The peace promise
Published: Wednesday 08 July 2009 Updated: Wednesday 08 July 2009
"The Arab-Israeli conflict, I discovered, really did have two sides." Writes Aaron David Miller who shares his own experience on the transition from a young man raised in a family believing strictly in Zionism to a mature political figure acknowledging the biased stance of his government along the way.
This book provides tremendous insight into the Arab Israeli conflict. Not just because the author, Aaron David Miller, was an Arab-Israeli specialist at the State Department for almost a quarter of a century. He served six administrations along the way, both Democratic and Republican, beginning with the Carter administration in 1978 and ending with the second Bush administration in 2003. But also because Miller comes from a Jewish family and was raised by parents who believed firmly in Zionism and worked hard for the Israeli and Jewish community. Miller discusses this in detail in the first chapter of his book, asserting its importance and relevance on why his point of view seems very unique. This is no ordinary political book, it is a memoir that at times almost resembles an engaging novel and a book of great political depth, from an eye witness point of view.
Miller states that in many situations the U.S. government was biased to the Israeli point of view. This candid confession coming from someone with Miller's credentials and upbringing is highly credible and has great value. He believes firmly that in many cases US officials were overly sympathetic with the Israeli case at the expense of the Arab and Palestinian position, which he feels may have been one of the reasons for the failed peace talks.
The author is a witness to history. In his book he offers a personal account of the piece of history he was part of and provides an analysis of what he believes went wrong and what went right. Readers will find interviews with three former presidents, nine secretaries of state (including Rice), four national security advisers and nearly 150 other U.S. and foreign officials.
Miller clearly admires James Baker and Carter while in many ways criticizes Clinton's approach to the peace process. He believes that in order for the peace talks to have a chance for success the U.S. government should take a tough stance towards their Israeli counterpart.
The book provides a critical political analysis of how the peace process reached this point as well as suggestions on which direction the process should follow to move forward from here. Suggestions which, no doubt, could make this book of great value to current officials. But what is truly unique about this book is that the author gives the reader a rare chance to see what really happens on negotiating tables and behind the scenes.
He ends his book with hope that peace is possible but declares that the process needs a new and different approach which he hopes this administration will adopt. Anyone who has a special interest in the Arab-Israeli conflict will enjoy reading this book and will most definitely find it interesting and informative.
