As Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accelerated his country's nuclear research; called for the elimination of Israel; and failed the Iranian people, who elected him on a domestic platform that has since been neglected. This expose by author Yossi Melman and Middle East expert Meir Javedanfar gives insight into his hold on power - his rural roots, the vituperative populism that catapulted him from relative obscurity to national leadership, and the shadowy forces that hold him there.The authors examine the critical questions: Was Ahmadinejad personally involved in the assassination of Iranian political dissidents? Does he have close relations with terrorists in Iraq and Lebanon? How did Iran acquire its nuclear secrets under the noses of the CIA and the Mossad? Did he play a role in the seizing of American hostages in 1979? What religious and political influences have persuaded him to bring Iran back to the "glorious" days of Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Revolution?Scrutinizing his relationship with powerful Islamic extremist Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, the authors delve into the implications of Ahmadinejad's firm conviction that his government is a platform for the return of the Shiite Messiah Mahdi - whose reappearance he believes will mark the inauguration of a global Islamic Republic. They also show how he and Iran's fundamentalist leaders, backed by messianic visionaries, are methodically developing nuclear weapons and building a worldwide network of terrorists.While offering a full account of the Iranian view of a right to nuclear power, the authors detail the delays, evasions, and outright lies that have allowed Iran to escape sanctions despite their suspect nuclear program. They also report on assessments of Iran by intelligence agencies in Israel and the West - and discuss the available options for restraining or confronting the Iranian march to power. Read Less