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Title: The Threatening Storm: The Case for Invading Iraq by Kenneth M. Pollack ISBN: 0-375-50928-3 Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 18 September, 2002 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.91 (88 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Pollack wrong despite "expertise"
Comment: Pollack has recently (early 2004) apologized for his error in judgment.
Review of March 2003 still stands: "Expertise" is not the same as "wisdom". March 12, 2003
Expertise does not always produce wisdom, whether or not there is a definite agenda. Pollack has expertise and an agenda -- without the wisdom and honesty required to make the case compelling.
For example, can we trust casualty discussions when he uses knowingly low and outdated figures for Iraqi civilian deaths "by sanctions" (the US admitted to about 500,000 children under age 5 already by 1996) and neglects detailing the US active role in withholding many medical necessities after bombing 7 of 8 major damns and water purification plants? He plays down casualties of the first war - both theirs and 'ours' with nearly a third of our veterans on disability as well as nearly 11,000 of our troops dead from toxics and depleted uranium. Nor is he entirely forthcoming about the different war on their homeland and in cities that might well claim many more American lives. His focus does not, of course, require discussion of terrorism in the US in response to invasion. There is no wisdom without honest perspective!
The case for democracy in Iraq is patently absurd! The US has never done it, no one knows how to impose democracy, Iraq is not a 'unitary' state like McArthur's Japan with the Emperor in place, military results in Afghanistan are certainly no political victory in this regard. Nor is it at all clear that the US would want democracy when controllable friendly autocrats and dictators have always been prefered.
Except perhaps on invaders the chemical and biological weapons are of little use without terrorist cells that would have been used before now if Saddam were not primarily interested in his own survival - our defenses were lower before 9/11 and there was plenty of motive after the first war. Ignore that the Anthrax came from the US - both when used here and a strain held by Saddam. Nuclear weapons are no threat to the US with missiles that barely travel over 100 miles (except for those who include Israel as the 51st state?). In a short review one can not thoroughly counter each argument of a long book. The greatest strength of the book is that it does - however onesidedly - draw out details of the case. This is the strength and also the weakness of Pollack's book.
It is not only about oil, but strategy and hegemony. Opponents who point out Cheney will get richer rebuilding Iraq fields as he and his company did in Kuwait, don't look ahead far enough. Oil is a serious issue both because of huge needs growing and the unrealiability of Saudi supply in the future.
The US needs to find solutions to the three biggest problems of policy: nuclear proliferation; terrorism; secure oil and water supplies -- none can be done unilaterally or even by brazen military means alone. Pollack's case, and the administration's, largely ignore the real issues and rush to military solutions that make problems ultimately worse from immense disorder and blowback. They nuture conditions and hatred for more terrorists too. This unilateralism is revolutionary change in foreign policy when multilateralism is more needed than ever however frustrating this may be to the world hyperpower. Pollack does not see that far and 'buys' a military solution to what is not primarily a military problem. I don't think he is able to 'sell' it.
Rating: 1
Summary: What Threatening Storm ?
Comment: What a wonderful view into the pathetic rationalizations that helped trigger the deaths of thousands of innocent women and children. We can now give pause and take a deep introspective look into the mind set of America's 'true believers' knowing in retrospect that as a species mankind can be easily manipulated in mass to accomplish the insane biddings of a small group of impotent goons as it always has been. Whatever Mr. Pollack's true motivations were in writing this book he still bears the responsibility (along with his publisher) for empowering an obviously criminal administration in it's drive to war. It is pitiful to read his post invasion comments in the Atlantic Journal and painfull to think that approximately one American per day is still being killed in that "threatening" country! I hope Mr. Pollack reflects daily on the mass murder his propoganda has wrought.
Rating: 1
Summary: let it go, people
Comment: The last time a book with such short-sighted logic influenced so many people, it was written in german. God help all the fear riddled souls that are still holding on to the myths contained in this book. At least Pollack himself has moved on, after all he could afford top notch psychoanalysis with all our money.
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Title: Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order by Robert Kagan ISBN: 1400040930 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 28 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: The War over Iraq: Saddam's Tyranny and America's Mission by William Kristol, Lawrence F. Kaplan ISBN: 1893554694 Publisher: Encounter Books Pub. Date: February, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0679642811 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 25 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad by Fareed Zakaria ISBN: 0393047644 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: What Went Wrong? : The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0060516054 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 07 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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