[.uk] Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror (ISBN 1597971596)

Amazon.com Review:
The war on terror has created near unanimity on many points, at least within the American press and political leadership. One essential point of agreement: al Qaeda specifically and radical Islamism in general are stirred by a hatred of modernity. Or as President George W. Bush has articulated repeatedly, they hate freedom. Nonsense, responds the nameless author of this work and 2003's Through Our Enemies' Eyes (the senior U.S. intelligence official's identity became an open secret by publication date). Indeed, he grimly and methodically discards common wisdom throughout this scathing and compelling take on counterterrorism. Imperial Hubris is not a book that will cheer Americans, regardless of their perspectives on the post-9/11 environment. We are, the author notes, losing the war on terror. Hawks will squirm as the author heaps contempt on U.S. missions in Afghanistan (too little, too late) and Iraq ("a sham causing more instability than it prevents"), but opponents of Bush administration policies may blanch at Anonymous' suggestion that what's needed is for the West to "proceed with relentless, brutal, and, yes, blood-soaked offensive military actions until we have annihilated the Islamists who threaten us." Quoting the at-all-cost likes of William Tecumseh Sherman and Curtis Lemay on one hand and contending that unrelenting military measures be accompanied by concessions to the ideology of the militants on the other are unlikely to curry widespread support from either side of the divide. And how will readers conditioned to references to Osama bin Laden as a deranged gangster or simple-minded fanatic with deep pockets digest the respect accorded "the most popular anti-American leader in the world today"? Imperial Hubris clearly wasn't written to win friends, though the author believes it's essential that his words influence people at the top. Whether it will is debatable, but that this blunt, forceful, urgently argued polemic recharges the discussion is a foregone conclusion. --Steven Stolder

required reading:
This book should be required reading for any one that has an opinion is going to form one and be involved with the future of this country.Hubris is the only way that the present administration's view of Islam can be described. This is an attitude that forces Islam to see the west by default as the enemy.If our "leaders"military and diplomatic could read this book and try to begin to understand some of the thinking of the muslim world, we might just be able to get along with them and remember the fate of all emperors .Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror

Everyone Should Read This Book!:
Written by an ex-CIA back office dude who could not beleive the non-sense he witnessed first hand. I voted for Pres. Bush twice. I bought into the "we gotta kill 'em all now!" stuff right from the start, going back to the first WTC attack in 1993. After 9/11, all bets were off. However, over time I noticed something was amiss. This book brings all of what is amiss into sharp focus. A must read for anyone who buys into the "WAR ON TERROR" - "WE MUST REMAIN ON THE ATTACK". Simply because we are not on the right track, and have not been from the start. A factual book thats hard to put down.

Losing the war on terror:
Imperial Hubris (Why The West Is Losing The War On Terror) If anyone thinks that the West has a sensible working policy that can beat terrorism with its approach to Afghanistan,Israel and the Gulf States then read this book and see what the terrorists representatives say and have it interpreted by ex-CIA operatives involved during the Russian presence in Afghanistan. These operatives had enormous insight to the tribal tensions and politics, Afghani history and what makes the population tick. All of which was neglected by new kids on the block when the country was invaded by the West. In dealing with Afghanistan the writer also shows the thinking inside the Islamic world that includes that country, Israel and Gulf states as to why terrorists cannot be defeated by the gun.

Imperial Hubris:
Seems to be a well-researched and accurate account of why the Unites States is so despised among the Muslims of the world, and how we got there through the policies and actions of the Bush administrations in recent years, and the mistakes of years prior to that. Scary!

A laborious read with an assortment of ideas:
Whew....books about terrorism are hardly fun to read. Since our leadership shows so little interest in educating itself on the matter, some alarmed citizens have taken it upon themselves to fill the void. When I seen the authors name displayed as 'Anonymous', I was expecting a book filled with ultra provacative, hard hitting allegations that might provoke a visit from an SOA jackal. Such is not the case, the author is an experienced CIA analyst who is sure to wrinkle some feathers but hardly enough to jeopardize his future life or retirement. I didn't really like this book. The main reason for that is that the author shows that we have earned the hatred espoused by the vast majority in the ME. Rather than encouraging diplomacy or maturity or anything else, he recommends that we kill so many that they lose their ability and resolve. Kind of glosses over the fact that a million Iraqi's starved after the first Gulf War. Doesn't mention perhaps another million fatalities under stage deux. On the other hand, he does make a lot of interesting points and observations, especially in the final chapter. A few more interesting quotes: "As a sovereign state, the United States is free to decide and implement its policies in the Muslim world. They have been designed by elected leaders to meet national interests, approved and funded by elected representatives, and validated repeatedly in presidential and congressional elections. To say America is responsible for the policies against which Islam is waging war is a truism.........." p. 250 "Status quo US policy towards Israel will result in unending war with Islam." p. 257 However, I do give him credit for recognizing that we are more likely to engage in genocide that untie ourselves from the shackles of militant Israeli imprisonment.