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American Orientalism: The United States and the Middle East since 1945 By Douglas Little Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (November 11, 2002), 424 pages Little begins by exposing the persistence of "orientalist" stereotypes in American popular culture and then examines U.S. policy toward the Middle East from many angles. Chapters focus on America's increasing dependence on petroleum; U.S.-Israeli relations; the threat of communism; the rise of revolutionary nationalist movements in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Libya; the futility of U.S. military and covert intervention; and the unsuccessful attempt to broker a "peace-for-land" settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The overarching theme of the book is that a combination of American omnipotence and profound cultural misunderstanding ensured that the United States would encounter trouble in the Middle East after 1945 and continues to bedevil the relationship between these vastly different cultures to the present day. Assault on the Liberty By James M. Ennes Jr Publisher: Reintree Press (July 2002), 300 pages In June, 1967, jet aircraft and motor torpedo boats of Israel brutally assaulted an American naval vessel, the USS Liberty, in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea. Thirty-four men died and 172 were wounded. The author was an officer on the bridge when the attack started and subsequently spent many years researching and documenting this meticulous account of the attack and the cover-up that followed. Deliberate Deceptions: Facing the Facts About the U.S.-Israeli Relationship By Paul Findley Amer. Educational Trust (March 1, 1995), 326 pages Former Congressman Paul Findley presents a list of mistruths presented by Israel and the Israeli lobby, AIPAC, over the years, and systematically rebuts each one with clear and concise facts in order to set the record straight on U.S.-Israeli relations. Dishonest Broker: The U.S. Role in Israel and Palestine By Naseer Hasan Aruri Publisher: South End Press (April 2003), 288 pages This latest work by Naseer Aruri focuses on the failed Middle East "peace process." Aruri analyzes the evolving relationship between the United States and the two protagonists -- the Palestinians and Israel -- and argues that the U.S. rejectionist policy toward Palestinian participation and Palestinian rights has become a policy that focuses more on the process and than on peace. Fallen Pillars: U.S. Policy Towards Palestine and Israel Since 1945 By Donald Neff Publisher: Institute for Palestine Studies (Updated edition November 2002), 380 pages This is a comprehensive summary of U.S. foreign policy towards Palestine and Israel during the second half of the twentieth century. Basing itself on official U.S. documents, it focuses on the United States’ failure to live up to its international commitments concerning Jerusalem, the right of return, U.N. Security Council resolution 242, and Israeli settlements . Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians By Noam Chomsky Publisher: South End Press (2nd edition October 1999), 578 pages For its tenth printing, Chomsky has added chapters bringing the book completely up to date, with a new preface by Chomsky, a new foreword from Palestinian author and activist Edward W. Said, and new material on the Intifada, the ongoing Israeli-PLO "peace process" (including the Oslo and Wye accords), and Israel's war against Lebanon. This new, updated edition highlights the book's lasting relevance, for readers of the first edition. It is invaluable to anyone seeking to understand the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy today. Perceptions of Palestine: Their Influence on U.S. Middle East Policy By Kathleen Christison Publisher: University of California Press (Updated edition, October 2001), 379 pages For most of the twentieth century, considered opinion in the United States regarding Palestine has favored the inherent right of Jews to exist in the Holy Land. That Palestinians, as a native population, could claim the same right has been largely ignored. Kathleen Christison's controversial new book shows how the endurance of such assumptions, along with America's singular focus on Israel and general ignorance of the Palestinian point of view, has impeded a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel's Lobby By Paul Findley Publisher: Lawrence Hill & Co. (3rd edition May 1, 2003) 416 pages The first book to speak out against the pervasive influence of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on American politics, policy, and institutions resonates today as never before. With careful documentation and specific case histories, former congressman Paul Findley demonstrates how the Israel lobby helps to shape important aspects of U.S. foreign policy and influences congressional, senatorial, and even presidential elections. ©2000-2007 electronicIntifada.net unless otherwise noted. Content may represent personal view of author. 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