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

This “illuminating book” presents a provocative, expert account of America’s changing relationship with Israel (Kirkus, starred review).

When it comes to Israel, U.S. policy has always emphasized the unbreakable bond between the two countries and our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security. Today our ties to Israel are so close that when there are differences, they tend to make the news. But it was not always this way.

Dennis Ross has been a direct participant in shaping U.S. policy toward Israel for decades. He served as Bill Clinton’s envoy for Arab-Israeli peace, and was an active player in the debates over how we should guide our policies. In Doomed to Succeed, he takes readers behind the scenes of every administration, from Truman to Obama, revealing each president’s attitudes toward Israel and the Middle East, the debates between key advisers, and the events that drove the policies and at times led to a shift in approach.

Ross points out how distancing the United States from Israel in the Eisenhower, Nixon, Bush, and Obama administrations never yielded any benefits—and why that lesson has never been learned. Doomed to Succeed offers compelling advice for future administrations as they continue to shape America's policy on Israel.

© 2024 Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Ebook): 9780374709488

Release date

Ebook: 4 September 2024