1 comments about Sisters in the Resistance.

1. Excellent chapters on the behind the scenes aspect of the resistance, including social services, where women dominated the field. The book does not, however, include food riots and worker's strikes. These are two areas of resistance that women also participated in.

   For the most part Weitz is willing to let her interviews speak for her, with informative results. Her own analysis and conclusions show feminist leanings, and are far from objective. The concluding chapter digresses into a barrage of stereotypes and gender comparison.

   Still, if one ignores the author's own remarks and concentrates on the primary sources, this is a worthwhile book.

4 comments about Terrorism and the Constitution: Sacrificing Civil Liberties in the Name of National Security, Revised and Updated Edition.

1. This edition is an updated version of the authors earlier book written in the wake of the 1996 Anti-Terrorism Act. Remember that Act? That was the one passed in response to Oklanhoma City and gave "sweeping new powers" to federal authorities, so that such a horrible act of terrorism, would never, ever, never, never happen ever again!

   Now with 9/11 and the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T) Act (how much time, do you suppose, does it take to come with these acronyms?), the authors are back with a critical look at a drive towards what has very little to do with counterterrorism and quite a bit to do with increasing and centralizing power.

   In the past 12 months we've had proposals for a national ID card, a missle defense system, legalized torture, suspension of writ of habeas corpus, a "homeland security" infrastructure that is heavily reliant on security technologies of dubious value. Basically the only thing that has changed that would have prevented the 9/11 are locked Cabin doors and the newfound general awareness that "cooperating with the hijacker" might not be the best policy for passeners.

   Also along the way, a steady trickle of stories of missed opportunities, ignored warning and frustrated investingations have come out regarding the FBI and others to use the powers they already do have.

   The bulk of the book deals with FBI misdeed during the Cold War and proposes an unfashionable counterrorism strategy that emphasizes the responsibility of actors, not ideology. Basically, trying to treat terrrorism as a crime not as war.

   The proposals are a little narrow. Terrorism of the sort represented by al Quaeda is international, not just national. The fight against it will share more with racketeering and global criminal networks. And a world court is needed. I'm not sure if dealing on a purely "case-by-case" basis will do the trick.

   Nevertheless, the authors have offered a well reasoned case and in the current climate when we are asked to give up so much with only the assurance of "trust us" we would do to heed their call.




2. This book gives a frightening look at how post-9/11 paranoia and the aftermath of that horrific event have lead to the diminution of civil liberties in the U.S.. The passage of the so-called "Patriot Act(s)" will not only make ethnic groups (particularly Arab/Muslims, given that 9/11 was perpetrated by members of that ethnic group) [a] cause to worry, even Americans may be, if their views don't match the current Administration's views, subject to loss of constitutional rights. [The ACLU would have a field day about this, if the premise of the book is true.] It is an important book to read and should be read by everyone who thinks that their civil liberties are unable to be violated by the government. (Conservatives will call this book nonsense, but most of us [moderates and liberals] will find the book an eye-opening study of overreaction and paranoia, by the government, as a result of 9/11.



3. Government response to 'terrorism' is not new; we have previously understood that in 'times of war' civil liberties were suspended (supposedly for the national good). We also know that times of panic (Joe McCarthy) had also prompted otherwise reasonable people to abandon their civil liberties for the now-familiar promise of 'national security'.
   
   Yet, what is new about the post 9/11 climate is the depth of these anti-terrorism policies and the general public's apparent willingness to sacrifice their freedom inexplicably to receive 'security'.
   
   Whether it is the terror alert 'color' of the day, or the list of people who can/cannot fly on planes, national security could instead be used as a tool to generate even more fear...or a weapon to attack political dissenters.
   
   A government effectively stifling criticism of its policies as `being for the terrorists' is allowed to do whatever it wants to citizens whenever it wants. Reminiscent of Nazi Germany, people who still attempt to critique government policy (including the Patriot Act) quickly find themselves labeled as an enemy of the state.
   
   It is significant that the first edition of this book was published after the Oklahoma City bombing. Everybody had agreed this event was a national tragedy, yet the government did not use it as a battering ram to dismantle citizen civil liberties and/or eliminate people whom they have disagreed with. By focusing on case specifics, the Clinton administration found the people who were responsible for that incident (two disgruntled veterans from America's heartland!).
   
   Sharply contrasting, the measures taken in response to 9/11 demonstrate excess and paranoia. "Homeland security" permits the Bush White House to target ANYBODY it does not like.
   
   How else to explain why Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D MA)'s name has repeatedly turned up on the nation's no fly-list, despite a public service career whose length easily exceeds that of many "Homeland Security" officials themselves?
   
   And then there is the issue of increased FBI surveillance to 'combat' terrorist threats. Again, because the FBI had spied on dissenting groups until Hoover's death, there is a strong case that this same government agency will not ethically be able to conduct impartial investigations today.
   
   It is indeed a sad day when we want the rest of the world to be democratic but cannot bring ourselves to have similar conditions inside this same country. The greatest causality of the war on terror is the American Bill of Rights.



4. This book appears more to be an alarmist than pointing out a real solution to what the author considers as a growing problem. Since 2001 PATRIOT Act, the main problem civil liberities activists have is monitoring international calls from suspected terrorists. If this is all the problems these people have including the author, other than speculating what might happen, then there is no real problem with the 2001 PATRIOT Act that's going to take the average American's liberities away.

5 comments about Thunder of Heaven (Martyr's Song Series Book 3).

1. Thunder of Heaven is better than Heaven's Wager yet not as great as When Heaven Weeps. Now of course this is all relative to your kind of story. Thunder of Heaven is a shorter story that has more action than the previous 2. It takes place in a jungle and that setting alone creates a great plot. I don't know if Ted intended a twist in it or not but after the first attack on the homes I knew who was who in the future. The surprise wasn't as big as say Thr3e was...but again, Ted himself has said that he writes different kinds of stories each time. He's almost like the book version of M. Night Shaymalan(sp?)



2. Allow me to be honest: I resisted reading Christian fiction for a long time because I thought it would be, well, boring. I'm a Christian, but sermons are for the pulpit, not the printed page. Or so I thought. Thunder of Heaven completely sideswiped me with a great opening, a fast pace, and an interesting cast of characters who pop with realism. My favorite is Casius, a CIA assassin. The book follows him and the daughter of two married missionaries as they grapple with the slaughter of their parents and try to stop a terrorist attack. The jungle setting is a cool stage for this story to play out. The only time I realized I wasn't reading a thriller shaped by any of the great writers of our time is when the author dropped in a spiritual insight or two-and even those were interesting. I highly recommend this book.



3. I have several Ted Dekker novels and they are all entertaining and thought provoking. 'Thunder Of Heaven' is no exception.
   
   Dekker has blended an action plot involving terrorists with a nuclear device, romance, and spiritual themes. I am not one who enjoys romance, but the author does it in a way that is not obnoxious or overdone.
   
   The action rolls along at a good pace and keeps the reader's interest throughout.
   
   There was one error that should have been avoided. This may be somewhat of a spoiler so read further at your own risk. When one of the characters is imprisoned for a terrorist plot, he is located in the 'Canyon City Correctional Facility'. A participant in international terrorism would not be incarcerated in a local or state facility. It is a federal crime so he would be in a federal prison. With the type of crime and skill set/threat level possessed by this person, he would likely be housed in a United States Penitentiary (USP). This may not be a huge issue, but I think that technical accuracy is important in a good novel.
   
   In spite of that one issue, I would recommend this book as well as any others I have read by Dekker. He is a highly skilled author who keeps one's attention.



4. Words don't do Ted Dekker justice I love all his books! This was one of those books once you pick up it is so hard to put down!!



5. Thunder of Heaven was my 1st Ted Dekker book. Overall I thought the book was very well written and the plot flowed smoothly. It was a pretty dark book that certainly drove home the point that not all things in God's plan are "peaches and cream" for those who follow him. I have two main criticisms about the story 1) I found it a little annoying that a character that was declared dead came back into the story - if you say someone is dead, they have to be dead (and the symbolic death of self to life in Christ didn't apply here either, which might have allowed for the delaration of the character to be dead. 2) I didn't like the idea of God's thunder as sounding as only soft whispers to us. Yes, God's voice is often the small quiet voice nudging at us, but if God makes some thuder, it's going to be loud! For me, the image made it sound as if God was making the loudest noises he possibly could, but such sounds were barely perceptible to us.
   
   Enough with the critique, the book was enjoyable, and I got through it quickly, which is saying something, because it seems half the books I try to read don't seem to hold my attention and I don't even finish.
   
   I look forward to reading another Dekker book.
   
   -S. A. Davis, author of Iman's Isle.

5 comments about Monday Night Jihad (Riley Covington Thriller Series #1).

1. The war against Islamofacism is as real today as the fight against Japanese Imperialism and German occupations of WWII. Just different people with the same agenda to control the world. If the non-Muslim world sits by and does nothing about the extremists in the Muslim world who plan and execute their plan to dominate the world, there will be more bloodshed than we can imagine. We've all heard of the moles that the enemy placed within our establishments during the cold war and we need to be aware of this same situation today with those who want world dominance over non Muslims.
   Monday Night Jihad weaves a plot that is all too real to ignore. We live in a mode of Hollywood shows and movies that mostly end with good over evil winning and at very little expense to the good forces. Unfortunately the real world of Jihadists do not follow the Hollywood frame of indoctrination that lets us think that all bad things that happen to us will be resolved in less than two hours like we see on the screen.
   This book is a wake up call to us that we need to be more vigilant than ever in this troubled world of today.



2. This is a Great book, a "page turner" with mixture of sports, and stories of our real heroes, those who protect us from terroists. This has all the excitement of Clancy, Thor, Flynn, without the vulgar language.



3. I got this for my husband who loves to read and loves sports...HE LOVED THIS BOOK!



4. Jason Elam, a 15-year NFL veteran and two-time Super Bowl champion place kicker for the Denver Broncos, has teamed up with Steve Yohn, director of adult ministries at Fellowship Community Church, to pen a thriller that intertwines the professional sports world with terrorists and spy intrigue. With a storyline that feels all too true to life, they successfully engage both the head and the heart as they offer readers, male and female, a fast-paced and plausible plot.
   
   These first-time authors provide not only an insiders' look into the world of professional sports, but another more troubling view into the minds of would-be terrorists and their subterfuge. The story opens with a bang in 1991, in Adhamiya, Baghdad, Iraq, where Hakeem Qasim witnesses a brutal bombing attack on his family. Losing his home and loved ones in one fell swoop, Hakeem grows up despising the United States and vows to have his revenge.
   
   Fast forward to 2003 --- Operation Enduring Freedom, Bagram Valley, Helmand Province, Afghanistan --- where second lieutenant Riley Covington is just finishing up a special-ops mission and soon returning stateside to jumpstart his second career as a PFL linebacker for the Colorado Mustangs. With a purple heart and a silver star to his credit, Riley was a hero in everyone's eyes. Still, he never dreamed how short-lived his athletic stint would be until terrorists hit the stadium where one of his closest football friends, Sal Ricci, was killed in the aftermath of one of the attacks.
   
   In short order, Riley becomes drawn into the government's search team to try to circumvent further terrorist bombings throughout major cites in the U.S. At first unwillingly, then later with determined resolve, he joins forces with former fellow AFSOC soldier Scott Ross, now a top communication analyst at the counterterrorism division (CTD) of Homeland Security. With a bevy of transcontinental travel, Riley and other special-ops forces attempt to ferret out the terrorists on their own land. All the while, Khadi Faroughi, a CTD agent, begins to steal his heart.
   
   During one point in the mission, Riley is kidnapped and finds himself facing a familiar, once-friendly face. His utter disgust becomes a mixture of anger and pity as he attempts to understand the lengths to which his old friend will go to mete out justice at the expense of innocent lives. From one adrenaline-surging moment to the next, Riley and his cohorts try to stay ahead of the terrorists' next targeted bombings, taking them once again into the heart of the U.S. With so many people already dead, Riley grows continually more anxious to mentally gauge (and guess) where they will strike next. Having felt the hit from this particular group already, the U.S. team works unceasingly to prevent another widespread attack.
   
   Readers will find themselves reliving September 11, 2001 as they absorb the deeper implications of this fine debut novel. Just as the characters find no opportunity to let their guard down, Elam and Yohn's audiences will feel similar pulls to stepping up their own political intelligence quotient.
   
   --- Reviewed by Michele Howe



5. This story grabbed my attention right from the start! The authors show you a terrorist in the making and what it takes to make someone want to give their lives for a cause! I'm not a huge football fan, but I found the action and preparation for football fascinating, and in some parts, very suspenseful. This is a story could have been taken out of today's headlines (let's hope not anytime soon!).
   
   Riley Covington is someone you want on your team. He has seen enough military action to last a life time. He wants out of the military to peruse a dream - A Pro Football Dream!! Life is great for a season until one day his world (and everyone else's) is assaulted with bombs on American turf once more. Riley remembers September 11th and how he was fighting the enemy in Afghanistan. He has a change of heart and wants back into the action - this wasn't about revenge - this was about keeping America Safe - that's what he was trained to do overseas. Now they have come onto his turf and he wants in on the Home Land Security special ops team.
   
   Riley Covington was a lieutenant in the special ops of the United States Air Force unit in the war. He is a man that carried out his mission the way he'd been trained, nothing more - nothing less. He's a leader, hard worker and loyal to a fault . He's a kidder - he has a dry sense of humor that's funny. He knews how to have a good time. Sometimes you need that in war situations to make it through. "You can get war out of your days, but you can never get it out of your nights." Riley knew this all too well.
   
   Riley listened to a sermon that really touched him. The Pastor said "the terrorists were only willing to die for their beliefs; the policemen lived out their beliefs every day until their lives were taken from them (the pastor went on) - Paul knew that dying was the easy part - living for Christ is the hard part - daily putting yourself second and others first. Keep your lives in perspective. It's not about you. It's about what you can do for God and for those He puts in your path." This clinched it for Riley - he was definitely wanted in the Special Ops Unit . He was going to help get these terrorists off American soil.
   
   Author Jason Elam is a professional football player. I was intrigued how he talks about what the players go through with training , security at games, and what would happen if they were attached. Jason and Steve bring a realism into this story that is unnerving in spots. They made you think at "What If the unthinkable happened again? Are we ready? What would we do if the terrorists were to attack us on our soil again? It was disturbing to ponder but something that we definitely need to think about. We are touchable we know that now. Is Homeland Security ready for another possible attack? Where do we get our REAL comfort in the middle of the storm? Have we learned that as a nation?
   
   I loved how Jason and Steve bring that possibility to life. I want a man like Riley Covington and his special Homeland Security unit on my team. Men who have a heart after God and a willingness to do the right thing now matter what the cost. You will want Riley and his guys on your team too after reading this book.
   
   Nora St. Laurent - Book Club Servant Leader
   www.psalm516.blogspot.com

No comments about The Enemy Combatant Papers: American Justice, the Courts, and the War on Terror.

5 comments about I Am Happier to Know You.

1. This book is written in a easy way to read, entertaining and informative in some parts but the writer was misinformed in some other parts. I am an Egyptian and while was reading some parts I was feeling like she was talking about another country than the one I know. Either she was misinformed as I said or didn't understand some aspects of the culture. Overall, it is a good book. At least she took the time to know another culture. I salute her.



2. Written with humor, honesty and genuine caring, I am Happier to Know You takes the reader into a rich and varied culture with social and political perspectives so necessary to our understanding of today's world. This story of a lone, American woman as she finds personal strength experiencing a totally new life is insightful and compassionate. I felt as if I were in Egypt. Her sense of humor took her through many trying circumstances, but brought with it acceptance and understanding of a country and a people she truly loves. I am Happier to Know You provides both learning and understanding of Middle Eastern customs through non-judgmental eyes and an inspiring, courageous story of personal growth.



3. loved it, loved it, loved it...my kind of book....easy to read, extremely interesting & informative...if you have a desire to learn more about the muslim culture & to have a greater understanding of the people of egypt this is the book you must read. the author with her wit & charm has done a wonderful job at making you feel you are there with her sharing her experiences. will definately order more copies to give to my friends (there not getting my copy)who i know will think twice before critising the muslim culture & hopefully have a harder look at our own culture.



4. I Am Happier to Know You An easy read which highlights the complexities of living with people from a different cultural background. Extremely helpful as I am planning to move to Eygpt next year. A must read for people planning to stay long term.



5. I read this once before traveling to Egypt, and once again after I got home. It was better than any of the "travel books" I had purchased. I recommened it to everyone I traveled with, because it was timely and pertinent for today's travler to Egypt or anywhere else! Ms Eck captures what it really means to open one's self to the flavors and traditions of another country, with humor and tolerance. She definetly helped me get the most from my journey to Egypt.

5 comments about The Other Path: The Economic Answer to Terrorism.

1. In many ways, I am disappointed that I read this book after reading de Soto's other book, "The Mystery Of Capital". Both this and his other book largely contain the same ideas, but "The Other Path" focuses more intently on de Soto's experiences in Peru rather attempting to answer a very broad question. Because "The Other Path" focuses on squarely on Peru, it can more completely chronicle how his ideas have been used to better the lot of poor Peruvians, and have contributed to the defeat of Sendero Luminoso.

   I would have preferred it if the book did not purport to be a general answer to terrorism. While his ideas are very applicable with respect to Maoist revolutionaries attempting to (in theory) uplift the poor, they seem less relevant to "non-economic" terrorists, such as certain rich scions of Saudi families that fly airplanes into buildings, for example. But that is a minor point.




2. I agree that this book would have been more interesting if read before Mystery, but now the mystery is gone.

   This is good stuff just the same.

   Lots of good points that are useful in a classroom.




3. The original version of this book was written in the mid-80's to offer the people and government of Peru specific suggestions to combat Sendero Luminoso by making it possible for ordinary people to have a productive and meaningful participation in the nation's economy. This new printing includes a preface written in 2002 that provides the context and history for non-Peruvian readers and gives some analysis of the successes of the suggested reforms under the Fujimori government.

   The first part of the book is a detailed analysis of three sectors of the Peruvian economy: housing, transport, and trade (small manufacturing and retail primarily). In each of these, De Soto demonstrates how the barriers raised by regulation and legal process from both right and left wing governments in Peru have forced the majority of persons participating to do so in informal/illegal ways. The result is that formal activity bears the brunt of taxation and informals have little protection in terms of property rights, contractual instruments, and so on. The net result is that everyone is impoverished. This section of the book can be tough reading because of the amount of detail, but its necessary in order to understand the importance of the second half.

   The second half suggests that the Peruvian situation is really the reemergence of mercantilism, not a market economy. De Soto then provides some suggestions to peacefully transitiont to a market economy, and convincing warnings that failure to do so will almost certainly result in a violent transition.

   The points that De Soto makes are increasingly significant to non-Peruvians as societies like America have increasingly centralised economies. Ironically, the cover includes blurbs from both Presidents Bush and Clinton. One suspects that netiher of them actually read the book.




4. I love the little jibe provided within the title of Hernando de Soto's "The Other Path." It's a poke at "The Shining Path" (Sendero Luminoso), the Maoist Peruvian terrorist organization that wreaked havoc on de Soto's homeland beginning in 1980. de Soto's attempt in this book is to show that the more effective struggle is to make capitalism more efficient. To those who know de Soto's work, the solutions are well known: build a system of laws that allow one's residents to buy, sell and value property rights; and reduce the complexities and banalities of starting a business.
   
   If you've read de Soto's master work "The Mystery of Capitalism," then there is no new news here. In fact, "The Other Path" will look out-of-date with its yellowing statistics. So why the five stars? As a testament to de Soto's bravery. Think about the guts it took for him to research and publish this book in Peru during the tumultuous and frightening period there. What a statement.



5. Hernando De Soto's "The Other Path" is a much drier read than its follow up "The Mystery of Capital." I'm glad I read TMC first - it gave a global economic perspective that I could relate to and which interested me in reading more of the author's work. The Other Path is very detailed in its portrayal of Peruvian politics, the intricacies of laws governing property rights and transactions, and the evolution of businesses from extralegal to legal operations. While this very book was the tool used by the Peruvian government to successfully solve its terrorism problem in the 1980s, by legalizing the economic operations of the majority of its marginalized citizens, and while its message and methods are even more relevant in the current climate of global terrorism, the step-by-step detail makes it a tedious read and I couldn't get all the way through. I will, at some point, try again, but I'm glad I read The Mystery of Capital first.

5 comments about You Back the Attack, We'll Bomb Who We Want.

1. What Micah Ian Wright expected to gain from lying about being a ranger in Panama I don't know. All he's done is give people something to attack other than the actual book itself. Well done, chief.
   
   Yes, Wright lied. He did a stupid thing. However his message is still valid. And most of the people giving it 1 star know it, which is why they didn't even mention it.
   
   Don't trust reviews that attack the messenger over the message.



2. This guy Wright lied about being an army ranger, kinda like lying about one's air national guard service. how can these disgusting commies keep supporting this guy's work when he isn't even running for office (then it'd be okay).



3. You know what? These posters made me laugh. I have posted them around my desk at work. They make statements with which I agree.
   
   Lighten up, all of you reviewers who have written screeds about whether or not the author was an army ranger. Who cares?
   
   Some people don't have enough to do, apparently.



4. Those of you who are in the "don't shoot the messenger" camp, wake up! He made the whole thing up, he never served in the Rangers, and now has made up another book. He could have presented it as fiction, but he tried to pass it of as fact.
   
   I don't take cooking tips from Jeffery Dahmer.
   I don't turn to Brittney Spears for parenting advice.
   I don't look to Dr. Phil on how to lose weight.
   I don't rely on George Bush for advice on how to govern.
   I don't turn to a Kennedy for driving lessons.
   I don't look to OJ Simpson for relationship advice.
   I don't look to Micah Wright for lessons on the military.
   
   It's fiction, folks. And it's offensive to those who really served in the military to try to pass it off as fact, seeking to gain from their hard lives.



5. First, yes he lied. Wake up, the author is just another reader, as is said in postmodernism. It doesn't matter whether Micah lied, or whether he is a murderous demon or another incarnation of Hitler.
   It's the book that matters.
   It's very funny and well taken.
   The followup book is decent as well, but round 3 is getting a little repetitive and uninspired.

5 comments about Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society.

1. I found the book to be very interesting and informative. It's not a light read, but the number of interesting facts that I found ended up teaching more about the laws of the Partiot Act and how it came to be formed. The author gives both sides to the debate and many perspectives that I never thought of before. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a rounded comprehensive study of the Patriot Act.



2. Shortly after 9-11 in 2001, a bill was introduced in Congress and passed despite the fact that most members had not even had an opportunity to read it. It is popularly known as the Patriot Act. In his new book, Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating a Society ($17.99, Author House, available from Amazon.com), Paul A. Ibbetson, a former police chief currently studying for his PhD in sociology, shares his three years of research on what he calls "one of the most powerful laws of modern day." Those of both liberal and conservative political orientation have expressed serious concerns because, while it expands the government's ability to find and jail terrorists, it also portends the possibility of its misuse by a government less attentive to the dictates of the Constitution. The FBI admitted to such abuses just last month. The author's purpose, as the title notes, is to educate the reader to the various aspects of the bill, from its passage to its current status. The bill is due for reauthorization and this timely book permits for a thorough review of the way it works. This is not light reading because it rather intensively looks at the bill section by section. Nor is the book a polemic taking sides. Those of a legal bent of mind will find it a masterful piece of work.
   
   [...]



3. I thought this book was inviting from the start. My favorite aspect of this book is that it covers the basics right at the beginning so if you are new to the patriot act or governmental issues in general then you won't get lost. It's good for beginners!!



4. This book is very informative. The author does not take a stance on right or wrong but rather presents the act in a clear and concise way that is understandable. Definitely worth the read if you want to know what is going on in our world today.



5. Paul Ibbetson has written "Living Under The Patriot Act: Educating A Society" in a very clear manner which those of us who do not have a formal background in law can understand. I believe that the American people needs to pay much more attention to the Patriot Act and the possibility of it misuse in the near future.

5 comments about Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta.

1. Gore Vidal wrote DREAMING WAR:BLOOD FOR OIL and the CHENEY-BUSH JUNTA shortly after he wrote PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE. The second book is just as good and as well written as the first. Vidal states obvious truths which anger some because they are so obvious and true.
   
   Vidal's collection of essays deal with the American Empire which is a term that the Establishment does not like because the word empire is an accurate term in describing U.S. Government meddling. Such a term might give Americans an uncomfortable view of the reality of U.S. diplomacy.
   
   Some of these essays confront the unconfortable truths regarding the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Vidal gives a brief but clear account of the FDR lads goading the Japanese to attack this naval base in response to U.S. pressure that would have reduced the Japanese to famine had they adhered to U.S. policy. One should note that U.S. foreign policy against Japanese presence in China was due to some vague nonsense about the Open Door Policy in China. One should note when the Chinese Communists came to power in 1949, the Open Door was slammed shut in everyone's face. By eliminating the Japanese as a power in China, the road was wide open for Mao tse-Tung and the Chinese Communists to take power after a prolonged civil war that lasted from 1927 to 1949.
   
   Vidal is also very clear that the use of nuclear weapons against the Japanese in 1945 was unnecessary. Vidal cites a letter dated July 18, 1945 written by the Japanese Emperor begging to surrender and ending the war. This is a matter of public record now, and few if any "mainstream" historians have mentioned this. Vidal makes effective use of Alperovitz's book THE DECISION TO USE THE ATOMIC BOMB: THE ARCHITECTURE OF A MYTH. Vidal notes that many well known military men including Admiral Nimetz, the General Eisenhower, etc., were very much opposed to the use atomic bomb. Or course, none of this is very well publisized as it undermines the political myths upon which the American Empire is built.
   
   Vidal also deals with more recent events such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, U.S. destructiveness in Latin America,etc. These interventions fit the classcial definition of empire which is largely unknown to Americans. Vidal destroys the myths that have been presented as truth regarding these events, and he undermines the official truths of these events.
   
   Vidal has some interesting remarks re "Official Truth." He well knows that Lord Acton's dictum that, "Official truth is never actual truth" is an accurate statement. When Vidal made a production for The History Channel, some Establishment hacks formed a panal to smear Vidal. Vidal notes that he was not invited to defend himself, and Vidal further conclusively refutes the hacks on this panal. One should note his remarks re this attempt to smear him.
   
   Vidal has some interesting remarks about U.S. domestic policies. He mentions that government authorities have made a war on alleged domestic policies to divert attention from foreign interventions. Americans have had a war on illteracy, a war on poverty, and a war on drugs. If anyone is interested, illiteracy, poverty, and drugs have won.
   
   Vidal has some interesting suggestions for solving or reducing problems. He suggests, to use the expression, "Smaller is better." Vidal cites Thomas Jefferson's remarks re making Washington, D.C. about the centralization of power in that city and the destructive consequences of such a concentration of power. Vidal suggests that Americans should live in confederated sections which, while not eliminating corrpution and economic ruin, would significantly reduce such problems and give Americans more direct control.
   
   Vidal has some interesting comments on American "education." Vidal comments on the ignorance of Americans re their own history or any history. Vidal also condemns the ignorance of geography whereby Americans do not even know where interventions take place. One should note that the "experts" in Congress do not where these areas are either. They have shown their ignorance when some un-American has asked them to locate any of these places on globe, and these "experts" did not know the difference between South American and Antarctic or anywhere else for that matter.
   
   Vidal has been accused of hating America. Vidal does not hate America. Alleged proof is that Vidal lives part of the year in Italy. So do many other Americans. Vidal does not hate America. He hates what the corporate CEOs and government authorities have done to America and Americans. He is very clear about this. Vidal has been accused of being a Bush Basher and opposed to Republicans. These remarks betray these critics who obviously have been watching too much TV and have not read Vidal's books. Vidal is an ardent supporter of limited government, the Bill of Rights, etc. If supporting lawful restraints on federal power and support of the United States Constitution is un-American, we are in bad shape.
   
   Vidal uses public sources and comments to support his views. He does not refer to arcane nonsense, and readers can read Vidal's books and decide for themselves. Again, readers should note that Vidal displays knowledge, reason, and an exceptional ability to write.



2. ...with free enterprise for the poor and socialism for the rich.
   
   
   The label "conspiracy theorist" holds a powerful stigma. For the most part, the conspiracy theorists themselves are to blame for that. For the most part the people I've run across who propagate and perpetuate these wild schemes are not the most critical thinkers out there. The evidence of this is the way conspiracies run in packs. Once they're talking about secret societies, secret connections and plots, more and more unfold, running off in tangents. It might start with the Kennedy assassination but soon area 51 and Roswell are evoked, the moon landing is a hoax, the Loch Ness monster and the inner Earth people. Not to mention the Catholics, the Masons, and the Jewish-communists.
   
   But that shouldn't dissuade us from investigating anything. The fact that conspiracy theorists are nuts doesn't mean conspiracies never happen. People who believe everything that's slightly exciting to believe are no less critical thinkers than those who dismiss outright anything that threatens the veneer of civility and order.
   
   In reality, a conspiracy doesn't have to be an intricate web of deception, some brilliant design everyone but you is in on. A conspiracy can be lots of powerful people acting in a similar way, through sneaky means and propaganda, for the sake of strengthening and securing their own power. Hillary Clinton was lambasted for speaking of a vast right-wing conspiracy, but as the story unfolds, we see a small handful of very powerful, rich people using their influence to try and drag down a President and his administration by any means necessary. She was right.
   
   This book is a collection of essays unified by the assertion Gore Vidal is making that American is an empire, and that American military action and behavior, since before world war 2, has been an imperial attempt to control as much of the world as possible. If one looks at the whole of human history, none of this should come as a surprise. But in the modern debate, where Neo-con imperialism is compared to Nazism, Mr. Vidal is telling us that a better analogy would be the ancient Roman Empire, and that this has been going on a whole lot longer than since the neo-cons have been in power. The primary difference today is near-transparency of the current administrations goals, and the deplorable depths of depravity to which they'll sink to accomplish it. The unprovoked, unilateral invasion of Iraq was just one of hundreds of unprovoked, unilateral military actions the American empire has engaged in post-WW2. But in the past, America had the self-awareness, pride and patience to do things in a deceptive manner, exercising domination economically (the Marshall plan), or through low-key military presences (like NATO in Western Europe) and by meddling around the world with an alphabet soup of secret police (CIA, FBI, DEA, DIA...). So, there's nothing new going on in the Bush-Cheney Junta. It is a matter of degrees, but previous presidents and previous administrations don't get off the hook unscathed.
   
   And the media, owned by powerful, rich, well-connected corporations, don't get off unscathed. Vidal discusses the role of the media, paid off to keep two major characteristics of the America off the radar off the people, the first being the existence- not to mention the pervasiveness- of a class system, and the second being the nature of the U.S. Empire. Outside of the United States, these are not secrets. When the twin towers fell, Americans turned to each other and asked in genuine bewilderment how anyone could hate us. When the answer was supplied for us, "they hate us because they hate freedom," enough people could actually get themselves to believe this to accomplish the re-election of the worst, most venal bunch of ganefs in American history. American people could accept the premise that people around the world want to attack us with suicidal acts simply because they envy our goodness. That's not just us being stupid, that's us being uneducated and misinformed. (And distracted! Was that really a partial breast seen during a football half-time show? Heaven forfend! Let's have congressional hearings about it.)
   
   Drawbacks? Because this is a collection of essays written for different sources at different times, you get a lot of redundancy if you read this book cover to cover. Also, while I'm not a knee-jerk pro-Israel kind of guy (I have plenty of criticism for the way Israel has acted and I see a lot more complexity in the situation than people on either side ever acknowledge), I do cringe a little bit when Mr. Vidal gets on the subject of Israel's role in today's geopolitical scene. He hints at Israel's mistakes, but then, in his wonderfully droll, mischievous style, declares that one can't criticize Israel without being accused of anti-Semitism, complete with a sarcastic tone that says `gosh, what could be worse than being an anti-Semite?' I know he's making an important point but, as someone who grew up being taught that they will eventually get around to blaming everything on the Jews again, I can't help but feel a touch queasy.
   
   All that being said, this is an important book, it offers an alternate take on the modern situation that needs to be heard. And Gore Vidal, as opposed to someone like Noam Chomsky, reports in his inimitable sassy style, which turns a painful topic into pleasurable reading. That takes some talent. Thumbs up.



3. I thought this latest collection of Mr. Vidal's work was timely and well worth the read. I applaud his bluntness and 'tell it like it is' attitude concerning the U.S. and it's push for world domination. This book will be interesting to anyone who is searching for an alternative view as to what is going on in our crazy, sordid post 9/11 world. Highly recommended.



4. Boilerplate rhetoric about how the US is the global policeman and no longer a republic but an empire. We've heard it all before...yawn...
   
   And I even agree!



5. Mr. Vidal, well known and much despised by many on the right, makes the case of "conspiracy" within the present Bush administration. He points out the major oil connections of all the main players - Rice, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush Sr., Bush Jr. and others. He explains the Bush connection to Osama ben Laden and Al Quida. He links a possible 911 conspiracy to the historical conspiracy traditions - Pearl Harbor and FDR and Wilson and World War I. He connects oil to Afghanistan (Unocal pipe line) and to a "possible" invasion of Iraq. He tells of the training of the Taliban and Al Quida by the Reagan administration and the American Special Forces and the CIA. He goes on and on and on - and from what I can see many of his claims with regards to the present Bush and his administration have now been exposed as fact by even the main stream media.
   I wouldn't have said everything exactly the same way but on the whole Mr. Vidal has it pretty much as I see it also. He hit the Military Industrial Complex right on the head and even mentions the fact that we do live in a socialist state - it is just that it is only for corporate America and the super rich and needlessly wealthy. This is good "liberal" political science. Conservatives won't be reading this book no matter what it has to say, I'm sure. this is an easy book to read. Mr. Vidal doesn't mince any words. He says it as he see it. Sometimes he see it a little exaggerated for me but yet his conclusions are right in line, I would say.