Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic [Paperback]

Ray Takeyh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0805086617 | ISBN-13: 978-0805086614

"Savvy and accessible . . . A shrewd, timely guide to Iran's schisms, interests and ambitions."--The Washington Post Book World

 

In Hidden Iran, leading Middle East expert Ray Takeyh demystifies the Iranian regime and shows how this pivotal country's internal conflicts have produced its belligerent international posture, especially toward the United States. With President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pushing the development of a nuclear program, making a play for regional preeminence, and stirring up anti-Israel sentiment, the consequences of not understanding Iran have never been higher. Takeyh explains why this country continues to confound American expectations and offers a new paradigm for managing our relations with this rising power--at a time when getting Iran right has become increasingly urgent for America.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this well-constructed sketch of American-Iranian relations, Takeyh (senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations) critiques the U.S.'s unnuanced approach to Iran since its 1979 revolution as well as the failure of successive administrations to note that decades of sanctions and containment haven't significantly changed Iranian behavior. A picture emerges of a complex society marked by cultural struggle and compromise, as Takeyh criticizes the perception of Iranian politics as monolithic. He concludes that the "chimera of regime change" must finally be rejected, and pointedly observes that "it is rare... for a state that views nuclear weapons as fundamental to its security interests to dispense with such weapons under relentless threats." Takeyh urges America to look beyond President Ahmadinejad to such institutions as Iran's powerful Supreme National Security Council and Foreign Ministry, each of which distanced themselves from Ahmadinejad's anti-Israel rhetoric. Takeyh even suggests areas in which Iran and the U.S. might forge a "selective partnership"—not least their shared need for a stable Iraq. Though he occasionally slips into a too-casual assumption of the inevitability of his forecasts, Takeyh (The Receding Shadow of the Prophet) provides a well-argued, seldom heard viewpoint. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

The current standoff between Iran and the West over Iran's nuclear ambitions appears to be a Gordian knot that some urge to be disentangled by resorting to military force. Takeyh wisely places the nuclear issue within the broader context of Iran's relations with the West, and particularly with the "Great Satan," the U.S. Within that context, Takeyh asserts that Americans have grossly misunderstood the complex realities of Iranian political life. As opposed to the image frequently shown in America--a monolithic government controlled by clerical fanatics--Takeyh presents a far more nuanced picture. Despite the recent electoral triumphs of conservative ideologies, Iran remains torn between those who seek a more secular, pluralistic state and those who hope to maintain rigid authoritarianism. The outcome is far from certain, but Takeyh insists the hostile tone emanating from the Bush administration only undermines reformers. Critics are likely to accuse Takeyh of naivete in assuming that our problems with Iran can be solved through dialogue. Still, his assertions and suggestions provide a necessary counterpoint to those who see confrontations and military conflict as inevitable. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805086617
• ISBN-13: 978-0805086614
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > History > Middle East > Iran

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading!!, November 24, 2006

By 

Erin Campbell (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic (Hardcover)

Like many Americans, my view of Iran has been frozen at the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution with its searing images of vitriolic anti-Americanism. Given the emerging situation in the Middle East, an updated perspective of Iran is sorely needed. Ray Takeyh does a splended job giving a very readable overview of Iran's development from the '79 revolution to the present. He is also very even-handed in addressing missed opportunities by both the U.S. and Iran in forging less antagonistic relations. Iran is a very complex country which requires others to use a nuanced approach in dealing with its tangled web of mixed tendencies. With Iranian influence currently in ascent, "Hidden Iran" is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand this country in greater depth beyond just being a member of Bush's "axis of evil."

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehending Modern Day Iran, March 8, 2007

By 

Jessica G Schreiber "JGG" (Port Angeles, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic (Hardcover)

Thank you Ray Takeyh for writing this informative, insightful book, written in laymen's prose, explaining the history and background that has created the Iran we face today. While not reassuring, Iran becomes not this phasmagorical evil state, but rather a nation state acting out of what it believes to be its own self interest. The final chapter dealing with Iran's entrenched hatred of a Jewish state is the most disturbing and I suspect that is why Takeyh saves it for the end. Yet it is a strange world indeed where the U.S. supplied Iraq with weapons during its decade long war with Iran, and never uttered a peep in protest to Saddam's use of nerve gas on Iraqui soldiers, even to this day, and Iran got a secret supply of weapons from -- and this will shock you -- Israel, which Takeyh infers was with U.S. knowledge and acquiescence. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand this complex and independent country.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A timely book, May 25, 2007

By 

Reads a Lot "Reads A Lot" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic (Hardcover)

Takeyh presents a sophisticated picture of how Iran sees the world and how the world sees Iran. There is useful history here, but most interesting here is discussion of Iran's regional ambitions and game plan for getting what it wants.