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Title: Good Muslim, Bad Muslim : America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror by Mahmood Mamdani ISBN: 0-375-42285-4 Publisher: Pantheon Books Pub. Date: 20 April, 2004 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.3 (10 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Pulls no punches
Comment: Americans are not unique in their ignorance. Most people everywhere just want to live their lives in peace. The average American can lead a very peaceful and comfortable life if they follow laws and don't pay too much attention to the sad news of the world. It is easy to understand why they may not pay attention to the actions of our government outside our borders. They may think "If it does not affect me directly then why should I care?" and "Those people probably deserve it."
As an American who cares and who wants peace for everyone even at my own expense I hope that many people will read this book. Yes, it is true that the author takes page after page to lay out the negative actions of our government. But who is to blame for that? The author for reporting the events or our government for giving so much to write about?
As citizens of the strongest and richest nation on the earth we have a duty to the world to be aware. This is OUR nation and we should not let small minded and selfish men (and women) destroy other nations without being held accountable. And if you need to be selfish about it then please learn enough to understand that it does affect you how other nations think of America.
We must be wary of others and double-wary of ourselves. This book is not easy to read because it is painful, but it is still a must read for Americans. Even if one-tenth of what Mamdani reports is true we should all be stunned and embarassed.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great Book
Comment: This is a fine book, a real eye-opener. For people who don't have a lot of background in Islamist politics, the first half is a hard read because the issues are extremely complicated. However, this is good place to start if you want to try to begin sorting the threads of religious and political Islam. For US citizens with even a modicum of political background, the rest is a piece of cake, and fascinating. Especially interesting is reading about how the Clinton administration was shackled and thwarted as it tried to accomplished some of its more humanitarian objectives. While I believe that Mamdani is not an apologist for 'suicide' bombings, some people are going to have difficulty with his explanation of this phenomenon, which he frames in light of Israeli aggression and compares to similar oppression and violent reactions in South Africa. In any case, it forced me to think of what drives this behavior, and how far humanity must be pushed to the wall in order to exhibit it. The final chapter is heart-wrenchingly poignant, and calls for a world-wide peace movement in the face of what the author believes to be one of the most volatile political scenarios in recorded history: the 'good vs. evil' standoff between the political Christian Right and militant political Islam, a standoff with no hope of negotiation or reconciliation - a fight to the finish resulting in total annihilation of the other.
Rating: 1
Summary: A Justification for Terrorism
Comment: When I bought this book I was hoping to find a balanced analysis on the roots of terrorism and how American mistakes in foreign policy could have contributed to the situation. Intead, this book is a 260 page diatribe blaming the United Staes for most of the ills of the world. The author uses half-truths, innuendo, and slippery slope arguments to paint the picture of the United States as an omnipotent power that seeks to control other nations.
The author sees no distinction between the actions of the United States military and terrorists to include Al Qaeda. He criticizes the US for explaining away civilian deaths as collateral damage viewing it as an Orwellian term. He does this while also distorting the term low intensity conflict equating it to terrorism. However, he fails to point out that the US military goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties, which at times puts them at greater risk. He sees no contrast in the terrorist who deliberately targets civilians. As a result actions of the US and terrorists are morally equivalent since they are both driven by politcical objectives.
While the author goes to great lengths to criticize the US and Israel, he fails to assign any responsibility to the actions of Middle Eastern nations that have threatened and invaded Israel over the past 50 years. While Israel shares some of the responsibilty, a balanced approach would look at the how all nations in the area have had a hand in the security and political situation.
This book will confirm the beliefs of those on the political left. The right will lose the legitimate issues in the author's obvious political agenda and biases. For those in the center, look for another book.
For an American, the greatest value in reading this book is gaining insight in how others see us. While we may not agree with their perceptions, for them it is the reality they base their judgements and decisions on.
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Title: When Victims Become Killers : Colonialism, Nativism, and the Genocide in Rwanda by Mahmood Mamdani ISBN: 0691102805 Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr Pub. Date: 12 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America's Perilous Path in the Middle East by Rashid Khalidi ISBN: 0807002348 Publisher: Beacon Press Pub. Date: 15 May, 2004 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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Title: The Sorrows of Empire : Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic [The American Empire Project ] by Chalmers Johnson ISBN: 0805070044 Publisher: Metropolitan Books Pub. Date: 13 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush by John W. Dean ISBN: 031600023X Publisher: Little Brown & Company Pub. Date: 06 April, 2004 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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Title: American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush by Kevin Phillips ISBN: 0670032646 Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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