Arabic Classes in Houston in High Demand- Arabic Language Training Rising with National Security Concerns

Arabic has never ranked high on the list of foreign languages to learn in the United States. Granted, American dealings with the Middle East revolve around billions of petrodollars annually, but those dealings are typically with a select few who have taken it upon themselves to overcome the language barrier by becoming fluent in the American vernacular rather than vice versa. Arabic classes in a major petroleum epicenter like Houston, for example, was, and probably never will be, as sought after as Spanish classes.

On the domestic front, there was little need for Arabic language training either. The number of Arabic-speaking immigrants paled in comparison to those speaking other languages, like Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Since newcomers from the Middle East and North Africa were more likely to hail from professional and entrepreneurial backgrounds, they tended to assimilate quickly, requiring little or no assistance in bridging the cultural and linguistic divides.

Demand for Arabic Linguists Soars

Of course, things changed after September 11, 2001. It became painfully clear that federal agencies were woefully deficient in their intelligence-gathering capabilities when it involved Arabic. The War on Terror sent the demand for Arabic linguists skyrocketing particularly within the State, Justice and Defense departments.

Supply, though, is creeping at a snail’s pace in catching up with the demand. An Oct. 11, 2006 report in The Washington Post noted that of the 12,000 FBI agents, only 33 agents had a limited proficiency in Arabic. Only four agents, all with merely elementary Arabic language training, worked in the bureau’s two International Terrorism Operations Sections.

The CIA faces the same conundrum. FOX News reported on June 8, 2007 that the agency, desperate to raise the number of Arabic speakers in its ranks, has loosened its stringent security prerequisites for recruiting Arabic linguists.

The military, too, is facing an uphill battle in its drive to enlist Arabic speakers into its ranks. In this instance, the difficulty stems from the fact that most of the interpreting duties in Iraq have been outsourced to the private sector. Why would anyone want to enlist as a linguist in the military for $28,000 a year when they could command as much as $175,000 as a civilian contractor? (The New York Times, Oct. 6, 2007)

Besides its intelligence-gathering limitations, the State Department is struggling on the diplomatic front as well. A 2006 Iraq Study Group reported that “Our embassy (in Iraq) of 1,000 has 33 Arabic speakers, just six of whom are at the level of fluency. In a conflict that demands effective and efficient communications with Iraqis, we are often at a disadvantage.” Alberto Fernandez, director of press and public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, remains the lone State Department official fluent enough in Arabic to represent US interests on Al-Jazeera and other Arab media.

Perhaps supply has been so slow to catch up with demand because of the very nature of the language. Arabic is a difficult language to master for the average American compared to say German or French that utilize the same alphabet. It takes several years to train someone from scratch to reach the proficiency level in Arabic required to perform the counter-intelligence and translating capabilities needed in the war on terror.

National Security language Initiative

Campuses across the country have reported that enrollment in Arabic language and Middle Eastern studies courses have swelled since the September 11 attacks. A survey by the Modern Languages Association indicates that Arabic has grown faster than any other foreign language in American universities. In 2006, President Bush unveiled the National Security Language Initiative that allocates $114 million toward the demand for Arabic and other critical languages. Bonuses of up to $35,000 offered by the CIA to Arabic speakers are further incentives designed to increase the number of Arabic linguists in its ranks.

Arabic Language Training in Houston

Be Bilingual offers Arabic classes in Houston, catering to individuals as well as those in the corporate setting, conducted by both native speakers and skilled college graduates. Be Bilingual has taught language skills to students for almost 20 years.

Sources: Newsweek, New York Times, Washington Post, FOX News, campus-watch.org.