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

Phyllis Bennis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 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.)
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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 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566567319
• ISBN-13: 978-1566567312
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,331,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 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 (MAKAWAO, HI, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Understanding the US-Iran Crisis: A Primer (Paperback)

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.

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

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

By 

Steven Fod "Steven Fod" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the US-Iran Crisis: A Primer (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.

1 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars anti-American propaganda, March 26, 2009

By 

S. Skovryn (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding the US-Iran Crisis: A Primer (Paperback)

This book is a waste of time for anyone who wants to understand the US-Iran crisis. It is a biased review that portrays Iran in the most favorable light possible and demonizes every action taken by the US in US-Iran relations.

The logic used in the book is not worthy of the term.

In response to the question "Does Iran pose a threat to the US?" the author simply mentions that US spends much more on military resources then Iran, therefore they do not pose a strategic military threat. There is absolutely no mention of actual warfighting capability of either country, only figures for military spending, as if that were enough to determine the possibility of threat.

In response to the question "Does Iran support terrorists?" the author casts doubt on the fact that Iran supports Hizbollah and Hamas, when in fact the US State Dept. and other intelligence agencies have stated that Iran does support these groups. More seriously, the author refuses to acknowledge that Hizbollah and Hamas are terrorist organizations, and defends them, saying that they mostly make attacks against Israeli troops.

The author refers to the Iran speed boat incident twice in quotation marks, suggesting that the Iranian pseudo-attack on US Naval ships not worthy of the term "incident."

The author uses every opportunity to thrash the Bush administration. While this may be appropriate in some situations, most of the time it is irrelevant to the subject about which she writes.

After the index there is a list of peace organizations for further research, as if the author's bias weren't obvious enough.

This is essentially a handbook on anti-war rhetoric, and anyone looking for something more than that is advised not to touch this book.

I thought about giving it two stars because there were a few facts thrown in there, but you can learn them by opening up an encyclopedia, without dealing with the biased drivel.