The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace

The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace | Aaron David Miller | Imperative to read this book

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The Much Too Promi...

	The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace Aaron David Miller Bantam, 2008 - 416 pages average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

For nearly twenty years, Aaron David Miller has played a central role in U.S. efforts to broker Arab-Israeli peace. His position as an advisor to presidents, secretaries of state, and national security advisors has given him a unique perspective on a problem that American leaders have wrestled with for more than half a century. Why has the world?s greatest superpower failed to broker, or impose, a solution in the Middle East? If a solution is possible, what would it take? And why after so many years of struggle and failure, with the entire region even more unsettled than ever, should Americans even care? Is Israel/Palestine really the ?much too promised land??

As a historian, analyst, and negotiator, perhaps no one is more qualified to answer these questions than Aaron David Miller. Without partisanship or finger-pointing, Miller lucidly and honestly records what went right, what went wrong, and how we got where we are today. Here is an insider?s view of the peace process from a place at the negotiating table, filled with unforgettable stories and colorful behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Here, too, are new interviews with all the key players, including Presidents Carter, Ford, Bush forty-one, all nine U.S. secretaries of state, as well Arab and Israeli leaders, who disclose the inner thoughts and strategies that motivated them. The result is a book that shatters all preconceived notions to tackle the complicated issues of culture, religion, domestic politics, and national security that have defined?and often derailed?a half century of diplomacy.

Honest, critical, and certain to be controversial, this insightful first-person account offers a brilliant new analysis of the problem of Arab-Israeli peace and how, against all odds, it still might be solved.

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A Crucial read for understanding America's role in the Mideast

There is no end of reasons for anyone interested in Israel and Palestine to read this book. Miller worked for the State Department for a quarter century, under six different Secretaries of State and five presidents. The two Camp David summits essentially bookend his career.

The book is a veritable fountain of insight into American Middle East diplomacy. Miller never loses sight of both the political complications of attempts to bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, nor of the human elements that are such a vital part of diplomacy.

Unusual for a book of its kind, The Much Too Promised Land is exceptionally well-written and fully engages the reader throughout. It's that rarest of creations, a book of politics and history that's also a real page-turner.

Miller gives us priceless material on a quarter-century of American engagement in the Middle East; is unsparing in his criticism, including of himself; but is also quite clear in his praise. One gets a really good picture of what worked and what didn't and why. We also get a picture of the circumstances, which is crucial to understanding why a given course of action might work in 1978 but not in 2007, or might fail at one time but succeed at another.

Perhaps the most important point Miller brings out in his book, though this is not his focus, is the role of the "Israel Lobby" in American policy-making. Miller makes clear what I, among others, have been saying for years-that the "Lobby" is certainly powerful and effective and has an impact, but decisions are not based on what it wants. Miller illustrates well the importance of citizens organizing lobbying forces promoting reasonable policies but also makes clear where the power of lobbying ends and the leadership of a president begins. Click here and here for more of my own work on this issue. We'll get back to the issue of lobbying below.

Miller's book is simply indispensible for anyone wanting to truly understand America's policy toward the Arab-Israeli conflict from Carter to George W.

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Imperative to read this book

Arron David Brown's The Much Too Promised Land presents a well written history of the Arab - Israeli conflict since its inception in 1948. Brown, who served in the State Department for over 25 years, and served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, maintains a nonpartisan approach in his analysis. No one will deny Israel's right to exist, especially as it is presently celebrating its 60th year of independence. Yet, the plight of the Palestinians is a real one, and they are under the occupation of the Israelis. I would hope that the 2008 presidential candidates read this book, along with anyone else who would like to see peace in this volatile region of the world.

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Good read

Aaron Miller's book is a must read for anyone who wants to know the issues on this subject.

A much too personal book

I bought the audio cd version of this book, which I heard on a 500 mile drive. The book is a combination of history and insight, with the author's perspective. It was much more personal than detached. He is positive about both Democratic and Republican President for whom he has worked, but not afraid to discuss their shortcomings. He was there, on the front lines, as a negotiator.
I enjoyed the books, and would recommend it, but would have bought an abridged edition had it been available.

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Too Long, Hard to Assimilate

Miller, product of a strong pro-Israel upbringing, offers a balanced look at the never-ending Mid-East problem. His assessment is that the U.S. has not held Israel to its agreements and needs to be much harder on our ally. At the same time, he also sees the Palestinian leaders as their own worst enemy.

The bulk of "The Much Too Promised Land" is taken up with Miller's reminiscing over activities and involvement in the Mid-East peace process. While interesting, the format makes it difficult for readers to assimilate the material into a structured format.

Miller believes enhancing American credibility in the area will require making the issue a top and ongoing priority (certainly not the case with Bush '43) as we did with the Cold War, casting American involvement in the light of our broad national interest that goes beyond support for Israel, and recognizing the settlement enterprise (demanding expansion, land confiscation, bypass roads, and a different set of legal rules to govern 2.5 million Palestinians and 250,000 Israeli Jews residing in the West Bank) is a major, on-going problem. Finally, we also need to broaden our involvement to include Hamas, Syria, and Jordan. Meanwhile, our involvement in Iraq has also reduced American stature among Arabs.

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reviews: page 1, 2

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