The United States and Iran: The Patterns of Influence

The great merit of this book, the best yet on the subject despite its brevity, lies in its understanding of the domestic forces within Iran and their impact on foreign policy. The United States made its share of miscalculations and tactical mistakes, all described here, but the root cause of failure lay in the American position of responsibility without corresponding influence, largely the result of the Shah's efforts over the years to play the American card for his own domestic and international aims.