Robert Rabil, Ph.D.
LLS Jupiter Distinguished Faculty Award, 2010
LLS Distinguished Professor of Current Affairs, 2012-2013
Lifelong Learning Professorship of Current Affairs, 2018-2019
Political Science
Robert G. Rabil, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned and acclaimed scholar. His books have been highly commended and reviewed by major academic journals globally. His recent book on Salafism broke new ground in the fields of Islamism, terrorism and Middle East politics. He is considered one of the leading experts on Salafism, radical Islam, U.S.-Arab and Arab-Israeli relations, and terrorism. He served as Chief of Emergency for the Red Cross in Lebanon and was Project Manager of the U.S. State Department-funded Iraq Research and Documentation Project. He lectures nationally and internationally and participates in forums and seminars sponsored by the U.S. government. He holds a Master’s in Government from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. In May 2012, he received an honorary Ph.D. in Humanities from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. He is a Professor of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University.
In September 2016, Professor Rabil was presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the United States Army Central.
Student Testimonials
- “One of the most enthusiastic and engaging
FAU lecturers.”
- “Excellent current knowledge base on topic and
updates as events happen.”
UAE Israel Peace 2020 with Robert Rabil, Ph.D.
The Hard Line — Robert Rabil, Ph.D., discusses the Syrian refugee crisis
The Hard Line: Robert Rabil, Ph.D., the Professor of Middle East studies at Florida Atlantic University's Department of Political Science and author of “Salafism in Lebanon: From Apoliticism to Transnational Jihadism,” discusses the Syrian refugee crisis and the role the Obama administration has played in what has happened in Syria.
Dr. Rabil discusses Salafism in Lebanon in a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute
The Washington Institute: Facing a leadership crisis, Lebanon's Sunnis must contend with a vigorous Salafi movement in which the activist and jihadist elements are increasingly hard to distinguish from each other. On February 13, 2015, Robert Rabil addressed a Policy Forum concerning the issue of Salafism in Lebanon at The Washington Institute.
Dr. Rabil discusses Salafism on WPBT2's Viewpoint
Viewpoint: Salafism is perhaps best known for the ideologies of Salafi jihadism such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. It is actually comprised of many fundamentalist Islamic movements whose followers consider themselves the only "saved" sect of Islam. Professor and author Robert Rabil discusses Salafism and his book, “Salafism in Lebanon: From Apoliticism to Transnational Jihadism.”
Dr. Rabil on U.S.-Iran Mounting Tensions and the Threat and Consequences of a Potential Military Confrontation
News and Notes From Dr. Rabil
- Click here to visit his web site, robertrabil.com.
- Click here to order his latest book — "Salafism in Lebanon".
- Click here to read a review of his book, "Salafism in Lebanon," by the British Cambridge Journal of International Affairs.
- Click here to view the PowerPoint slides on the Divisions and Schools of Islam.
Articles written by Dr. Rabil
- Chaos in the Caucasus: Why a New Regional War Would Be Catastrophic — The National Interest, October 25, 2020.
- Heir to the Ottomans – Interview — Carnegie Middle East Center, October 16, 2020.
- Bashir’s Farm And The Tragedy Of Lebanon – OpEd — Eurasia Review, August 14, 2020; Palm Beach Center for Democracy & Policy Research, August 15, 2020.
- Lebanon is a Lightning Rod for Political Currents in the Arab World — The National Interest, July 17, 2020.
- Domestic Threats in the Era of Nationalism — The National Interest, June 21, 2020.
- Israel and the China Connection — The National Interest, June 7, 2020.
- Why America Has Misdiagnosed Russia’s Role in Syria — The National Interest, May 27, 2020.
- The Middle East Can't Fight A War Against Both Coronavirus And Iran — The National Interest, March 31, 2020.
- Russia's Strategy for the Middle East: Stabilize, Revitalize, Create Chaos — The National Interest, March 14, 2020.
- The Inevitable Middle East War — Eurasia Review, February 21, 2020.
- Saving the Revolution and Lebanon — Eurasia Review, January 23, 2020.
- Why America Should Keep Supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces — The National Interest, December 4, 2019.
- The True Value of Lebanon's Armed Forces — The National Interest, December 3, 2019.
- The Trump Administration Is Tackling One of the World's Most Dangerous Border Disputes — The National Interest, August 11, 2019.
- The Moribund Legacy Of Arab Nationalism – Analysis — Eurasia Review, June 21, 2019.
- Defeating the Islamic State of Idlib — The National Interest, June 13, 2019.
- The Iran Crisis And Washington Strategic Miscalculation – Analysis — Eurasia Review, May 19, 2019.
- Tending to Israel’s Relationship with Russia — Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, December 26, 2018.
- ISIS Isn't Dead Yet — The National Interest, September 1, 2018.
- Contextualizing Jihad and Takfir in the Sunni Conceptual Framework — The Washington Institute, August 31, 2018.
- Contextualizing Jihad and Takfir in the Shi’a Conceptual Framework — The Washington Institute, August 31, 2018.
- Donald Trump is reshaping the Middle East — in Russia’s favor — The Washington Post, August 22, 2018.
- The distortion of Islam that drives terrorism — The Washington Post, August 1, 2018.
- Trump Should Prioritize Fighting Terrorism — The National Interest, July 18, 2018.
- Assad’s Impending Victory Raises Stakes for Security in Israel — The Palm Beach Post, July 16, 2018.
- Syria’s Victory and Israel’s Predicament — Eurasia Review, July 12, 2018.
- The Last Thing The Middle East Needs Now Is Another War – OpEd — Eurasia Review, May 1, 2018.
- Kissinger’s World Order, United States And Russia In The Middle East – Analysis — Eurasia Review, September 3, 2017.
- The Coming Gulf War: Qatar vs. Everyone — The National Interest, June 27, 2017.
- How Muslim Extremists Exploit European Liberalism — The National Interest, June 12, 2017.
- Does Donald Trump Know He's Helping Saudi Arabia Ruin Yemen? — The National Interest, May 4, 2017.
- The Syria Crisis Has Evolved into an International Power Struggle — The National Interest, April 18, 2017.
- The Burkini Isn't a Religious Duty — The National Interest, September 14, 2016.
- Is Peace in Syria Finally Within Reach? — The National Interest, July 16, 2016.
- Profiling Muslims Is Bad. So Is Ignoring Radical Islam. — The National Interest, May 25, 2016.
- God, Paris and Islam: How Salafism Challenges France’s Church-State Relationship — The National Interest, December 3, 2015.
- This Is What Russia REALLY Fears in Syria — The National Interest, October 7, 2015.
- Why America Needs to Beware of Saudi Wahhabism — The National Interest, May 18, 2015.
- Syria's Changing Strategic Landscape — The National Interest, May 5, 2015.
- The ISIS Chronicles: A History — The National Interest, July 17, 2014.
- Moral Outrage Necessitates Defining a Strategy — e-International Relations, September 16, 2013.
- Syria Part of Aggressive Iranian Strategy — The National Interest, June 18, 2013.
- Arab Uprisings Boost Israel's Enemies — The National Interest, September 5, 2012
- The Battle For Aleppo — The National Interest, August 14, 2012
- The Rise of Salafists — The National Interest, August 7, 2012
- Syria and the Power of Sectarian Strife — The National Interest, July 2, 2012
- Syria: The Death of a Nation? — e-International Relations, June 4, 2012
Books by Dr. Rabil
U.S. National Security, Islamism and Globalized Conflicts
The end of the Cold War, and the U.S. invasion of
Afghanistan and Iraq, marked the height of the
unipolar power of the U.S. However, complex
challenges and threats emanating from various,
contested strategic areas of conflict have cast a shadow
over U.S. national security. Scholars and analysts refer
to the process of transition from a unipolar to multipolar
world to contextualize and understand the
nature of these challenges and threats to U.S. national
security. Significantly, Arab revolutions and counter-
Arab revolutions, the rise of Islamism and Salafism,
the emergence of ISIS, and Iran’s nuclear program
advances have underscored the complex and nuanced
dynamics of these interconnected issues. This eight
part lecture series will attempt to analyze a number of
conflicting security issues within the context of their
local and international dimensions, seeking to shed
light on important matters often misconceived in
foreign diplomacy.
Eight Lectures
- Libya and Salafi-Jihadism: The Allegiance to ISIS? -
- Yemen, the Houthis and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula -
- China and Myanmar: Authoritarian Rule and/or Persecution of Muslims? -
- Salafism: The New Global Movement Pervading Europe? -
- Pakistan: The Intentional or Unintentional Epicenter of Terrorism? -
- The US-led Coalition Against ISIS: Stalemate or Victory? -
- The Sahel Region: The Growing Threat of Salafi-Jihadism? -
- United States, Salafi-Jihadism and Arab Revolutions and Counter-Revolutions: A Reassessment -
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| Course # F8M1 — Full 8 Weeks
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Mondays, October 12, 19, 26; November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 2015 |
| Time: | 9:30 - 11 AM |
| Fee: | $68 / member; $98 / non-member |
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| Course # F4M2 — Last 4 Weeks
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Mondays, November 9, 16, 23, 30 2015 |
| Time: | 9:30 - 11 AM |
| Fee: | $34 / member; $54 / non-member |
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Register Now
Iran, Hezbollah, United States and Israel: The Coming Confrontation? (ANNEX SEATING)
ANNEX
On January 18, 2015, Israel Defense Forces fired at
members of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards
reconnoitering the Syrian-controlled area of the Golan
Heights. An Iranian general and senior Hezbollah
members were killed. A few days later, Hezbollah
retaliated by firing at an Israeli military convoy on the
Lebanon-Israel border, killing two soldiers. The two
parties came to the brink of a new devastating
conflagration. Significantly, whereas Israel warned
Hezbollah and the Lebanese state of dire consequences,
Hezbollah’s leader asserted that the rules of the game
have changed and the theatre of operations was no longer
confined to Israel’s northern front.
This close encounter with a new round of hostilities has
taken place against a backdrop of: a) U.S.-Iranian nuclear
negotiations that widened the rift between the
Netanyahu and Obama governments; b) raging
intelligence warfare between Iran and Hezbollah on one
side and Israel on the other; and c) deepening civil strife
in Syria introducing Salafi-jihadi and radicals elements
next to and in the Syrian-controlled Golan Heights.
What are the consequences and implications of this
raging warfare and changed rules of the game? Will it
lead to another destructive war bringing in Hezbollah,
Iran and the Syrian regime against Israel? Or, will it lead
to deadly attacks on both Iranian-Hezbollah and Israeli
interests and Jews worldwide similar to those that took
place in Argentina in the 1990s?
The talk traces and surveys the ideological and
operational conflict between Iran, Hezbollah and Israel. It
offers a rare and insightful look into Hezbollah’s political
and Jihadi structure, as well as into Hezbollah’s probable
defensive and offensive preparations of Jihadi operations
against Israel locally and internationally. It also sheds
light on Israel’s penetration of the once-called
impenetrable Hezbollah’s Jihadi apparatus, and explores
Israel’s potential preparations and responses to foil and
subdue Iran and Hezbollah’s menace and threat.
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # F1S3X — One Time Event
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| Place: | Room 151 (Annex), Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Saturday, December 12 2015 |
| Time: | 1 - 2:30 PM |
| Fee: | $25 / member; $35 / non-member |
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Register Now
Iran, Hezbollah, United States and Israel: The Coming Confrontation?
On January 18, 2015, Israel Defense Forces fired at
members of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards
reconnoitering the Syrian-controlled area of the Golan
Heights. An Iranian general and senior Hezbollah
members were killed. A few days later, Hezbollah
retaliated by firing at an Israeli military convoy on the
Lebanon-Israel border, killing two soldiers. The two
parties came to the brink of a new devastating
conflagration. Significantly, whereas Israel warned
Hezbollah and the Lebanese state of dire consequences,
Hezbollah’s leader asserted that the rules of the game
have changed and the theatre of operations was no longer
confined to Israel’s northern front.
This close encounter with a new round of hostilities has
taken place against a backdrop of: a) U.S.-Iranian nuclear
negotiations that widened the rift between the
Netanyahu and Obama governments; b) raging
intelligence warfare between Iran and Hezbollah on one
side and Israel on the other; and c) deepening civil strife
in Syria introducing Salafi-jihadi and radicals elements
next to and in the Syrian-controlled Golan Heights.
What are the consequences and implications of this
raging warfare and changed rules of the game? Will it
lead to another destructive war bringing in Hezbollah,
Iran and the Syrian regime against Israel? Or, will it lead
to deadly attacks on both Iranian-Hezbollah and Israeli
interests and Jews worldwide similar to those that took
place in Argentina in the 1990s?
The talk traces and surveys the ideological and
operational conflict between Iran, Hezbollah and Israel. It
offers a rare and insightful look into Hezbollah’s political
and Jihadi structure, as well as into Hezbollah’s probable
defensive and offensive preparations of Jihadi operations
against Israel locally and internationally. It also sheds
light on Israel’s penetration of the once-called
impenetrable Hezbollah’s Jihadi apparatus, and explores
Israel’s potential preparations and responses to foil and
subdue Iran and Hezbollah’s menace and threat.
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # F1S3 — One Time Event
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| Place: | Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Saturday, December 12 2015 |
| Time: | 1 - 2:30 PM |
| Fee: | $25 / member; $35 / non-member |
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Register Now
The Crisis of Syria’s Refugees: The Future Saviors or the New Salafi-Taliban?
Millions of Syrians have become internally displaced
or refugees in neighboring countries. With no end in
sight to the civil strife and human catastrophe
befalling Syria, millions of Syrians have become either
dependent on, resentful of or hostages to the care or
indifference of the international community. More
specifically, the longer Syrian refugees remain in
neighborly countries, the more they outstay their
welcome in host nations. In fact, host nations, such as
Lebanon, that welcomed over 1.5 million refugees,
have become disquieted by the socio-political burden
posed by the refugees on their societies. Conversely,
the condition of Syrian refugees is becoming gravely
deplorable.
This talk, based on a field research trip, interviews
and Arabic primary sources, examines the sociopolitical
and ideological dynamics within the largest
refugee camps, especially on the Lebanon-Syria
border, in relation to the host nations’ policies and
actions toward Syrian refugees. The talk then explores
the consequences and ramifications of the ongoing
dynamics for the future of the youth of Syria, and for
Syria itself as a nation.
Click here to view pictures from Dr. Rabil's research trip to the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon.
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # F1S1 — One Time Event
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| Place: | Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Saturday, November 14 2015 |
| Time: | 1 - 2:30 PM |
| Fee: | $25 / member; $35 / non-member |
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Register Now
