque
A refreshingly traditional and personable approach to modern history - Kaplan wanders about and interviews many of his subjects - and one can't get more first hand than that. In doing so he draws an intricate impression of affairs of State that have influenced US policy in the middle east over the last century.
The author begins with the American missionary attempt in Syria and Lebanon in the 1800s. The goal of converting the natives turned out to be rather naive - the Muslims were both secure and knowledgeable in their faith, nor were they unfamiliar with Christianity, more so than the Americans were with Islam. Further compounding the problem the local Christian cultures were essentially closer in outlook to Catholicism than Protestantism. Besides, the French Jesuits and Lazarists had already staked out a European relationship with the Maronites and the Greek Orthodox Church. What these early ambassadors of Christian good will did manage to contribute was organization and funding for schools, notably the American University of Beirut (AUB) and hospitals.
The 2nd wave of contacts tended more to be dilettantes and adventurers, "collectors of gongs and trinkets [and rugs]" Here Kaplan focuses more on the British, men like Sir Richard Burton (who translated the 1001 Nights), T. E Lawrence, Jack Philby who winds up going completely native in Saudi Arabia, Charles Doughty (author of the highly praised and influential and , considered by some to be the mother of modern Iraq, and often castigated as such for trying to revive mythic Britannic version of the Abbasid empire. Oddly missing from this assortment is Sir John "Glubb Pasha" Bagot who served King's Abdulla in Jordan. These are complemented by portraits of Americans Charles Crane (bathroom fixture heir and sponsor of George Antonius) and anthropologist Carleton S. Coon Sr.
The next generation represented by career diplomats and the establishment of the Near Eastern Affairs desk in the State Department. Loy Henderson "Mr. Foreign Service" and Horan Hume are portrayed as the ideal - analytic, pragmatic service oriented Ivy League educated professionals but to some extent elitists and representative of the same Protestant milieu as the 1st group. Those profiled include Joseph Sisco who eventually became Assistant Secretary of State for the region and who grew up in Beirut, the son and grandson of AUB professors, taught at AUB and eventually became its president, until his assassination in 1984. Another interesting profile was that of Jerry Weaver (Ch 11), dubbed "Indiana Jones" and figured prominently in . Kaplan does a nice little sidebar on Sadat while he was Vice President (pp165-167). Another interesting discussion deals with Nixon's mistrust of the State Department, and Kissinger's "shuttle diplomacy" which largely sideline the established diplomatic corps. Kaplan also does have kind words for April Glaspie who had the unfortunate distinction of serving as Ambassador to Iraq and not foreseeing or forewarning that Saddam was about to invade Kuwait.
An excellent historical read up until the time of publication and one deserving of an update to the present. To some extent the modern coverage is biased towards the Arab/Israeli conflict, ie: the 1969 revolution in Libya and the Algerian War of Independence are skipped, and Nasser's attempt to acquire US backing for the Aswan Dam from Eisenhower along with Jacquelin Kennedy's good will diplomatic coup in rescuing Egyptian artifacts from destruction by the subsequent creation of Lake Nasser are missed entirely. Nor do we learn about Kurds, Turks, Armenians and other ME minorities. Kaplan does however capture the structural problems of the State Department and US foreign relations at different points in time. Diplomacy is policy, but it's also people, and Kaplan makes the connection.
A refreshingly traditional and personable approach to modern history - Kaplan wanders about and interviews many of his subjects - and one can't get more first hand than that. In doing so he draws an intricate impression of affairs of State that have influenced US policy in the middle east over the last century.
The author begins with the American missionary attempt in Syria and Lebanon in the 1800s. The goal of converting the natives turned out to be rather naive - the Muslims were both secure and knowledgeable in their faith, nor were they unfamiliar with Christianity, more so than the Americans were with Islam. Further compounding the problem the local Christian cultures were essentially closer in outlook to Catholicism than Protestantism. Besides, the French Jesuits and Lazarists had already staked out a European relationship with the Maronites and the Greek Orthodox Church. What these early ambassadors of Christian good will did manage to contribute was organization and funding for schools, notably the American University of Beirut (AUB) and hospitals.
The 2nd wave of contacts tended more to be dilettantes and adventurers, "collectors of gongs and trinkets [and rugs]" Here Kaplan focuses more on the British, men like Sir Richard Burton (who translated the 1001 Nights), T. E Lawrence, Jack Philby who winds up going completely native in Saudi Arabia, Charles Doughty (author of the highly praised and influential and , considered by some to be the mother of modern Iraq, and often castigated as such for trying to revive mythic Britannic version of the Abbasid empire. Oddly missing from this assortment is Sir John "Glubb Pasha" Bagot who served King's Abdulla in Jordan. These are complemented by portraits of Americans Charles Crane (bathroom fixture heir and sponsor of George Antonius) and anthropologist Carleton S. Coon Sr.
The next generation represented by career diplomats and the establishment of the Near Eastern Affairs desk in the State Department. Loy Henderson "Mr. Foreign Service" and Horan Hume are portrayed as the ideal - analytic, pragmatic service oriented Ivy League educated professionals but to some extent elitists and representative of the same Protestant milieu as the 1st group. Those profiled include Joseph Sisco who eventually became Assistant Secretary of State for the region and who grew up in Beirut, the son and grandson of AUB professors, taught at AUB and eventually became its president, until his assassination in 1984. Another interesting profile was that of Jerry Weaver (Ch 11), dubbed "Indiana Jones" and figured prominently in . Kaplan does a nice little sidebar on Sadat while he was Vice President (pp165-167). Another interesting discussion deals with Nixon's mistrust of the State Department, and Kissinger's "shuttle diplomacy" which largely sideline the established diplomatic corps. Kaplan also does have kind words for April Glaspie who had the unfortunate distinction of serving as Ambassador to Iraq and not foreseeing or forewarning that Saddam was about to invade Kuwait.
An excellent historical read up until the time of publication and one deserving of an update to the present. To some extent the modern coverage is biased towards the Arab/Israeli conflict, ie: the 1969 revolution in Libya and the Algerian War of Independence are skipped, and Nasser's attempt to acquire US backing for the Aswan Dam from Eisenhower along with Jacquelin Kennedy's good will diplomatic coup in rescuing Egyptian artifacts from destruction by the subsequent creation of Lake Nasser are missed entirely. Nor do we learn about Kurds, Turks, Armenians and other ME minorities. Kaplan does however capture the structural problems of the State Department and US foreign relations at different points in time. Diplomacy is policy, but it's also people, and Kaplan makes the connection.
June 11, 2022
Wonder and curiosity. Long gone are the days when British colonialists or early American missionaries packed their meager worldly possessions into coffins to head out over the tameless horizon. D.H. Lawrence wrapped up like a marauding Arabian warlord. Gordon Liang hacked almost to death by the treacherous Touaregs, crawling injured at last into Timbuktu for which he searched all his life. That hunger of discovery, of reconnecting with something grand and glorious and lost, to find that thread of civilization which when pulled takes us back farther and farther and farther still.
The Arabists of old were like this. Back when Dubai was only a poor stop for Chinese Junks or British sailing vessels. When the Omani royal family fled their desert intrigues to set up on the tropical island of Zanzibar, chased back to the peninsula by � yes � the British.
American diplomats have always � for some reason � been a poor substitute for the British. Our empire of mac-and-cheese, McDonalds and John Grisham is a wonderless place; air-conditioned containers with cable TV and internet stacked atop each other behind razor-wire beside a chancery building which looks like every other chancery in the world. We could be in Accra; or Riyadh; or Kabul � makes no difference. And no contact with the locals, except the curated professional locals who speak English and are shined up and invited to our cocktail parties � marched unceremoniously through the metal detectors.
It is worse since 9/11 � fear and unknowing, not wonder and curiosity, are the modern hallmarks of American diplomacy. “Indeed, as middle-class life in America becomes more pressurized, the desire among FSOs for ‘pasha status� becomes more acute. There is a real motive for ‘protecting your empire,� says one Arabist, which means staying abroad in a prestigious post where you and your wife have servants, while the U.S. government pays for your kids� private schooling.� Writes Robert D. Kaplan. He’s not wrong � I’ve seen it over and over; “I hate Washington!� I’ve head time and again. “I’ve avoided D.C. as long as I can� says another diplomat over his 4th glass of wine. Not for love of the field, I’ve come to learn, but for fear of the mediocrity which he escaped � and the tenuousness of that escape.
The ‘modernization� that Kaplan writes about the Foreign Service, which began he says in the 50s when it became no longer an institution of the Ivy League elites and ‘democratized� has been as bad as it has been good. Because of the consequences; embassy life now is much less taken from the pages of W. Somerset Maugham and instead is an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Wonder and curiosity, or fake privilege with that sinking desperate feeling that perhaps it is ephemeral and unearned.
Yet I digress � “The Arabists� by Kaplan is a good snapshot of 100 years of engagement by empire (British and American mostly) in the Arab world. During a time when oil turned the region from desperately poor nomads to almost limitless wealth � and what this did to society, good and bad, and what we did to their societies, good and bad. Of the days before Arab nationalism was replaced by Islamic fundamentalism as the guiding force of rebellion. And of the always complicated issue of Israel; the first country � sitting on the sands long before any of the others, millennia before � yet seen somehow as an interloper. Jews among Arabs. Democracy among despots. Judaism among Muslims. This book, written before the 2nd gulf war, before the Islamic State, before Afghanistan and 9/11 still holds as it still shows trends. Fateful trends, ‘end of history� trends which lent hubris and inevitability to the middle class opinions of the curiousless FSOs.
My last point. I recently was having a talk with a young college student who wants to be involved in foreign policy. They were asking guidance, and I was giving it the only way I know how � explaining my last 20 years and some of the lessons I learned. Lesson #1, I said, was to go overseas. To live in communities with people, work with them, build relationships. Those days, for me, were still the most rewarding and meaningful � even though there was no commissary in which to buy Budweiser and mac-and-cheese. “Huh, go overseas,� said the foreign policy want-to-be, “I never even considered that.�
Um, say what?
And with that I must end this review, except that as you know I read a lot of Kaplan and by now you know I recommend him to anybody interested in our world.
The Arabists of old were like this. Back when Dubai was only a poor stop for Chinese Junks or British sailing vessels. When the Omani royal family fled their desert intrigues to set up on the tropical island of Zanzibar, chased back to the peninsula by � yes � the British.
American diplomats have always � for some reason � been a poor substitute for the British. Our empire of mac-and-cheese, McDonalds and John Grisham is a wonderless place; air-conditioned containers with cable TV and internet stacked atop each other behind razor-wire beside a chancery building which looks like every other chancery in the world. We could be in Accra; or Riyadh; or Kabul � makes no difference. And no contact with the locals, except the curated professional locals who speak English and are shined up and invited to our cocktail parties � marched unceremoniously through the metal detectors.
It is worse since 9/11 � fear and unknowing, not wonder and curiosity, are the modern hallmarks of American diplomacy. “Indeed, as middle-class life in America becomes more pressurized, the desire among FSOs for ‘pasha status� becomes more acute. There is a real motive for ‘protecting your empire,� says one Arabist, which means staying abroad in a prestigious post where you and your wife have servants, while the U.S. government pays for your kids� private schooling.� Writes Robert D. Kaplan. He’s not wrong � I’ve seen it over and over; “I hate Washington!� I’ve head time and again. “I’ve avoided D.C. as long as I can� says another diplomat over his 4th glass of wine. Not for love of the field, I’ve come to learn, but for fear of the mediocrity which he escaped � and the tenuousness of that escape.
The ‘modernization� that Kaplan writes about the Foreign Service, which began he says in the 50s when it became no longer an institution of the Ivy League elites and ‘democratized� has been as bad as it has been good. Because of the consequences; embassy life now is much less taken from the pages of W. Somerset Maugham and instead is an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Wonder and curiosity, or fake privilege with that sinking desperate feeling that perhaps it is ephemeral and unearned.
Yet I digress � “The Arabists� by Kaplan is a good snapshot of 100 years of engagement by empire (British and American mostly) in the Arab world. During a time when oil turned the region from desperately poor nomads to almost limitless wealth � and what this did to society, good and bad, and what we did to their societies, good and bad. Of the days before Arab nationalism was replaced by Islamic fundamentalism as the guiding force of rebellion. And of the always complicated issue of Israel; the first country � sitting on the sands long before any of the others, millennia before � yet seen somehow as an interloper. Jews among Arabs. Democracy among despots. Judaism among Muslims. This book, written before the 2nd gulf war, before the Islamic State, before Afghanistan and 9/11 still holds as it still shows trends. Fateful trends, ‘end of history� trends which lent hubris and inevitability to the middle class opinions of the curiousless FSOs.
My last point. I recently was having a talk with a young college student who wants to be involved in foreign policy. They were asking guidance, and I was giving it the only way I know how � explaining my last 20 years and some of the lessons I learned. Lesson #1, I said, was to go overseas. To live in communities with people, work with them, build relationships. Those days, for me, were still the most rewarding and meaningful � even though there was no commissary in which to buy Budweiser and mac-and-cheese. “Huh, go overseas,� said the foreign policy want-to-be, “I never even considered that.�
Um, say what?
And with that I must end this review, except that as you know I read a lot of Kaplan and by now you know I recommend him to anybody interested in our world.
May 19, 2017
An interesting cultural sort of history about the strange tribe of the Arabists. An Arabist can have many professions (diplomat, explorer, missionary, teacher/professor), but what they have in common is that they live most of their lives in the Arab world, identity with it deeply, and know the language. As a result, they often do more to represent Arab countries to the US than vice versa. Kaplan traces this history back to the early 19th century, telling the amazing stories of missionaries and explorers. The book then shifts into more diplomatic/cultural history in the 20th century section. A lot of the book consists of mini-bios of famous Arabists, some of which are quite interesting and others forgettable. There's a great chapter about the role of several Arabist diplomats in helping the starving, refugee Ethiopian Jews in the mid-80's escape secretly to Israel.
The last 3 chapters, though, are SO fascinating for someone who studies my stuff: US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a focus on Iraq. The Persian Gulf War was in a sense the greatest failure of the Arabists because they deeply misread Saddam's intentions and failed to warn him not to invade Kuwait. The Arabists were perfectly cool with the policy of engaging and appeasing Saddam, seeing Iraq as bursting with economic and social potential even if their leader was a brute. Kaplan shows how their cultural experience blinded them to the realities in Iraq, especially those of Saddam himself. Most Arabists see the Middle East through rose colored glasses (and Israel through a scanner darkly). They emphasize the beauty of the culture and the language, they interact with the more prosperous and Western-philic segments of the population, and they come to feel deep attachments to these people and their struggles. It therefore makes a lot of sense that April Glaspie and the other Arabists in Baghdad totally misread Saddam; despite being experts in the region they were still blinded by the peculiar cultural experiences and ideology of the Arabists. They made excuses for Saddam and the Baathists' brutality, even writing off the Kurdish gas attacks, and constantly played up the massive potential of this society, doing more to sell it to the US than to communicate US positions to Saddam. We will never know if Saddam would have backed down if a more clear-eyed ambassador had warned him more directly, but it sure would have been nice for the State Dept. to run that meeting again and not be totally pusillanimous to Saddam.
Anyone who studies or is interested in USFP in the ME should read at least the last few chapters of this book. For the deeper history of Arab-US cultural, political, religious, economic, etc relations, Michael Oren's Power, Faith, and Fantasy has more depth and better scholarship. Still, this is an interesting work by a talented writer (who is, I must admit, often a jerk about the way he writes about women-fair warning).
The last 3 chapters, though, are SO fascinating for someone who studies my stuff: US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a focus on Iraq. The Persian Gulf War was in a sense the greatest failure of the Arabists because they deeply misread Saddam's intentions and failed to warn him not to invade Kuwait. The Arabists were perfectly cool with the policy of engaging and appeasing Saddam, seeing Iraq as bursting with economic and social potential even if their leader was a brute. Kaplan shows how their cultural experience blinded them to the realities in Iraq, especially those of Saddam himself. Most Arabists see the Middle East through rose colored glasses (and Israel through a scanner darkly). They emphasize the beauty of the culture and the language, they interact with the more prosperous and Western-philic segments of the population, and they come to feel deep attachments to these people and their struggles. It therefore makes a lot of sense that April Glaspie and the other Arabists in Baghdad totally misread Saddam; despite being experts in the region they were still blinded by the peculiar cultural experiences and ideology of the Arabists. They made excuses for Saddam and the Baathists' brutality, even writing off the Kurdish gas attacks, and constantly played up the massive potential of this society, doing more to sell it to the US than to communicate US positions to Saddam. We will never know if Saddam would have backed down if a more clear-eyed ambassador had warned him more directly, but it sure would have been nice for the State Dept. to run that meeting again and not be totally pusillanimous to Saddam.
Anyone who studies or is interested in USFP in the ME should read at least the last few chapters of this book. For the deeper history of Arab-US cultural, political, religious, economic, etc relations, Michael Oren's Power, Faith, and Fantasy has more depth and better scholarship. Still, this is an interesting work by a talented writer (who is, I must admit, often a jerk about the way he writes about women-fair warning).
May 17, 2019
In this very interesting book author gives an history of US foreign-office (and related organizations/trailblazers) working in the Middle East from late 19th century 'til 1990's.
From the sound of it you would not say this would be interesting - right. Believe me you would be wrong.
Kaplan follows first contacts of US missionaries/ambassadors (because this is what they were) and mysterious Middle East countries.
First US groups were people dedicated to the overthrow of colonial power (be it British (although US and UK were always close and US missionaries drew inspiration from their British cousins), French or Turkish) and national independence of Arab nations.
These men and women worked on bringing medicines, food and medical training to the rather backwater parts of the world. They opened universities to improve people's lives and ignite national feelings in Arabs. In return they were all taken by the unexplored vast expanses and very curious and proud people living there. They made a base that will enable grow of numerous US diplomats with interest and links to the Middle East - people that will work hard for US interests but very often also follow their own decisions [which very often lead to conflict with realpolitik] based on strong knowledge of area and also experience that back home in US their bosses did not know much.
And then came WW2 and after that something that would shatter Middle East 'til today - creation of state of Israel. This was a trigger that caused almost complete break of connection between US and Arabs. From this point onward everything was determined by realpolitik and US state interests in the region. By walking on a very thin edge US worked hard to remain in contact with both Israel and Arab nations. And this is where old guard had to go out for a sole reason that in real world with nation interests at stake there is no place for romanticism. New people came in and took the mantle and gave their best.
Especially interesting was information how Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were created - it was like by intention everyone that drew the border-lines wanted highly unstable region for years to come (which unfortunately got confirmed in recent years).
Excellent book that shows two important things:
- how easy is to go native when working with same people for a long time and how that might affect the reasoning and judgment in general
- how generalizing is never good - although called Arabists almost of them (with several exceptions that prove the rule) worked hard to bring peace and reason to relations between Israel and Arab nations and treated everyone the same
Highly recommended.
From the sound of it you would not say this would be interesting - right. Believe me you would be wrong.
Kaplan follows first contacts of US missionaries/ambassadors (because this is what they were) and mysterious Middle East countries.
First US groups were people dedicated to the overthrow of colonial power (be it British (although US and UK were always close and US missionaries drew inspiration from their British cousins), French or Turkish) and national independence of Arab nations.
These men and women worked on bringing medicines, food and medical training to the rather backwater parts of the world. They opened universities to improve people's lives and ignite national feelings in Arabs. In return they were all taken by the unexplored vast expanses and very curious and proud people living there. They made a base that will enable grow of numerous US diplomats with interest and links to the Middle East - people that will work hard for US interests but very often also follow their own decisions [which very often lead to conflict with realpolitik] based on strong knowledge of area and also experience that back home in US their bosses did not know much.
And then came WW2 and after that something that would shatter Middle East 'til today - creation of state of Israel. This was a trigger that caused almost complete break of connection between US and Arabs. From this point onward everything was determined by realpolitik and US state interests in the region. By walking on a very thin edge US worked hard to remain in contact with both Israel and Arab nations. And this is where old guard had to go out for a sole reason that in real world with nation interests at stake there is no place for romanticism. New people came in and took the mantle and gave their best.
Especially interesting was information how Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were created - it was like by intention everyone that drew the border-lines wanted highly unstable region for years to come (which unfortunately got confirmed in recent years).
Excellent book that shows two important things:
- how easy is to go native when working with same people for a long time and how that might affect the reasoning and judgment in general
- how generalizing is never good - although called Arabists almost of them (with several exceptions that prove the rule) worked hard to bring peace and reason to relations between Israel and Arab nations and treated everyone the same
Highly recommended.
April 26, 2022
Honestly the fact I laughed out loud at parts of a book I would never pick up for myself is a great bonus of minoring in your favorite subject.
Teaching history is like telling a story and the best way to learn it is to be made to care about the people and places you’re being taught about. Kaplan has a talent for this, in some chapters it shined through more than others but in that did I was invested in learning about these people.
Most notable in this book for me were Jim Atkins and Jerry Weaver. Atkins was an example of when you put a scientist in politics (in the best, most chaotic way) and Weaver himself just had such a fascinating story that I had fun learning about.
Teaching history is like telling a story and the best way to learn it is to be made to care about the people and places you’re being taught about. Kaplan has a talent for this, in some chapters it shined through more than others but in that did I was invested in learning about these people.
Most notable in this book for me were Jim Atkins and Jerry Weaver. Atkins was an example of when you put a scientist in politics (in the best, most chaotic way) and Weaver himself just had such a fascinating story that I had fun learning about.
February 15, 2022
This book was pretty good. Interesting that it was written pre-9/11. Some of the predictions by the ambassador to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf crisis in the early 90’s turned out to be quite wrong. I wish he had asked me my opinion as a kid living in Jeddah not on a compound. I knew they were out for American blood! Oh well.
June 2, 2022
It is indisputable that Kaplan writes with a certain bias and nostalgia for the old-styled romantic Arabists missonaries, however, the book is really well researched and necessary to understand to develop of american policy to the Middle East through the last 150 years.
March 15, 2019
A very interesting and well-written history of American and British diplomatic activity in the Middle East, focused as all good history is on the people on the ground.
April 9, 2024
كتاب مهم
استغربت عدم ذكر اسم برترام توماس
ولكن قصص الرحالة مثل تشارلس دوتي و المعلومات الواردة عنه كانت مميزة
الكتاب يلائم جو الصحراء والاستشراق الذي اقرأ فيه منذ مدة
استغربت عدم ذكر اسم برترام توماس
ولكن قصص الرحالة مثل تشارلس دوتي و المعلومات الواردة عنه كانت مميزة
الكتاب يلائم جو الصحراء والاستشراق الذي اقرأ فيه منذ مدة
April 11, 2016
Excellent Kaplan, and equally relevant and insightful to when it was first published in 1993. This book focuses more on the important people (diplomats, FSOs, ambassadors, educators, missionaries, itinerants) involved in the region over the last century plus, and a little less on his astute geopolitical thinking. Though, obviously, people to a great extent create the geopolitics. It's worth remembering that, essentially, all the Arab nations were created by Western powers for western purposes. I'd venture to say that the Arabists of today are intelligence and data collectors with little knowledge or concern for the history and cultures of the region.
He covers important periods, from American missionary efforts which helped to improve education and healthcare (while at the same time also planted seeds of nationalism) through America's coddling of Saddam Hussein during his worst atrocities. He also takes readers through the transformation of America's relationship with Israel. He could have spent a page explaining Semitism/anti-Semitism in a little detail - it's true definition is different from the one-dimensional (anti-Jewish) meaning that it now conveys. But, this is a minor point and readers of his books are likely to read more on subjects that he writes about.
Still, in the end, the book's focus is on the people, their families and the interconnectedness of this elitist group. Many had a true appreciation and respect for the culture, art and language. Some were romanticists, some were pragmatists. Many also were prescient enough to see the problems with creating artificial nations.
What a incredible time it must have been for those involved.
This stands alongside Balkan Ghosts, To the Ends of the Earth and Monsoon as one of his finest works.
He covers important periods, from American missionary efforts which helped to improve education and healthcare (while at the same time also planted seeds of nationalism) through America's coddling of Saddam Hussein during his worst atrocities. He also takes readers through the transformation of America's relationship with Israel. He could have spent a page explaining Semitism/anti-Semitism in a little detail - it's true definition is different from the one-dimensional (anti-Jewish) meaning that it now conveys. But, this is a minor point and readers of his books are likely to read more on subjects that he writes about.
Still, in the end, the book's focus is on the people, their families and the interconnectedness of this elitist group. Many had a true appreciation and respect for the culture, art and language. Some were romanticists, some were pragmatists. Many also were prescient enough to see the problems with creating artificial nations.
What a incredible time it must have been for those involved.
This stands alongside Balkan Ghosts, To the Ends of the Earth and Monsoon as one of his finest works.
June 22, 2014
This is a great book! The only reason - the ONLY reason - I didn't give it five stars is that I thought his treatment of April Glaspie in the final chapters was not as evenhanded as his treatment of other "characters" in the book.
Although this was published in 1993, its relevance to what is going on now in Iraq and Syria cannot be overstated. Robert D Kaplan is one of the best writers on foreign affairs that we "Muricans" have!
Although this was published in 1993, its relevance to what is going on now in Iraq and Syria cannot be overstated. Robert D Kaplan is one of the best writers on foreign affairs that we "Muricans" have!
January 30, 2008
This book provides an insightful account of the lives and experiences of Foreign Service Officers in Araby. The different personalities in these stories make the time spent reading the book well worth it. On a secondary note, one can learn about U.S. involvement in Southwest Asia and North Africa from the missionaries to the State Department.
August 14, 2008
"Arabists" are diplomats, intelligence agents, scholars, adventurers, missionaries and military attaches serving in the Middle East. They were an elite group in the 19th-century. Kaplan contrasts their views of the Arab world with today's opinions...especially as they relate to Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Some of the writing in this book was dry, but I learned so much that I am glad I stuck with it.
October 25, 2008
This book traces the history of American "Arabists", individuals who participated in developing foreign policy towards the Arab world. As such, it is more of a memoir or history of individuals than it is a foreign policy history. I thought it was really interesting to learn about the individuals who shaped American policy in this part of the world.
December 9, 2009
I really liked much of this book, but ultimately found myself wanting more of a defined theme, with commentary specificaly devoted to that theme rather than just a string of stories that support - to varying degrees - what I presume was the thesis. The historical background and atmosphere the author creates is very engaging, but perhaps I was a bit slow regarding the book's ultimate point.
September 27, 2007
Ok so this is what I call a truly evil book, representing an ideology that's driven some of the country's best and brightest out of the Foreign Service.
The approach to FP and National Security personnel it espouses literally led to the Iraq War.
The approach to FP and National Security personnel it espouses literally led to the Iraq War.
November 20, 2012
This book offers great insight into the mind of Arabists and other American foreign service officers, from the beginnings of the American University in Beirut, to the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein.
January 3, 2016
One of the best books I have read concerning the corps of diplomats that actually have lived for many years among Arab populations and speak their languages. A tale of past Missionaries and the dynamics of change not just in the countries they inhabit but among the Arabist's themselves.
July 7, 2014
This book inspired me to accept a job in the Holy Land, where I was for almost three years. It was a bit dry, but had such an interesting view of America's involvement in the Middle East.
December 26, 2010
I would probably give this 3.5 stars, more than 3 but less than 4.
November 24, 2012
Well written, entertaining, well researched, and very informative. A well balanced appraisal of the NEA bureau at State, arabists in the U.S. foreign service, as well as the foreign service itself.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.