The War over Iraq: Saddam's Tyranny and America's Mission

Rating:
Summary: The neoconservatives demonstrate an unpalatable arrogance
Review: The book does a good job of articulating neoconservative views, and explaining the rationale behind those views. Kaplan and Kristol always take the moral high ground. They argue that their foreign policy perspective is based on extending American ideals of freedom and democracy while making the world safer. The book makes periodic weak attempts to present other viewpoints. Those opposing views are highlighted for the sole purpose of refuting them. While very little credit can be given to Kaplan and Kristol for presenting a balanced view they are even worse as psychics. Their predictions for Iraq war and its aftermath were wildly off the mark. In the book the writers asserted with great conviction that Iraq maintained a massive stockpile of WMD (there were none). They attacked critics who suggested that Iraq would descend into chaos after the war (it did). Kaplan and Kristol suggested that the occupation would require just several thousand troops after year when the number was near 150,000 trrops. They pegged the price of the war at $16 billion with a true cost is more like ten times that amount. Contrary to the concept that attacking Iraq would make United States safer most Americans believe that it has not. While we might give Kaplan and Kristol credit for high ideals the idea that the United States should militarily dominate the world and impose its brand of democracy on rogue states seems just a neoconservative pipe dream. The neoconservatives demonstrate an unpalatable arrogance to suppose that they know what is best for other nations and that American ideals are superior to any others in the world. The real problem is created when neoconservative ideas are put into action by the government. Preemptive wars, unilateralism, the employment of military strength in imposing democracy will prove costly in treasure and lives. While Americans generally do feel that their system of government is superior, it is likely that the use of military force to impose these systems will backfire creating more enemies not less, making America less safe, not more.
The application of neoconservative doctrine in Iraq seems to be a complete disaster. While the fat lady has yet to sing, she is warming up, just offstage. Ironically, in the unlikely event that Iraq does become a liberal democracy it will not be because of American military might, but due to genuine leadership on the part of the Iraqis.

Rating:
Summary: The harsh spotlight of judgement casts upon Kristol
Review: This book should forever remain in print just to illustrate, in black and white, how immoral, calculated, and disgraceful the rightwing element is in America.

Like Mein Kampf before it, this book justifies war as simply another instrument of policy, just another tool among many to implement change. Of course, all the rationales used in it are false, and the absence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq lays bare for all to see the arrogance, wrongness, and decadence of this rightwing element. It is sad that, though we thought we had rid the world of fascism, there are those who, wittingly or otherwise, fall under its spell.

Kristol absolutely has the sticky blood of fallen American troops on his hands, lives lost futiley and vainly for an obscure, unnecessary cause. There will be no domino chain reaction of democracy in the Middle East, we are not seen as liberators, and Bush, devoid of an exit strategy, continues to bumble his way through the slog of quagmire.

The only thanks we can give to Kristol, et al is the satisfaction of knowing that, in their pursuit to make war just another instrument of policy, they have ensured that America will not be willingly going to war again for a very, very long time.