Other Sellers on Amazon
FREE Shipping
100% positive over last 12 months
FREE Shipping
98% positive over last 12 months
& FREE Shipping
96% positive over last 12 months
Follow the Author
OK
Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama Hardcover – October 13, 2015
|
Dennis Ross
(Author)
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
|
|
Price
|
New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry"
|
$0.00
|
Free with your Audible trial | |
Enhance your purchase
-
Print length496 pages
-
LanguageEnglish
-
PublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux
-
Publication dateOctober 13, 2015
-
Dimensions6.28 x 1.52 x 9.24 inches
-
ISBN-100374141460
-
ISBN-13978-0374141462
Inspire a love of reading with Amazon Book Box for Kids
Discover delightful children's books with Amazon Book Box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months — new Amazon Book Box Prime customers receive 15% off your first box. Learn more.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
-
Apple
-
Android
-
Windows Phone
-
Android
|
Download to your computer
|
Kindle Cloud Reader
|
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Hundred Years' War on PalestinePaperback$17.25$17.25FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20
We Stand Divided: The Rift Between American Jews and IsraelHardcover$10.30$10.30FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20
The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East PeaceHardcover$24.90$24.90FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of IsraelPaperback$13.99$13.99FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20
Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its DestinyHardcover$19.03$19.03FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
The Perfect MatchDennis RossPaperback$14.95$14.95FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20Only 3 left in stock (more on the way).
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Be Strong and of Good Courage: How Israel's Most Important Leaders Shaped Its DestinyHardcover$19.03$19.03FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East PeaceHardcover$24.90$24.90FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Sep 20Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Genesis: Truman, American Jews, and the Origins of the Arab/Israeli ConflictHardcover$16.70$16.70FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Tuesday, Sep 21Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Statecraft: And How to Restore America's Standing in the WorldPaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by AmazonIn stock soon.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Dennis Ross and ‘Middle East Peace Process’ are nearly synonymous . . . In Doomed to Succeed, the Washington hand brings his account up to date by covering the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations and looking at U.S.-Israel relations from Truman on . . . Mr. Ross’s treatment of each administration is necessarily brief but useful for that very reason: It’s hard to think of a college course on this subject that would not assign this book as a text.” ―Elliot Abrams, The Wall Street Journal
“In this well researched history Ross meticulously chronicles the bumpy ride that the two nations have taken together . . . This book is both thoughtful and largely even-handed. It also provides an important eyewitness account of the history it analyses.” ―David Holahan, Christian Science Monitor
“It would be hard to find someone whose background better suited him to write about the U.S.-Israel relationship than Dennis Ross . . . His new book does not disappoint: Doomed to Succeed devotes a pithy chapter to each administration, explaining its policies and the reasoning behind them. ”
―David Isaac, The Washington Free Beacon
“Dennis Ross could hardly have found more relevant timing to release his latest book examining the long history of the US-Israel relationship, including an often personal account of the tumultuous relationship between Jerusalem and the Obama administration.” ―Rebecca Shimoni Stoil, The Times of Israel
“Ross’s even-handed history does identify perhaps the single biggest factor in explaining U.S. missteps concerning Israel and the region as a whole.” ―Peter Berkowitz, Real Clear Politics
“Throughout this illuminating book, [Dennis Ross] writes clearly and elucidates the complexities of not only the U.S.-Israel relationship, but of the larger Middle Eastern picture. He comes neither to bury nor praise the administrations in which he has worked or those in which he did not; as a consequence, readers will benefit from a front-row vantage point without encountering a myopic perspective. Ross provides a learned, wise template for understanding the long-term relationship between two countries tethered to one another out of shared self-interest and geopolitical necessity and yet with sometimes-conflicting senses of the way forward.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Ross deftly explores the contingencies of this history, which hinged on personality clashes, the chaos of events, and the personal attitudes held by presidents, while stressing broader themes . . . . Ross's fluently written account includes colorful firsthand recollections of crises and diplomatic wranglings. Readers of all political persuasions will enjoy this fresh, contrarian analysis of America's Middle East policy.” ―Publishers Weekly
“Few people have been more involved with the U.S.-Israel relationship and the broader Middle East than Dennis Ross. In his new book he provides both a remarkable history and an insider's explanation of what has driven our policy towards Israel and the region. In the process, he tells a fascinating story not only about how the relationship evolved over time, but also about the assumptions that continue to shape our views of the region and the lessons we need to draw from this. For anyone who cares about U.S.-Israeli ties, this is a must read.” ―Madeleine K. Albright, 64th U.S. Secretary of State
“How about an insider's views? How about writing from a constructive point of view? How about learning something about Israel, the U.S. and the Middle East? That's all here thanks to Dennis Ross.” ―George P. Shultz, 60th U.S. Secretary of State
“Doomed to Succeed is a thoughtful book worthy of a man we called our 'peace process junkie' when he served as head of the U.S. State Department's Policy Planning Staff while I was Secretary of State. Dennis Ross is a fine diplomat who intimately and accurately understands the Arab-Israeli conflict. His new book is a must-read for anyone interested in the U.S.-Israel relationship.” ―James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S. Secretary of State
“Dennis Ross brings a unique mix of experience and skill to the task of telling the story of America's relationship and encounters with Israel over the last six decades. He is an unparalleled combination of careful scholar and practitioner. Ross has been at the center of United States policy in the Middle East for three decades. No U.S. diplomat has known the key policymakers in the Middle East for as long as or as well as Ross. All this is reflected in this fascinating history. It compellingly chronicles the personalities, policy debates and seemingly unending crises the U.S. has confronted in the Middle East from the time of Israel's founding and the presidency of Harry Truman through today. Doomed to Succeed is destined to be an important work for a long time to come.” ―Tom Donilon, former National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama
“This remarkable book is a definitive treatment of the U.S.-Israeli relationship. A gifted analyst and veteran diplomat, Dennis Ross demonstrates that to maintain this 'strategic partnership' both sides must commit to 'no surprises,' intensive high-level consultations, and 'no unilateral actions' that threaten each other's fundamental interests. A must-read book for future policy-makers.” ―Stephen Hadley, former National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush
“For almost forty years, Dennis Ross has been an inside player and close observer of Israeli-U.S. relations. In this smart and provocative book, he provides an insightful look at the policies toward Israel pursued from the Truman Administration to the present and how that has affected America's relationships in the Middle East. It's not only great history but a guide for the future.” ―Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute
“Dennis Ross has written what might be the definitive book on one of the most complicated, emotionally fraught and strategically consequential relationships between two states in the world today. No one is better positioned than Ross to explore the contours of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and he does so lucidly, with nuance, analytical sophistication, a cool eye, and great authority. Doomed to Succeed will be mandatory reading for anyone concerned about the future of Israel, and about America's role in the world.” ―Jeffrey Goldberg, author of Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror
About the Author
Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Product details
- Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition (October 13, 2015)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 496 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0374141460
- ISBN-13 : 978-0374141462
- Item Weight : 1.65 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.28 x 1.52 x 9.24 inches
-
Best Sellers Rank:
#1,023,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,334 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)
- #1,485 in African Politics
- #2,018 in Middle Eastern Politics
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Now Dennis Ross supplies a cogent analysis and refutation of this thesis. Ross has held various government posts over a career spanning five presidential administrations (Reagan to Obama). He reviews US foreign policy towards Israel and the Arabs from Truman to the present, evaluating how friendly or distant each administration was to Israel, and how our relations with Israel affected relations with Arab nations, if at all.
He details our many incorrect assumptions about the needs and priorities of various Arab governments over the years, and shows that the Arab leaders’ primary concerns are their own legitimacy and security, and that closer US relations with Israel have never adversely impacted relations with our Arab allies. Hostile Arab nations might use Israel as an excuse, but here again, examples show their priorities have more to do with domestic or national security concerns than with Israel or the Palestinians. Conversely, US administrations that increased our distance from Israel never reaped any benefit; the most recent example being Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world at the beginning of his administration.
Ross’s account provides a behind the scenes look at the working of our national security and policy agencies and presidential administrations. Some surprising details emerge, with an overall more nuanced view of how policies are made and debated—or not debated. Ross served in both Republican and Democrat administrations and discusses them with respect, and without partisanship.
He concludes with lessons learned and how Middle East diplomacy towards Arabs and Israelis might proceed on a more refined basis.
This book is highly recommended, and should be required reading by anyone in the military or government who has any potential influence on Middle East policy. I especially recommend it to anyone with interest in foreign policy, the Middle East, or the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
1) Distance from Israel engenders Arab cooperation towards the U.S. Ross convincingly notes that Arab states follow their own national interest irrespective of U.S. relations with Israel.
2) U.S. cooperation with Israel will lose Arab support. Fails for the same reason as above. And it doesn’t explain the growing Israeli-Saudi rapprochement.
3) Solving the Israeli-Palestinian issue will lead to a transformation of the Middle East. This myth obviously fails because settling that issue has nothing to do with the ongoing Sunni-Shia split.
Ross presents us with a clear-eyed view of U.S. –Israeli relations since 1948 as he thoughtfully reviews the policies of all of the presidents from Truman to Obama. Ross had a ringside seat in the formation of policy from Carter to Obama and he worked for all of the presidents since Carter with the exception of George W. Bush in various Pentagon, State and National Security Council capacities where he was for the most part up to his eyeballs in U.S. – Israeli relations. Of special note for me was that he worked for the legendary Andrew Marshall in the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment and he was Director of Policy Planning in the State Department. He is especially good when he was “inside the room” where the decisions were actually made.
He characterizes the various administrations as having policies of either cooperation or competition with Israel and those policies typically alternated. For example Truman was cooperative while Eisenhower was competitive; both Kennedy and Johnson were cooperative while Nixon initially was competitive. However when Nixon saw the potential of Soviet arms winning the 1973 war, he tilted dramatically in favor of Israel. Thus objectively he was cooperative. On the other hand, in Ross’ view, Carter was outright hostile to Israel. Ross theorizes that Carter felt so guilty about not fully supporting the civil rights revolution in his home state of Georgia; he tilted U.S. policy towards the Palestinians. In contrast Reagan had a deep affinity towards Israel establishing a strategic cooperation arrangement. However that did not stop him in pushing through the AWACS deal over Israeli opposition and in censuring Israel for its invasion of Lebanon.
Although President George H.W. Bush moved the relationship back towards a more competitive one and was extremely unpopular with American Jewry, he continued the strategic cooperation agreement and worked a diplomatic miracle in keeping Israel out of the Iraq War all the while Israel was under rocket attack. Ross has extraordinarily kind words for the first President Bush.
President Clinton also had a deep affinity for Israel and thought of Israeli President Rabin as the father he didn’t have. He was crushed when Rabin was assassinated. He also learned not to trust the Palestinians after a series of Camp David meetings.
President George W. Bush continued the cooperative relationship with Israel while President Obama continued the high degree of cooperation on the military side; he was far from cooperative on the diplomatic side. On his first trip to the Middle East for his Cairo speech, he intentionally avoided going to Israel. Ross’ book ends before the U.S. abstention on the Security Council resolution condemning Israel for its settlement policy.
Two thoughts come through loud and clear from Ross’ important book. First the Israeli’s live up to their biblical forebears by being a “stiff-necked people.” It is hard to make a deal giving up tangible land for an intangible peace. In contrast the Palestinians come across a duplicitous. They say the right words, but when it comes down to it, they won’t make a deal. For them it remains “from the river to the sea.” They just can’t accept Israel as a Jewish State.
Ross has written an important book that should be read by all serious students of the Middle East. I highly recommend it.