It's hard to find an American writing about contemporary Middle Eastern politics - especially in the context of US foriegn policy - who isn't doing so with the obvious intent of making some glaringly partisan statement more relevent to the constant bickering of our own political scene than to the realities of the Middle East.
Baer's book breaks down the common perceptions of Iran espoused by American politicians on both sides of the aisle, showing us Iran as an increasingly powerful - and power-hungry - nation who's expanionist goals are driven more by pragmatism and realpolitik than by the religious zeal most Americans associate with the country.
Conducting military and political campaigns though the use of proxies such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and others, Iran's methods have proven successful in Lebanon and Iraq - and Baer's careful examination of each of these cases shows us an Iran well on the way to accomplishing many of its goals without signifigant attention or opposition from western powers preoccupied with the nuclear issue and the use of Middle Eastern affairs as a tool for internal political infighting.
Recent events uncovering an Israeli intelligence campaign inside Iran shed an interesting light on Baer's revelations in this book, and while his portrayal of the religious and cultural struggle in Iraq following the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime certainly correlate with what other sources are now telling us about the region, it is unclear to which the extent of Iran's war-by-proxy in other regions as portrayed by Baer matches up with the reality.
Nonetheless, the book offers a view far freer of rhetoric meant to establish a position on the American political spectrum than much other current writing on the Middle East, and is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of Iran's relationship with the United States.
