Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama

Dennis Ross examines seven decades of U.S.-Israel relations through the lens of presidential administrations from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. As a former Middle East peace negotiator and advisor to multiple presidents, Ross provides an inside perspective on the complex dynamics between these two nations. The book analyzes key policy decisions, diplomatic crises, and strategic partnerships that shaped this bilateral relationship across multiple eras. Ross draws from declassified documents, personal interviews, and his direct experience to reconstruct pivotal moments in U.S.-Israel relations. Each administration's approach to Israel is examined within its broader Middle East strategy and global context. The narrative traces how different presidents managed competing priorities between supporting Israel and maintaining relationships with Arab states. This work illustrates recurring patterns in U.S. Middle East policy and challenges conventional assumptions about the influence of domestic politics on foreign relations. The evolution of this unique alliance demonstrates how national interests and shared values can both unite and divide strategic partners.

Readers describe this as a detailed account of U.S.-Israel relations from someone with direct diplomatic experience. Many appreciate Ross's inside perspective from serving multiple administrations and his explanations of each president's approach to Israel policy. Liked: - Clear breakdown of policy decisions and their consequences - First-hand accounts of negotiations and meetings - Documentation from declassified materials - Balance between diplomatic details and readable narrative Disliked: - Some view it as too supportive of Israel - Limited coverage of Palestinian perspective - Focus on high-level politics rather than cultural relations - Dense policy details can be overwhelming for casual readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (171 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (134 ratings) One reader noted: "Ross provides unique insights into diplomatic processes that shaped modern Middle East relations." Another criticized: "The book could benefit from more discussion of how U.S. policy impacts average citizens in the region."

Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East by Michael Oren This history traces American involvement in the Middle East from 1776 to present day, examining the religious, economic, and political forces shaping U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Israel and the United States: Six Decades of US-Israel Relations by Robert O. Freedman The book presents a diplomatic history of U.S.-Israel relations through key historical moments, policy decisions, and strategic partnerships from 1948 through the modern era.

The Peace Puzzle: America's Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace by Daniel Kurtzer, Scott Lasensky, William Quandt, Steven Spiegel, and Shibley Telhami This analysis examines U.S. diplomatic efforts in the Arab-Israeli peace process across five presidential administrations from 1989 to 2011.

Support Any Friend: Kennedy's Middle East and the Making of the U.S.-Israel Alliance by Warren Bass The book explores the Kennedy administration's pivotal role in establishing the foundation of the modern U.S.-Israel relationship through diplomatic archives and presidential records.

Israel's Edge: The Story of the IDF's Most Elite Unit by Jason Gewirtz This account details the military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel through the lens of strategic partnerships and shared defense initiatives.

🔷 Dennis Ross served as the lead U.S. negotiator in Arab-Israeli peace talks spanning three presidential administrations: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. 🔷 Every U.S. president since Truman has entered office believing that distancing America from Israel would help gain favor with Arab states—yet historical evidence consistently proves this assumption wrong. 🔷 The book reveals that during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger deliberately delayed military aid to Israel to ensure it would be "badly enough beaten" to become more flexible in negotiations. 🔷 Despite common perception, the strongest period of U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation occurred during the Reagan administration, not during the more recent Bush or Obama years. 🔷 The State Department consistently opposed President Truman's decision to recognize Israel in 1948, arguing it would damage America's relationships with Arab countries and give the Soviet Union greater influence in the region.