King hussein jordan biography book

Hussein skillfully navigated complicated relationships with the British, his fellow Arab leaders, the new bordering state of Israel, masses of dispossessed Palestinians within his kingdom, every U. This book illuminates the private man, his key relationships, and his achievements and disappointments as a central player in the tough world of Middle Eastern politics.

Ashton has had unique access to King Hussein's private papers, including his secret correspondence with U. The resulting book brings new depth to our understanding of the popular and canny king while also providing new information about the wars of andPresident Reagan's role in the Iran-Contra affair, the evolution of the Middle East peace process, and much more.

Chapter 1 The Tragedy of King Talal. Chapter 2 Breaking the British Connection Savannah, GA Store Merchandise Services. Email or call for price. Choose items to buy together. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Previous set of slides. Vignettes of Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Allen Strate. Perfect Paperback.

Graham Greene. Kompromat [Blu-ray]. Gilles Lelouche. Ages 5-Up. Fanous Ramadan Books for Kids. Muhammad Muslim Al-Kharraz. Next set of slides. From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. In this respectful and measured scholarly evaluation, Ashton Kennedy, Macmillan and the Cold War builds on unprecedented access to the late king's entire correspondence and more than two dozen interviews to lend valuable insight into how Hussein's shrewdness and empathy kept him politically and literally alive as well as casting light on many a foreign policy enigma—notably a confirmation that Ronald Regan personally authorized what became the Iran-Contra scandal.

While Hussein's uneasy alliance with the socialist brand of Arab nationalism under Egypt's Nasser led him into the greatest calamity of his reign, the Six-Day War with Israel, he remained ever alert to the shifting power dynamics of the Arab world, often maintaining a precarious balance between the Western powers, the Arab states and Israelwhile wielding influence disproportionate to Jordan's relatively modest assets.

Ashton reveals Hussein's longstanding covert contact with Israel and his clandestine communications with Israelis in the immediate aftermath of the warto suggest the possibilities and missed opportunities including by the U. All rights reserved. King Hussein bin Talal ruled the small kingdom of Jordan for 47 tumultuous kings hussein jordan biography book and became an influential figure in Middle Eastern and world politics.

Ashton senior lecturer, London Sch. Both books demonstrate Hussein's skill at maintaining stability in Jordan, a country lacking natural resources, thus obliging its king to use intelligence, diplomatic skill, and personal charm to maintain its independence in the face of war and military incursions from Israel and political intrigue or threats from his Arab "allies.

Hussein preserved the integrity of his kingdom by astute, often secret diplomacy with Israel and ongoing, mostly successful efforts to build regular communication and mutual respect with British and American leaders. His ability to sustain Jordanian independence was less than his lifelong dream, however, and he failed to achieve his vision of unifying the Arab world under the leadership of his family's dynastic rule.

Both writers agree that although Hussein's resistance to joining the American-led coalition against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in greatly undermined his favorable standing in the United States, his funeral in attracted mourners from all over the world, including four American presidents. Community Reviews. Search review text. Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews.

A good political and personal biography of a peace-maker. Audu Liman. A good history of the making of Jordan. Khaled Gharaibeh. The book also addressed how HM chose his successor King Abdullah in the last days of his life after having Prince Hassan as regent for three decades.