Unthinkable

The world's foremost expert on Middle Eastern relations examines Iran's current nuclear potential and charts America's future course of action.

How close are we to a nuclear Iran? What does it mean for American foreign policy? How did we get to this point? And what do we do now?

In "Unthinkable," Kenneth Pollack explores America's intractable problem with Iran, Tehran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, and the prolonged clash that led us to this point.

With the authority of his years as a CIA analyst and as Director of Persian Gulf Affairs on the National Security Council, Pollack lays out key solutions to the Iran nuclear question, explaining and assessing the options for American policymakers: Redoubling our efforts at a "carrot-and-stick" approach that combines negotiations and sanctions; aiding the Iranian opposition to bring about a popular form of regime change; an Israeli military strike; the American military option; and containing a nuclear Iran.

Insightful, powerful, and balanced in its approach, "Unthinkable" is one of the most thoughtful and important books on foreign policy in the past decade.