While the Arab World Slept

About the Book

“Despite the critical strategic role the Middle East plays in world affairs books authored by truly participant observers are limited. While the Arab World Slept belongs to those exceptional works that will command the attention of scholars, politicians, and the general public interested in deeply understanding the forces shaping this region and its impact on international security concerns. Claude Salhani brings decades of experience as a working professional journalist in the area and his insights are therefore a major contribution to our knowledge and must be read, discussed and acted upon.” Yonah Alexander, “professor emeritus, State University of New York and Director of the International Center for Terrorism Studies, Washington DC.” “…a fascinating walk through the Arab world and the events of recent years, while at the same time it reminds us that one's lack of history will often make us repeat our mistakes. Mr. Salhani gives us an amazing perspective on the real situation in the world, one that US policy advisors would be smart to follow.” Edward Gabriel, former US Ambassador to Morocco We need a careful and discriminating analyst to help us avoid being blown up intellectually and, alas, even literally. Claude Salhani is that analyst. He is familiar with all the twists, turns and disappointments of the Middle East’s history because (among other things) it is his history. He is moved to write by a loyalty to the people with whom he grew up and whose pains he feels as his own. But he also knows that many Middle Eastern problems arise in part from the clumsy interventions of outsiders ignorant of that history and so liable to repeat their clumsiness. Claude is always lucid, readable, and entertaining—his prose is as sharp and well-defined… Claude’s love and knowledge of the Middle East and Middle Easterners shine through the analysis. John O’Sullivan, former speechwriter for British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

About the Author

Claude Salhani is editor of the Middle East Times and a political analyst specializing in the Middle East and terrorism. He is a contributing writer in the commentary pages of the Washington Times, Dubai’s Khaleej, and Beirut’s Executive Magazine. Prior to his current position, he was the foreign editor with United Press International for almost a decade. Ten years. Over a span of thirty years, Mr. Salhani traveled to seventy-eight countries, covered twelve wars, and interviewed numerous world leaders. His reports were published in major newspapers and magazines around the world, including the Times (London), the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Diego Union Tribune, Foreign Service Journal, Middle East Policy Journal, Salon.com, and others. He has appeared on almost forty radio and television networks as a political commentator. Mr. Salhani was based in Beirut, Cairo, Paris, Brussels, London, New York, and Washington DC. His assignments included every major Middle East conflict starting with the Jordanian-Palestinian Black September clashes in Jordan, the 1973 War, to the Gulf War. He was wounded three times while reporting on various Mideast conflicts. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. Mr. Salhani is fluent in English, French, Italian, Arabic and has a working knowledge of Spanish. He studied in the Masters in Conflict Resolution program at Royal Roads University in Victoria, Canada, where he taught a course in public diplomacy as an associate professor in the graduate program.