American Taliban: How War, Sex, Sin, and Power Bind Jihadists and the Radical Right [Paperback]

Many of the one- and five-star reviews here on this book are obviously linked to the reader's political views. My objective rating is right up the middle, largely for two reasons: there's little here that I didn't already know and frankly the quality of the writing is somewhat lacking. Most of the material in the book will be familiar to anyone who has paid modest attention to the cultural and political landscape since 1980 and even the specifics will be old hat to anyone who might remotely be considered a political junkie. It is, in some ways, a rehash of mainstream political reporting on the American conservative movement of the last 30 years.

That said, American Taliban offers something to a larger audience, those who may not have paid much attention to politics between presidential elections or have for one reason or another avoided immersion into the morass of hypocrisy, duplicity, and deceit that has marked the right since at least the 1972 election. It's all here: the secret organizations, the shady corporate contributions, the legitimate sounding foundations, the suburban churches, and all the wealthy white men who have led such organizations since the 1950s. Markos offers a sometimes compelling critique, arguing that the core values of these men (and sometimes the women) really do parallel those of the Taliban in many ways. This is not surprising, since theocracy and nationalism look fairly similar across time and space. The important thing for those who are unfamiliar with the details is the very clear case he lays out to demonstrate that while American conservatives love to talk about freedom, patriotism, the Constitution, equality of opportunity, and sometimes even social justice they really support none of these things. Instead, they operate within a massive and well funded political structure that was designed to maintain the power of a small, white, male, Christian elite at the expense of everyone else. The fact that they have sold this set of values cloaked in the rhetoric of patriotism and Christianity for so long is only testament to the general lack of critical thinking among the voting population as a whole.

The general problem with the book is its tone. While I can appreciate an Al Franken rejoinder to Rush or even a dryer James Carville memoir, Markos is not that kind of writer. His book reads not unlike a well-edited series of blog entries, chatty, engaging stories, some data, into which the occasional expletive or slang phrase is interjected to "keep it real." This style has its place and may reach an audience with this book. But I would have been personally much happier with a more professional tone and a less partisan presentation of the information-- which, in its own right, is a damning condemnation of American conservatism anyway. Why dumb it down by pushing the style more toward l33t speak than a presidential address? The lack of "seriousness" (if I may) will prevent this book from becoming anything more than another partisan tome; it's easy to reject not on a factual basis but because of how it's written. It will not be taken seriously by the mainstream media or others who actually influence the way the masses think. Granted, we may not need another Richard Hofstadter at this point but one would have wished for a more professional voice if only to make the book sound more credible to those not familiar with its content.

On the balance _American Taliban_ is an interesting compendium of anecdotes and data to support a straight-forward critique of the current state of American conservativism.As such it is damning and depressing. I wish millions would read it but I fear the particular approach taken will limit its influence to a smaller audience, including the kinds of people that are likely responsible for most of the one- and five-star ratings here at Amazon.

Recommended for: young voters, political neophytes, anyone that call themselves conservative and make under $500K/year

Excellent work. Points out the foolish macho nationalism affected by so called conservatives. The kind of "conservatives" who think nothing of running up debt, growing government, declaring illegal pre-emptive wars based on lies, and ruining the environment. barry Goldwater is spinning like a top in his grave that such people call themselves conservatives. The kind who are saps for the wealthy and global corporations because they are so scared of everything they can only react with bluster and anger and are easily used. As a multi combat tour Marine Corps vet and a proud progressive I have no problem seeing them get a little taste of their own medicine albeit with much more class and factual accuracy than anything they can muster up. It's past time to fight back against ignorance and blind anger engendered by the fear of these corporate pawns.

Markos connects the dots on the obvious (to those that care to see it) facts that the right wing power bases are abusing America for the short term gains of millionairs, the ego of the religious extremists that make up their self defeating base and to generate wealth from advertising on their hyped up media empire. It is a fascinating and dangerous connect of thoughtless, emotional and ego-driven extremist that serve. Hopefully, the majority of Americans will reject the extremism and idiocy that is growing in blind, frothing support.