The Long War of Ideas

Written with deep knowledge of Middle East culture, Greenberg’s book is a meticulous deconstruction of a largely futile public diplomacy campaign. This is an exemplary work that needs to be read by scholars of US foreign policy and the Arab world and anyone interested in public diplomacy. – Nicholas J. Cull, author of Public Diplomacy: Foundations for Global Engagement in the Digital AgeThe Long War of Ideas presents a riveting, deeply researched and often entertaining tour of decades of open and covert American efforts to influence Arab public opinion through the media. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand why those expensive programs have so often failed—and how the United States might better engage with the world. – Marc Lynch, author of The New Arab Wars: Anarchy and Uprising in the Middle East

Nathaniel Greenberg is associate professor of Arabic at George Mason University. His books include How Information Warfare Shaped the Arab Spring: The Politics of Narrative in Tunisia and Egypt (2019).