Understanding the US-Iran Crisis: A Primer [Paperback]

Phyllis Bennis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

Widening opposition to the illegal Iraq War, growing recognition that the war in Afghanistan has failed to bring stability or democracy to that beleaguered country, new tensions rising in Pakistan, escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, all have brought new fears but also heightened interest in the wider Middle East region, especially interest in Iran. This book aims to address this new and renewed interest in Iran, to answer questions, and propose some ideas to prevent another looming disaster of a U.S. military attack.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bennis's book seeks to provide all information needed to answer the cries for war with a concise summation (and point by point deconstruction) of how the Bush administration has beaten the drums for war with Iran. Bennis (Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict) also includes a brief history of American-Iranian relations, arguing that American attitudes have consistently been informed by economic considerations, particularly in regards to oil; referring to Iran's successful efforts to sell its oil for international currencies other than the dollar, the author writes that American anxiety over Iranian nuclear capabilities must be viewed in the context of far more longstanding U.S. concerns over Iran's decades-long efforts... to weaken its potential competitors... in the Middle East. The writing is clear and convincing, but the author's argument is poorly organized and suffers from a surprising amount of repetition in a book so slim. The author seems unconcerned with winning over opponents, but her target audience—those who fear an attack on Iran before the current administration leaves office—will find this book helpful in marshaling their arguments against such action. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Phyllis Bennis is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, and Director of its New Internationalism Program. Her areas include U.S. unilateralism and empire, the Middle East (particularly Israel-Palestine and Iraq), and US-United Nations relations. She is the author of Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Ending the Iraq War, Challenging Empire: How People, Governments and the UN Defy US Power, Calling the Shots: How Washington Dominates Today's UN, and Before & After: U.S. Foreign Policy and the War on Terrorism. Bennis appears frequently as a commentator/analyst on U.S. and international television and radio programs, including "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer" on PBS, the CBS "Morning Show," NPR's "Diane Rehm Show," and many others on CNN, BBC, Fox, CBC, and al-Jazeera TV. Her work has appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Christian Science Monitor, Le Monde Diplomatique (Paris), TomPaine.com, New York Newsday, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, Mother Jones, and many other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Olive Branch Press (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566567319
• ISBN-13: 978-1566567312
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars New look at the middle east February 10, 2011

By Terry A Blietz

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A New look at the middle east with a perspective you don't usually see. Information shared without a clear agenda intrepretation. Fresh without any spin. Unique in providing outlooks that are somewhat bias but yet unique but it dares you you to rethink issues and vary your old instincts as to what is really going on in that part of the world. Antiestablishment presentation for sure.

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful alternative viewpoint January 30, 2013

By cjgray

Format:Paperback

I'm assigning this book for my class on the Politics in the Middle East. I've used the author's primer about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in a prior class and students told me they really liked her style and found it easy to understand. The author organizes her primers around questions with 1-3 pages for each answer. It's useful for teaching because you can assign the parts that fit well within your lesson plan. Bennis's viewpoint is definitely critical of the U.S. government's position under the Bush administration, but I found a lot of the data in the book to provide a perspective that many would not normally encounter in mainstream media.

0 of 10 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Anti-Enlightenment Views April 15, 2010

By Steven Fod

Format:Paperback

I would rather praise Phyllis, but she makes so many mistakes, she is such a prisoner of unenlightened concepts that I can only strongly disapprove her works.

The USA was founded by the most enlightened men, and has been nurturing a progressive and tolerant nation.

Only those who lived in oppressive and barbaric societies can see how wrong Phyllis is.

Only positive enlightened inputs can save the people of Iran, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq from their current suffering and fear.

Why can we not join intellectual forces to change the future of all those countries?

Phyllis could contribute positive thoughts in those areas of misery. Just try to imitate Gene Sharp.