The twilight war : the secret history of America's thirty-year conflict with Iran / David Crist.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preface -- "A little king in your heart" -- A new grand strategy -- Barbed-wire Bob -- A den of spies -- A fig leaf of neutrality -- Sharon's grand design -- A spectacular action -- The American hamlet -- Sleepy hollow -- Arms for the Ayatollah -- A ring on the American finger -- The wake-up call -- The invisible hand of God -- A window of opportunity -- The night stalkers -- A very close call -- No higher honor -- Good-bye, Captain Nasty -- The terrible climax -- Goodwill begets goodwill -- War or peace -- An atrocity -- An axis of evil -- Defeat or victory -- The freedom agenda -- A quasi-war -- An extended hand and a closed fist -- Epilogue.

"For the past three decades, the United States and Iran have been engaged in an unacknowledged secret war. This conflict has frustrated five American presidents, divided administrations, and repeatedly threatened to bring the two nations to the brink of open warfare. Drawing upon unparalleled access to senior officials and key documents of several U.S. administrations, David Crist, a senior historian in the federal government, breaks new ground on virtually every page of The Twilight War. From the Iranian Revolution to secret negotiations between Iran and the United States after 9/11 to Iran's nuclear program and sanctions against it, Crist brings vital new depth to our understanding of 'the Iran problem'--and what the future of this tense relationship may bring"-- Publisher's description.

Originally published : [New York] : Penguin Press, 2012.