Engaging the Muslim World - Hardcover

'...an eloquent corrective...' Steven Poole, The Guardian 

'[A] balanced and effective antidote to oversimplified Western views of Islam. . . . manages to prick western misconceptions without taking extremist movements entirely at their own estimation.' - The Economist

'Personal, provocative, but always sensible in its policy prescriptions for the new Obama administration, this timely text by one of the top experts in the field tackles two of the world's chief political challenges: Muslim anxiety about America and American anxiety about Islam.' - Roger Owen, Harvard University

'Juan Cole's new book is lucid, learned and timely - especially the latter, since a new administation is about to assume leadership in Washington. Engaging the Musilm World, along with Juan Cole's blogs, should be essential reading for the incoming national security team.' - Karl E. Meyer, co-author of Kingmakers: The Invention of the Modern Middle East and editor-at-large, World Policy Journal

'Intelligent, clear and erudite. This is a timely and incisive retrospective of the Bush administration's calamitous encounter with the Muslim World by one of the most noted scholars of the subject. Cole looks deep into what went wrong to show the way forward to a new engagement of the Muslim World.' - Vali Nasr, bestselling author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future

'Juan Cole, distinguished specialist on the Muslim world, delivers his most comprehensive and erudite commentary to date - covering imperialism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, American oil politics, radical Islam and Middle Eastern terrorism.' - Chalmers Johnson, bestselling author of Nemesis and The Blowback Trilogy

'Engaging the Muslim World is a MUST read, the right book at the right time for anyone who wants to understand "What went wrong, why, and where do we go from here." Juan Cole is uniquely qualified to provide a critical, incisive, provocative analysis and commentary that will be welcomed by experts, policymakers and concerned citizens.'
- John L. Esposito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs, Georgetown University and bestselling author of Who Speaks for Islam? and What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam

'Cole provides a comprehensive alternative analysis of the current situation in the Muslim world and reveals how new U.S. policies might succeed in bringing peace where wars now rage. He proves the key role of oil interests in American foreign policy and demonstrates how incorrect or exaggerated ideas now prevalent in the U.S. are about the intrinsic militancy of Islam, and the aggressiveness of Iran. Everyone should read and ponder the facts he presents and the solutions he proposes.' - Nikki Keddie, Professor Emerita of History, UCLA and author of Modern Iran and Women in the Middle East

'Juan Cole's depth and breadth of knowledge on the Middle East has made him the most prescient analyst of the region's politics. It might infuriate the neocons who are proven wrong again and again, but Cole's insight is invaluable to anyone interested in the truth.' - Markos Moulitsas, DailyKos

'A well-reasoned, useful vision for Western-Muslim relations.'  - Kirkus
 
' [a] nuanced, clear-headed, visionary book.' - The Huffington Post
 
'Anyone familiar with Cole's Informed Comment blog will not be surprised to discover that Engaging the Muslim World is rich in policy prescriptions across a diverse range of subjects. He is at his best when demolishing myths and dealing with complex issues.' - Daniel Levy, The American Prospect 
 
'...in this brilliant and timely book, the author seeks to debunk...misinformation, myths and fabrications.' - The Muslim News
 
'...incisive and persuasive...' - Middle East International

With clarity and concision, Juan Cole disentangles the key foreign policy issues that America is grappling with today - from our dependence on Middle East petroleum to the promotion of Islamophobia by the American right - and delivers his informed advice on the best way forward. Cole's unique ability to take the true Muslim perspective into account when looking at East-West relations make his insights well-rounded and prescient as he suggests a course of action on fundamental issues like religion, oil, war and peace. With substantive recommendations for the next administration on how to move forward in key countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, Engaging the Muslim World reveals how we can repair the damage of the disastrous foreign policy of the last eight years and forge ahead on a path of peace and prosperity.Cole argues:* Al-Qaeda is not a mass movement like fascism or communism but rather a small political cult like the American far right circles that produced Timothy McVeigh.
* The Muslim world is not a new Soviet Bloc but rather is full of close allies or potential allies.
* There can be no such thing as American energy independence, we will need Islamic oil to survive as a superpower into the next century.
* Iran is not an implacable enemy of the U.S. - it can and should be fruitfully engaged, which is a necessary step for American energy security since Tehran can play the spoiler in the strategic Persian Gulf.
* America's best hope in Iraq is careful, deliberate military disengagement, rather than either through immediate withdrawal or a century-long military presence - in other words, both the Democrat and Republican presidential candidates are wrong.