Thirteen Days in September: Carter, Begin, and Sadat at Camp David PDF
Preview Thirteen Days in September: Carter, Begin, and Sadat at Camp David
Anwar Sadat, Jimmy Carter, and Menachem Begin on the porch of the Aspen Lodge THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF Copyright © 2014 by Lawrence Wright All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC, New York, and in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto, Penguin Random House Companies. www.aaknopf.com Knopf, Borzoi Books, and the colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC. Maps on pages this page and this page by Mapping Specialists. ISBN: 978-0-385-35203-1 (hardcover) ISBN: 978-0-38535204-8 (eBook) Front-of-jacket photograph: President Anwar Sadat, President Jimmy Carter, and Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David, September 6, 1978 (detail), by Marlon S. Trikoso. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Jacket design by Chip Kidd v3.1 For Ann Close Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Maps Author’s Note PROLOGUE DAY ONE DAY TWO DAY THREE DAY FOUR DAY FIVE DAY SIX DAY SEVEN DAY EIGHT DAY NINE DAY TEN DAY ELEVEN DAY TWELVE DAY THIRTEEN EPILOGUE Acknowledgments and Notes on Sources Notes Bibliography Index Photographic Credits A Note About the Author Other Books by This Author Author’s Note Three men, representing three religions, met for thirteen days at the presidential retreat of Camp David in the autumn of 1978 in order to solve a dispute that religion itself had largely caused. Beliefs built on ancient texts and legends conspired to create one of the most obdurate conflicts of modern times, one that has drowned the Middle East in a timeless blood feud, brought the superpowers of the time to the brink of nuclear war, flooded the region with refugees, and spawned terrorist movements that have created mayhem and heartbreak all over the world. This book is an account of how these three flawed men, strengthened but also encumbered by their faiths, managed to forge a partial and incomplete peace, an achievement that nonetheless stands as one of the great diplomatic triumphs of the twentieth century and one that has yet to be repeated. When the leaders of Egypt and Israel met at Camp David, their two countries had engaged in four wars in the previous thirty years—five, if one counts the so-called War of Attrition, which occupied the two countries between 1969 and 1970. The conflict began as part of a larger struggle for Israel’s existence, but it evolved into a tug-of-war over territory—mainly, the Sinai Peninsula—and the right of the Palestinians to return to their former homeland. Although clashes continue between Israel and its other neighbors, the Camp David agreement removed the only Arab adversary that posed a genuine military threat to the future of Israel. And yet the peace envisioned between Israel and the Palestinians was never fully implemented, which is why the turmoil in the region continues. The reader will observe that there are three chronologies at work in this book. The thirteen days of the Camp David summit form the architecture of this account. Beneath that is a history of the modern Middle East as seen through the eyes of the remarkable men who were present at the negotiation and in many respects made that history. At bottom are the tectonic plates of the three religions as revealed in the stories of the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran. The struggle for peace at Camp David is a testament to the enduring force of religion in modern life, as seen in its ability to mold history and in the difficulty of shedding the mythologies that continue to lure societies into conflict. War seldom achieves what was expected or hoped for by its participants; even victory often breeds a future defeat. The Middle East from distant times till now is a cautionary story of the failure of war to impose a lasting and just peace. There is never a perfect time or ideal people to bring an end to bloody conflicts, and unlike the talent for war, the ability to make peace has always been rare. The goal of this book is to provide some insight into how that arduous process is accomplished, even by violent men who are prejudiced by their backgrounds, hampered by domestic politics, and blinded by their beliefs. Camp David tells us of the compromises that peace demands, and of the courage and sacrifice required of leaders whose greatest challenge is to overcome their own limitations.
Description:The list of books you might like
