Dennis Jett

The Iran Nuclear Deal – Bombs, Billionaires and Bureaucrats examines attempts to influence the outcome of the negotiations between Iran and the United States over Iran’s nuclear capabilities. In particular, it focuses on struggles within the United States around public and congressional opinion with regard to the accord. Trying to prevent a successful outcome to the talks became a cottage industry in Washington, with the casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson being just one of those who were pouring millions of dollars into the effort. On the pro-diplomacy side, there were a wide range of religious, peace, and arms control groups with some financial support coming from the Ploughshares Fund trying to create the space for a negotiated agreement. The tactics of both sides of the debate are described and analyzed to show how a contentious foreign policy issue can become not just a decision for high-level government decision makers, but a wide-ranging fight that involves scores of nongovernmental organizations, the media, and thousands of activists.

Dennis Jett is a founding faculty member and professor of international affairs of the School of International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University. A former career diplomat, he served 28 years in the State Department in a wide range of positions including as Ambassador to Peru and Mozambique, Senior Director for African Affairs on the National Security Council, Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires in Malawi and Liberia, and in Argentina and Israel. From 2000 to 2008, he was Dean of the International Center and at the University of Florida. He has a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Witwatersrand and is the author of four books published by Palgrave-Macmillan–“The Iran Nuclear Deal—Bombs, Bureaucrats and Billionaires”, “American Ambassadors—The Past, Present and Future of America’s Diplomats”, “Why Peacekeeping Fails” and “Why American Foreign Policy Fails.” He has been interviewed on the PBS News Hour, CNN, NPR, BBC and other national and international news programs. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the American Academy of Diplomacy, he was written over 160 opinion pieces for major newspapers. During spring semester 2016 he was a Fulbright senior scholar and professor at Tel Aviv University.