CFR on Iran
http://www.cfr.org/publication/11556/hidden_iran.html
Hidden Iran: U.S. Cannot Isolate Iran, Says Ray Takeyh in New Book Author: Ray Takeyh, Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies October 2, 2006
Council on Foreign Relations
“Getting Iran wrong is the single thread that has linked American
administrations of all political persuasions,” writes Council Senior
Fellow Ray Takeyh in his book, Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the
Islamic Republic. Critical of the undiplomatic discourse that has
defined U.S.-Iranian relations since the 1979 revolution, Takeyh
argues that “the real root of the estrangement [is a] profound and
frequently mutual misunderstanding of the enemy.”
While Takeyh acknowledges Iran’s hostility toward the United States,
he claims Bush’s inclusion of Iran in “the axis of evil” ignores
Iran’s political complexities and cultural struggles. Hidden Iran
illustrates these nuances, emphasizing how “Iran’s democratic
transition must come on its own terms, and at its own pace.”
Takeyh warns, “It is likely that the Islamic Republic’s durability
will once more defy the latest Washington truism” that regime change
is possible and would neutralize Iran as a threat. Ultimately, Takeyh
argues, “In dealing with Iran, it is time for not just a policy shift
but a paradigm change.”
At the very least, Washington cannot isolate Iran, argues Takeyh; it
should “commence direct negotiations with the Islamic Republic on the
issues of critical importance—Iran’s nuclear program, its sponsorship
of terrorism, and the future of Iraq.” In doing so, he concludes, the
United States could draw lessons from its relations with China, with
which the United States has had a wide-ranging dialogue, despite
serious disagreements over China’s internal politics and aspects of
its foreign policy.
ADVANCED PRAISE FOR HIDDEN IRAN:
“Much of what is said and written about [Iran] these days is grounded
in emotion, ideology, or wishful thinking. But Ray Takeyh knows the
country—the culture and the language—and adds to these strengths an
acute mind. The result is a book of facts, logic, and analysis. It is
the single best guide to understanding modern Iran.” —Fareed Zakaria,
editor of Newsweek International and author of The Future of Freedom
“Ray Takeyh is one of the best of the new generation of Middle East
scholars and anything he writes on the topic of Iran is automatically
a must-read. Hidden Iran [provides] a concise, penetrating account of
contemporary Tehran that answers the questions that every American
ponders in the midst of our latest confrontation with the Islamic
Republic.” —Kenneth Pollack, author of The Persian Puzzle: The
Conflict Between Iran and America
“This succinct and cool-headed book should become a must read for
those, especially policymakers, concerned about the looming nuclear
crisis with Iran.” —Ervand Abrahamian, Distinguished Professor, City
University of New York
“[Hidden Iran] is thoughtful and well-timed, and it should be widely
read at this critical juncture.” —Robin Wright, author of The Last
Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran
“An important and timely insight into the complexities of
contemporary Iran, which not only refutes the simplistic and war-
mongering slogans about Iran of those who recently pushed America
into the war with Iraq, but also points the way to a more
constructive relationship.” —Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national
security adviser and author of The Choice: Global Domination or
Global Leadership
“In this well-constructed sketch of American-Iranian relations,
Takeyh…. provides a well-argued, seldom heard viewpoint.” —Publishers
Weekly