Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States [Hardcover]

Trita Parsi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

In this era of superheated rhetoric and vitriolic exchanges between the leaders of Iran and Israel, the threat of nuclear violence looms. But the real roots of the enmity between the two nations mystify Washington policymakers, and no promising pathways to peace have emerged. This book traces the shifting relations among Israel, Iran, and the United States from 1948 to the present, uncovering for the first time the details of secret alliances, treacherous acts, and unsavory political maneuverings that have undermined Middle Eastern stability and disrupted U.S. foreign policy initiatives in the region.

 

Trita Parsi, a U.S. foreign policy expert with more than a decade of experience, is the only writer who has had access to senior American, Iranian, and Israeli decision makers. He dissects the complicated triangular relations of their countries, arguing that America’s hope for stability in Iraq and for peace in Israel is futile without a correct understanding of the Israeli-Iranian rivalry.

 

Parsi’s behind-the-scenes revelations about Middle East events will surprise even the most knowledgeable readers: Iran’s prime minister asks Israel to assassinate Khomeini, Israel reaches out to Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War, the United States foils Iran’s plan to withdraw support from Hamas and Hezbollah, and more. This book not only revises our understanding of the Middle East’s recent past, it also spells out a course for the future. In today’s belligerent world, few topics, if any, could be more important.

 

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is an important piece of work. It is original and fills a much needed gap in the literature. For anyone working in this field it would be essential."—Gary Sick, Columbia University

(Gary Sick )

"This book is outstanding and important."—Nikki Keddie, author of Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution

(Nikki Keddie )

“In Treacherous Alliance, Trita Parsi makes a persuasive case that since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has consistently used ideology to achieve hardheaded national interest objectives, rather than sacrifice national interest on the altar of extremist ideological goals. This is an extremely important point to bear in mind as Iran''s relations with US and Israel deteriorate and the prospect of yet another Persian Gulf conflict looms. This work, based on extensive interviews with decision makers in three countries, contributes both to our historical understanding and our current policy debate.”—Francis Fukuyama, author of America at the Crossroads

(Francis Fukuyama )

“A penetrating, provocative, and very timely study that deciphers how U.S. policy in the Middle East has been manipulated both by Iran and by Israel even as relations between these two oscillated between secret collusion and overt collision.”— The Honorable Zbigniew Brzezinski, former US National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter

(The Honorable Zbigniew Brzezinski )

“A brilliant interpretation of one of today’s most enigmatic conflicts. In a sober and original analysis, Dr. Parsi unearths the true nature of the tension in the triangle Iran-Israel-USA as a manipulation by all parties—especially the Israelis and the Iranians—of ideological differences to conceal what can be a solvable strategic dispute. This is a study about the manipulation of ideology and religion in the struggle for mastery in the Middle East.”—Shlomo Ben-Ami, Israel’s former foreign minister and author of Scars of War, Wounds of Peace: The Israeli-Arab Tragedy

(Shlomo Ben-Ami )

“Trita Parsi has written an outstanding book, filled with fascinating detail and trenchant analysis. Treacherous Alliance discusses Iran and Israel in dispassionate and smart ways, which is rarely done in the United States.”—John Mearsheimer, University of Chicago

(John Mearsheimer )

"Parsi writes a timely, engaging narrative, capturing colorful detail. . . . By focusing on national interests, Parsi refreshingly and provocatively sees relations among the three nations as not necessarily at odds. . . . Parsi''s valuable, informative study finally inspires a fundamental question about American prospects in the long sweep of history."—Donald W. White, The Historian

(Donald W. White The Historian )

About the Author

Trita Parsi is president, National Iranian American Council, and adjunct professor of International Relations at Johns Hopkins University SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies). He writes frequently about the Middle East and has appeared on BBC World News, PBS News Hour, CNN, and other news programs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300120575
• ISBN-13: 978-0300120578
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > History > Middle East > Iran
  • #86 in Books > History > Middle East > Israel

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and timely book, October 7, 2007

By 

F. Alizadeh (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States (Hardcover)

Trita Parsi has written a compelling book, cutting thorough ideological and political propaganda emanating from the three countries he has focused on (US, Israel, and Iran), and going right through the core issues involving geopolitical and regional hegemony aspirations of the three governments. What is fascinating is that Parsi reveals that such political calculations transcend the particular ideology of the governments in these three countries. Whether it is Likud or Labor in Israel, Democrats or Republicans in the US, or The former Shah's regime or the reformists or hardliners of the Islamic government in Iran, the decision making process remarkably follows more or less the same logic, and the same priorities are at play. When a shift in policy takes place, Parsi reveals that again the political faction of the government involved is irrelevant. In fact, amazingly, the very same people who were advocating one set of policies, often advance a diametrically opposite set a few years later. Parsi underlines this point by revealing how Israeli Labor leaders, the late Itzhak Rabin and Shimon Perez were lobbying the Reagan administration to disregard virulent rhetoric from Iran and try to open up channels of communication with them, while just a few years later these two men were warning about the Iranian menace in every domestic and international speech. He points out how the neo-conservatives dominating the Bush administration were the very same people who were advocating supporting Iran in the Iran-Iraq war and opening channels in the eighties in the Reagan administration. And how the former hostage takers in Iran are now mostly leading liberals advocating negotiations and moderation in Iranian policies.

Parsi narrates this story in a linear historical context, starting his book from 1948 when Israel was created all the way to present day (summer of 2007). The central theme of the book is that before 1991, Iran and Israel were natural allies, while afterwards (which was coincident with the fall of Soviet Union and defeat of Iraqi President Saddam Hossein's invasion of Kuwait and his subsequent weakenining) the two countries became rivals and perceived each other as threats.

The main shortcoming of the book as I see it, is that while Parsi underlies the geopolitical underpinnings of the triangular relationship of Iran, Israel and the US, very little is mentioned in terms of economic reasons for these "treacherous" alliances and rivalries. What corporations or industries benefit from continued hostilities between Iran and the US and which ones benefit, and how much influence and clout each has on the direction of the US policies? Who benefits in Iran for continued belligerence towards Israel or towards the US, and who is hurt, and how much influence they have on the Iranian government? Some economic analysis is given for Israel's attitude towards Iran: Oil investments and sales from Iranian side, and military sales and training from the Israeli side when relations were good; and an Arab-Israeli common market in the Middle East (which would exclude Iran) when relations were bad. But these economic incentives are treated as secondary at best. I wish more and deeper economic analysis was presented from Iranian and American, as well as Israeli perspectives.

All in all I recommend this book strongly and advise that anyone, right-wingers who advocate military action against Iran (Israeli or American) or moderates advocating political dialog and negotiated approach should educate themselves by reading this book before further opining on US or Israel policies vis-a-vis Iran.

100 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book By America's Brightest Emerging Scholar, August 29, 2007

By 

Clayton E. Swisher (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States (Hardcover)

Based on exclusive interviews, new information, and gritty investigative work, Trita Parsi's book provides the evidence anyone on President George W. Bush's team should look at to rationally understand why confrontation between the US and Iran is NOT inevitable.

This masterpiece demonstrates fresh analysis and keeps up with Dr. Parsi's proven credibility here in Washington for objectively and (at times) unconventionally calling out developments in the US-Iranian relationship, regardless of which neoconservatives or pro-war hawks might cringe.

Treacherous Alliance is tightly written and readable for all levels of the public who are moderately informed and interested in foreign policy. Academics will mine through the numerous exclusive quotes provided and timeless high-level quotes obtained, as well as the many pages of footnotes (and even leaked documents!) for those looking to do spinoff research and analysis.

At a time when drumbeats by DC policy dead-enders persist for a new military confrontation with Iran, finally a credible, air-tight book arrives to preempt their arguments for the next global disaster.

For those who don't read Dr. Parsi's book, fortunately the major American and international news outlets, including CNN, BBC, and al-Jazeera are on to him and host him as a frequent guest expert.

This book deserves a Pulitzer.

53 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars insight into one of the most mis-understood international relationships, September 25, 2007

By 

Babaktalebi "aspiring sage" (McLean, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States (Hardcover)

Unlike the first reviewer who obviously didn't even skim the book, I would attest that this revealing and insightful book is brimming with historical facts, anecdotes, and analysis that simply can not be found elsewhere. (The author interviewed dozens of high-ranking Israeli, American, and Iranian officials inside Israel and Iran - the analysis never comes across as conjecture)

The basic premise of the book, based on over 130 first-hand interviews with the highest ranking officials in all three countries, is that the basic geo-political and national interest concerns of Iran and Israel have guided their foreign policy from one of convergence to divergence.

It further paints a clear picture of why the conventional wisdom regarding the dominance of an ideological driving force in their bilateral dealings is a false one - and shows how it can and has lead to miscalculations in the United States' foreign policy in the region.

The book is also a very easy read for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of international relations yet manages to provide a ton of new facts and anecdotes for even the most ardent student of modern middle eastern political history.

I highly recommend this book to any and all who are curious about Iran and Israel's role in the middle east over the next few decades, particularly with the heightened tensions that seem to point to a military conflict in the near term.