American Diplomacy Toward Lebanon

There is no dearth of books, policy briefs, and reports about Lebanon and its multiple crises. Yet, none provides anywhere near the scope and depth of analysis about the formulation and implementation of U.S. Lebanon policy as David Hale’s excellent book. Mr. Hale has been involved with U.S. policymaking on Lebanon for many years and provides an insider’s perspective of “America’s oscillations in policies and levels of activity” concerning Lebanon. This is a must-read book for scholars of Lebanon and the Levant, of U.S. policy in the Levant, and for practitioners of crisis management and conflict resolution. Most of all, Lebanese must read this book to understand the evolution of U.S. policy vis-à-vis their country, what the U.S. did or did not do at critical episodes in their country’s political trajectory, and the main drivers of those decisions and actions. * Randa Slim, Senior Fellow and Director, Middle East Institute, U.S *
Anyone with an interest in Lebanon will find this an absorbing book written by a diplomat with a long history and deep knowledge of the country and the region. Through six episodes, spanning over sixty years, David Hale explores the twists and turns of Lebanon’s fortunes and the problems of inconsistent diplomatic efforts that culminate in the challenges of today. An important contribution to our understanding and a valuable tool for our diplomacy. * Catherine Ashton, Former High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, UK *
Lebanon has been the school of hard knocks for successive generations of American diplomats. David Hale’s pithy, unsparing review of American policy is intensely readable and instructive, especially with the backdrop of yet another Middle East crisis. Written with personal experience, empathy and objectivity, Hale’s work is seminal and authoritative. * C. David Welch, Ambassador and Former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, USA *