Historical Dictionary of Middle Eastern Intelligence: (Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence)

Given the rivalries and suspicions prevailing in the Middle East, it is not surprising that most of these states are very concerned about espionage and infiltration. With the additional threat of terrorism, nuclear weapons, a large U.S. military presence, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, the result is an impressively busy intelligence industry, proportionately larger and more extensive than in most other regions. The Historical Dictionary of Middle East Intelligence addresses intelligence issues in the region from ancient history and the Middle Ages through modern times, covering the decline of the Ottoman Empire, intelligence activity in the Middle East during and between the two world wars, and the interplay between colonial and local intelligence and counterintelligence agencies of the period. It also presents the relatively new fundamentalist terrorist organizations that have had a significant impact on international relations and on the structure and deployment of intelligence, counterintelligence, and other security organs in the Middle East today. With a chronology, an introductory essay, and over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on important events and key organizations involved in all aspects of intelligence gathering and analysis, as well as the biographies of key players, this is an important reference on the current situation in the Middle East.

About the Author :
Ephraim Kahana chairs the National Security Program in the Department of Political Science at the Western Galilee College in Israel. He is the author of Historical Dictionary of Israeli Intelligence (Scarecrow Press, 2006). Muhammad Suwaed is a faculty member of the National Security Program in the Western Galilee College and the Kinneret College in Israel.

Review :
Makes the long and variegated history of Middle East intelligence accessible for the first time: indispensable for understanding past and present. Professor Ephraim Kahana again demonstrates his extensive knowledge of Middle East history and the web of entangements that have long characterized the region. Knowing about neighbors has been a requirement for every government, with Intelligence being the primary way of complementing the information diplomats and academics have presented to the leadership. In today's world, Intelligence plays an even more vital role, as expertly outlined and explained by Professor Kahana in his new volume. This volume is an excellent ready-reference source and is recommended for academic and large public libraries. Noted national security and intelligence experts and authors Kahana and Suwaed offer a distinctive look at Middle Eastern politics. This volume in the "Historical Dictionaries of Intelligence and Counterintelligence" series takes readers from the Dark Ages to modern times, covering various political and religious groups. Readable and interesting alphabetical entries comprehensively cover intelligence, counterintelligence, assassinations, security efforts, events, agencies, and individuals. This work is an excellent resource providing solid information in a complicated field of study. Highly recommended. Few scholars are more qualified than Kahana. . . . The authors have made good selections in what they are able to address. Should be read by anyone interested in making sense of Middle Eastern intelligence...This dictionary is well organized, comprehensive, informative, authoritative...in short: it is a real treasure.