Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror (Hardcover)

With the kind of frank, intelligent maturity that is so depressingly absent in American public discourse today, the author addresses issues that are essential to America's continued well-being, but have somehow become unmentionable (outside Noam Chomsky's picket fence at least) - the contribution of real U.S. policies to the hatred felt towards the U.S. in most of the muslim world; the chronic energy dependency issues that lie behind U.S. support for Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern tyrannies (making an embarrassing and laughable mockery of the U.S. government's sanctimonious, hypocritical preaching about 'democracy'); and (gasp!) the unquestioning support for Israel that has become a bizarre cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.

The author raises these issues, but accepts that they are unlikely to be addressed any time soon. Given this fact, he again demonstrates that he is no liberal by advocating a more violent and ruthless war with al Qaeda, from which the current Iraq mess is a costly and counter-productive distraction.

Frightening and sobering in its assessments of bin Laden and al Qaeda's capabilities, and of the extent of the global islamic insurgency that supports them, this book should be required reading for anyone in government or intelligence, or for that matter, anyone with the right to vote ...

He explains bin Laden's motivation; a view point that despite the countless column inches devoted to the man, the media never managed to portray. The book explains that the underlying cause of the conflict is not so much Islamic fundamentalism but US actions in the middle east and elsewhere.

Annonymous leaves us with one of 2 options. Either long and protracted war with countless casualties or a limited war with a fundamental root and branch overview of US policies. Does the US really need to support Israel and the corrupt rulers in many middle eastern countries?

The future looks bleak as there appears to be no hope that Bush or Kerry really have the courage and moral integrity to take on so many vested interests in the US political and media machine. Indeed, one could argue that if they were such men, they would never have been allowed to get as far as they have.

At times Annonymous reminds me of King Lear raging against the thunder and storms. A lone voice against powers that drowns him out with ease.

I recommend this book without reservation. I thought I was pretty well informed about world affairs and now realise with humility how little I knew.

I read this book in one steady burst over the weekend straining my eyes to the limit. At the end my one thought was "I must have been blind for the last 20 years".

I dont know who "Anonymous" is but he or she explains why 9/11 happened, in the cold light of day, with no emotion, and with a broad analytical sweep of the actions of the USA, and the repercussions across the world in the last 20-50 years.

Anonymous states that he or she has worked for the US intelligence agencies for the last 20 years which makes this book even more remarkable. A. loves his/her country but, quoting Robert E Lee, say it is his/her duty to reveal what the politicians wont allow the intelligence agencies to say:

The chilling quote: "This war has the potential to last beyond our children's lifetimes and to be fought mostly on US soil."

A. then provides a detailed reasoning behind each conclusion in a very easy to read style. He/she provides a set of policy recommendations to address each of the points made above.

Whether you support or dont support the different factions in this "war on terrorism", whether you are christian/muslim/jew, western or eastern, reading this book will present a view that will make you think more about what is happening.

In my opinion Imperial Hubris makes the best media reporting on TV or newspaper look superficial and tame.