Salim Yaqub's engaging book on U.S.-Arab relations in the 1970s is, in the words of its author, an “eclectic” approach that includes a deep look at both diplomatic history and the emergence of politically active Arab-American groups. The focus is heavily on the Arab-Israeli conflict, which was central to the U.S.-Arab interaction during this crucial decade. Key events were the rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Jordan crisis of 1970, changes of leadership in Egypt after the death of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the October 1973 War, the Arab oil embargo, the outbreak of civil war in Lebanon in 1975, and the diplomacy that eventually led to the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement in 1979. This was indeed a momentous decade for the Middle East and for U.S.-Arab relations.
Yaqub is a careful scholar and a good writer. He has read widely in the rich archival sources that allow researchers...