End game: democratic Iraq hawk Ken Pollack says our military can't stop Iran from going nuclear. And our diplomats don't have much chance either.

• Author: Chollet, Derek
• Position: On Political Books - The Persian Puzzle: The Conflict Between Iran and America - Book Review

The Persian Puzzle: The Conflict Between Iran and America By Kenneth Pollack Random House, $26.95

As George W. Bush's second term in office begins, he faces an array of daunting foreign policy challenges, any one of which could consume his presidency entirely: 150,000 American troops fighting the insurgency in Iraq, with no end in sight; nearly 20,000 U.S. combat forces in Afghanistan; the war on terror with Osama bin Laden on the loose; North Korea's nuclear weapons program up and running; China's increasing military and economic power coupled with its efforts to expand its political influence throughout Asia and beyond; Russia's continuing backslide into authoritarianism and regional bullying; Israel's upcoming withdrawal from Gaza and a post-Ararat Palestinian leadership teetering on the brink of a full meltdown; and a U.S.-European relationship that is deeply poisoned and threatening to get worse. Meeting each of these challenges is critically important to America's national interest, and each will be difficult to manage, let alone solve.

But, as tough as all this seems, the country that should cause the most hand-wringing about our long-term security interests is Iran. The world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, Iran is a sworn enemy of the United States, and is committed to the annihilation of Israel. Iran's own Islamic revolution 26 years ago has served as a model and inspiration for Islamic extremists worldwide. This theocracy sits atop of one of the world's largest supplies of oil. It has an abysmal human rights record. It aspires to play a greater regional role, especially in Iraq. It desperately wants an independent nuclear capability--which few doubt it intends to use for weapons--and has moved closer to doing so during the past four years. And to make matters worse, Iran presents a problem that defies easy solutions--for many years, it has been for Americans one of those challenges where a policy of drift looks better than any alternative.

Despite Iran's obvious but troubling importance, it is a country that most Americans, as well as most foreign policy specialists--including this one--really know little about. That's why I'm thankful for Kenneth Pollack's important and groundbreaking new book, The Persian Puzzle. By combining detailed history with rigorous policy analysis, and writing with refreshing clarity and zip, Pollack has given us the single best book on the U.S.-Iran relationship to date.

Pollack is best...