My Brother, My Enemy

This kaleidoscopic tour behind the frontlines of the war of ideas assesses US efforts to persuade Muslims that Americans respect their rights and interests, while we fight wars and promote our interests. The author draws on his extensive travels in the Muslim world and interviews with a cross-section of the population including students, intellectuals, insurgents and politicians. For an American perspective, the author conducted candid interviews with US military officers, diplomats, and regional experts. Smucker describes turmoil within the Islamic realm and our efforts to project "soft power" into a world that remains misunderstood. He assesses both our failures and successes in Israel and Palestine, Egypt, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saharan Africa. Several themes resonate through these interviews. One is that the Muslim world is looking for consistent engagement from the US, particularly in regard to Israeli-Palestinian peace. After decades of paying lip service to the ideal of peace in the Middle East, the author shows why it is crucial for the Obama Administration to push forcefully for a two-state solution. Another is that the US must discontinue its policy of backing authoritarian regimes that oppress their people. In the eyes of everyday Muslims, such tactics make a mockery of our claim to be the champion of individual liberty. Muslims, many of whom already support democratic change, will only be convinced of America's good will, says the author if our actions speak louder than our words.This revealing, vividly told narrative by a daring and experienced journalist with firsthand knowledge of the events and people in conflict areas offers unforgettable insights into the Muslim world's hopes and fears as well as our own crucial diplomatic overtures and military campaigns across the Islamic world.

Philip Smucker (Alexandria, VA) is an independent journalist, a documentary filmmaker, and author of the highly acclaimed Al-Qaeda's Great Escape: The Military and the Media on Terror's Tail, which broke the story of Osama bin Laden's escape. He has spent the last twenty-two years as an overseas reporter, covering conflicts across many countries including Haiti, Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Cambodia. He received three Pulitzer nominations for his reporting and has worked and written for many publications, including McClatchy Newspapers, the Atlantic Monthly, Christian Science Monitor, Daily Telegraph, Asia Times, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, and Time. He has appeared on national television and radio as an expert on the Islamic world, including on the Today show, Good Morning America, Nightline, Hardball with Chris Matthews, CNN, and The Diane Rehm Show.