Twin Pillars to Desert Storm: America's Flawed Vision in the Middle East from Nixon to Bush

In this revealing memoir of his tenure--from 1977 to 1987--as director of the National Security Council's Office of Political-Military Affairs, Howard Teicher, writing with his wife, discusses the failures of America's Middle East policy following the Nixon administration's adoption of the Twin Pillars policy, i.e., dependence on Saudi Arabia and Iran as key protectors of U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf. He criticizes President Reagan for neglecting to discipline his advisers in their contradictory handling of Middle East issues, particularly Defense Secrsetary Caspar Weinberger, whom he accuses of ignoring the president's directives. He also underscores the significance of Reagan's inability to back his tough rhetoric about swift and effective retribution against terrorists. Finally, Teicher tells a chilling, convincing story about his betrayal by members of the White House staff during the early days of the Iran-Contra affair and describes how he was forced to defend himself against false and misleading allegations concerning his role in the so-called Reagan Initiative to Iran. Photos. (Apr.)