Saturday, January 30, 2016

William Quandt and his new book

One of the signs of the decline and disappearance of Arabists in the US government and punditry in Washington, DC is the new book by William Quandt about Camp David: I could not believe that the cover page has the headline "Forward by Mark Indyk".  Why would a knowledgeable real expert of the Middle East--politics aside--like William Quandt needs the blessings of an Israel lobbyist.  I am sure that Quandt knows that Indyk was first recruited by the Clinton administration for his closeness to the Zionist establishment and not for his knowledge of the region.  But it is a sign of the times: one of the last remaining Arabists seeking legitimacy from an Israeli lobbyist.