The
Persian Puzzle: The Conflict Between Iran and America, by Kenneth Pollack. Copyright 2004, published by Random House, New York. First edition stated, Hardcover W/DJ. 539 pages.
Measures: 9 1/2 x 6 ½ x 1 3/4 inches. In his highly influential book The Threatening Storm, bestselling author Kenneth Pollack both informed and
defined the national debate about Iraq. Now, in The Persian Puzzle, published to coincide with the twenty-fifth anniversary of
the Iran hostage crisis, he examines the behind-the-scenes story of the
tumultuous relationship between Iran and the United States, and weighs options
for the future.
Here Pollack, a former CIA analyst and National
Security Council official, brings his keen analysis and insider perspective to
the long and ongoing clash between the United States and Iran, beginning with
the fall of the shah and the seizure of the American embassy in Tehran in 1979.
Pollack examines all the major events in U.S.-Iran relations–including the hostage
crisis, the U.S. tilt toward Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war, the Iran-Contra
scandal, American-Iranian military tensions in 1987 and 1988, the covert
Iranian war against U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf that culminated in the
1996 Khobar Towers terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, and recent U.S.-Iran
skirmishes over Afghanistan and Iraq.
He explains the strategies and motives from
American and Iranian perspectives and tells how each crisis colored the
thinking of both countries’ leadership as they shaped and reshaped their
policies over time. Pollack also describes efforts by moderates of various
stripes to try to find some way past animosities to create a new dynamic in
Iranian-American relations, only to find that when one side was ready for such
a step, the other side fell short.
With balanced tone and insight, Pollack explains
how the United States and Iran reached this impasse; why this relationship is
critical to regional, global, and U.S. interests; and what basic political
choices are available as we deal with this important but deeply troubled
country. “This is an important book about an important event in U.S. history”.
A Very Nice copy.” A nice addition
to anyone’s collection. Please view all photos and read the description. I try
to show and describe the highlights and flaws to the best of my ability. I
believe these to be important to both the collector and the casual reader
alike.