Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East [Hardcover]

Nicholas Blanford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2006 | ISBN-10: 1845112024 | ISBN-13: 978-1845112028 | Edition: First Edition

Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, known as "Mr. Lebanon," was killed by a massive explosion as he drove along the Beirut seafront on Valentine's Day in 2005. A business entrepreneur, who rose from nothing to become one of the most powerful men in Lebanese politics, Hariri's assassination has incited outrage and suspicion. Nicholas Blanford investigates Hariri's past, inextricably linked with that of Lebanon, and uncovers a murky world of shifting alliances between businesses, the military, politicians and diplomats. Based on exclusive interviews with key players, he traces the last weeks of Hariri's life, and reveals who stood to gain from his death. He assesses its impact on Lebanese politics including the withdrawal of Syrian troops, Hezbollah and the peace process. Full of intrigue, shady characters, and suspense, Killing Mr Lebanon brings to light what the Lebanese people have clamored for since Valentine's Day 2005: 'al haqiqa' - the truth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A rich piece of storytelling--Blanford provides the definitive account of the assassination of Hariri and Lebanon's subsequent 'Cedar Revolution'--dramatic events which are essential to understanding the Arab quest for freedom...Brilliant stuff."--Scott McLeod, Middle East correspondent, Time Magazine

"Nick Blanford, a veteran Beirut correspondent, reveals what led to the assassination of Rafik Hariri and how the murder altered the course of Lebanon's history and the balance of power in the Middle East. This is not only a real life thriller but a story with huge implications for the future of the region. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in Lebanon, Blanford is the man to tell it."-- Richard Beeston, The Times

 

"If you are going to read one book on Lebanon, this is the one. It is as gripping as a thriller, yet packed with sober insight and history. More than an excellent biography of Rafik Hariri, a man of oversized ambition and appetite, who dominated Lebanese politics for a quarter century and rebuilt Beirut, it is a tour de force of contemporary Lebanese politics. Blanford plumbs Lebanon’s relations with both Saudi Arabia and Syria, following the money and charting the tug of war between the regional powers. We come to understand why Hariri was murdered just as he led his country across the threshold of independence. Required reading for anyone interested in today’s Middle East."--Joshua Landis, “Syria Comment" contributor and Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma

 

"How the 2005 death of a former prime minister sparked a popular uprising, forced Syria to end its 30-year occupation of Lebanon, and upset power balances throughout the region." --Financial Times

 

"A brisk portrait of the man’s travails and legacy." - Max Roedenbeck, New York Review of Books

About the Author

Nicholas Blanford is The Times' (London) correspondent in Beirut, where he has lived for over ten years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris; First Edition edition (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845112024
• ISBN-13: 978-1845112028
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #876,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, passionate account of Rafiq Hariri, November 3, 2006

By 

William Bross "slugggy" (East Lansing, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East (Hardcover)

Blanford's Killing Mr. Lebanon is a well-written and gripping account of the life of Rafiq Hariri and the aftermath of his assassination. It is also a fascinating look at Syria's iron-grip on Lebanon throughout the 1990s, and the politics between the two countries. The book opens with a dramatic account of the hours leading up to Hariri's assassination, and follows with an account of Hariri's early life and his initial foray into the treacherous world of Lebanese politics. The next section of the book focuses on Hariri's ups and downs in the political system, from his ambitious plan to rebuild Beirut after the 1975-1990 civil war, and his years as Prime Minister which often brought him into conflict with the Syrian leadership.

The last half of the book looks at the assassination of Hariri and the aftermath, the "Cedar Revolution", the UN investigation into Hariri's death, and the continuing Hizbullah-Israel conflict. Blanford's account and analysis of the March 14th coalition is particularly moving, showing just how large the image of Rafiq Hariri is in Lebanon. The book ends with a short epilogue describing the brutal Israeli campaign of destruction in Lebanon during the summer of 2006.

Overall, Blanford's book is very well-written, gripping, and hard to put down. He has an excellent grasp of Lebanese politics, and much of the book is based on interviews with over 70 people - many who are high ranking politians in Lebanon (such as Fouad Siniora and Walid Jumblatt) or close to Hariri (such as his son Saad Hariri). This is an excellent book for anyone interested in modern Lebanese-Syrian relations, Rafiq Hariri, or the Middle East in general. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for experienced Lebanon watchers, June 30, 2010

By 

Neil Janin (Paris) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East (Hardcover)

Buy this book if you want to understand in detail what has happened in Lebanon in the last few years - those that bracket Hariri's rise and death. I have found that the praise of previous reviewers for the book, is fully deserved. On the other hand, if you are visiting Lebanon for the first time, or want to have a perspective on why this country has lived through such upheavals, you should read books that take a longer term or more fundamental perspective. This book tends to be very detailed, mentioning strings of names, and assuming that you have a background knowledge of the history of Lebanon, and Syria.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of recent Lebanese history, February 25, 2007

By 

S. Davis (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Killing Mr. Lebanon: The Assassination of Rafik Hariri and its Impact on the Middle East (Hardcover)

Blanford writes superbly, and this tour de force captures the dynamics of complex Lebanon as well as any. Of particular interest is the rarely detailed description of Syrian hegemony of the country, their parasitic-like extraction of wealth along with national confidence, and the complicity of neighbors of this crime (particularly Saudi Arabia and Egypt). His descriptions of Hariri as a complex tycoon/altruist are masterful.

The only weakness is the epilogue. Clearly written in the heat of a war as the book was going to press, it evokes horrible images of that war without providing the clear-headed analysis typical of the rest of the book: as such it appeals to some (see other reviews) but detracts in the long run. Blanford should either remove or expand this from future editions: it has no business being in an otherwise excellent work.