The Foreign Service Journal, October 2010

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 57 colonial period and cling to power by invoking nationalism — and some- times their links to Washington. These battles are not, Nakhleh stresses, part of al-Qaida’s struggle against the West. Rather, the organi- zation’s simple, clear and repetitive message mostly attracts socially and economically marginalized Muslims looking for scapegoats. In addition, he reminds us that “moderate activists who reject the radical message have been ... subjected to harassment and imprisonment by so-called moderate regimes.” This leaves them “reticent to speak out against [Osama] bin Laden’s message lest they be accused of being either pro-regime or pro- United States.” A particularly useful chapter, “Pub- lic Diplomacy: A Blueprint,” lists 10 themes that resonate in the Islamic world, all of which emphasize com- monalities, not differences among reli- gions. The most significant —and one the Obama administration has en- dorsed from day one — is the declara- tion that “the United States is not en- gaged in a conflict with Islam” and that “the international community is fight- ing terrorists who in the name of Islam bring untold suffering onMuslims and non-Muslims alike.” However, Nakh- leh warns that this rhetorical change must be coupled with an “American foreign policy committed to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ending the Iraq incursion and pushing for eco- nomic and political reforms in the re- gion.” He also urges Washington to inten- sify its dialogue with mainstream Is- lamic political parties and institution- alize its commitment to democracy. And he stresses the need to expand ac- ademic and professional exchange pro- grams and sister university ties, open more American cultural centers in the Muslim world, and encourage Ameri- can universities to build campuses in Muslim countries. Admittedly, some of Nakhleh’s pre- scriptions are tall orders that would re- quire major readjustments in how the U.S. conducts relations with the Mus- limworld. (He acknowledges that this will require a major reconfiguration of our foreign affairs bureaucracy, but of- fers no specifics.) But overall, he of- fers some of the most sensible suggestions I’ve come across in a long time. ■ Patricia H. Kushlis was an FSO with the U.S. Information Agency from 1970 to 1998. A longer version of this review appeared on WhirledView, the world politics, public diplomacy and national security blog she co-writes with former FSO Patricia Lee Sharpe (http://whirledview.typepad.com/whir ledview/2009/01/emile-nakhlehs-a- necessary-engagement-book-review- essay.html). B O O K S Nakhleh also urges Washington to intensify its dialogue with mainstream Islamic political parties and institutionalize its commitment to democracy.