Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got It Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First

Rating:
Summary: Charen's book is fascistic.
Review: Charen cannot - or will not - see that the US state has ever done anything wrong. The US state is run by a tiny unrepresentative (and unelected) ruling class of billionaires. It is not anti-American to observe that this state acts in its own interests, and acts against the interests not only of the majority of the American people, but against the interests of other nations throughout the world.
How did it benefit the American people when this state armed the Iranians, when it armed the Contras, when it armed the mujehadin, who gave birth to the Al Qa'ida terrorists, when it armed the anti-Cuba terrorists who continually launch terrorist attacks on Cuba from Florida, when it overthrew elected governments in Dominica, Chile, Brazil, Guatemala, etc?
I love America, but I oppose the actions of the US state when that state attacks other countries' democracy and national sovereignty. Does that make me anti-American in Mona Charen's eyes? Does that make me anti-American in your eyes? And doesn't capitalism have its very own useful idiots? Rush Limbaugh, for example?
I would recommended that people read, for balance, and for a more evidence-based point of view, "Freeing the world to death", by William Blum, and his other books exposing CIA crimes against democracy and sovereignty.




Rating:
Summary: a good review of poltics during the cold war
Review: I read this book and although it was very interesting and well sourced, it hasn't changed my life, (I am a tough grader) and that is the only reason for the 4 star grade. However, if I hadn't known some of this stuff prior to reading this book, it would have changed my grade. I think the real point of this book was to show people how wrong liberals were about communism during the cold war. She shows repeatedly how many liberals are trying to make the case not only for the moral equivalency of communism and capitalism, but the moral superiority. towards the end of the book she is makes the point that a lot of the SAME people who are quoted saying things in favor of communism (as little as 15 years ago) are now saying similar things about the Islamic fundamentalism and the war on terrorism. She also draws a parallel between the treatment of bush today and the similar mistreatment of Reagan when he was defeating the Soviet Union. The best quotes were that of liberals saying how Reagan was going to destroy the world. Sound familiar??? Well we all know how that turned out.

Rating:
Summary: Paul Snow snorts too much snow...
Review: I have to admit I have yet to read this particular title though I am compelled to avoid doing so in light of the "brillient" review it has been "givern" by the meticulously illiterate Paul Snow. I could be, probably justly, dubbed fastidious or pedantic for having the basic requirement of an inkling of understanding of the English language as a prequisite for myself paying any attention to a written review, but I don't think I am being overly demanding. I may have been quite willing to explore this particular title, but I have decided vehemently against doing so as a result of this Neanderthal's clear adoration for it. The aforementioned monkey who possesses the human-like ability to type claims to have experienced "attending college as a history major"! Some quotes from Paul Snow: Paul Snow: "it can also be a pretty frusterating read because it's unfathonable to me why liberals possess the anti-American, self-defeatist attitude that they do." Many would consider the word "frusterating" quite frustrating as it so closely resembles a word in the English language yet makes no sense at the same time! It is certainly "unfathonable" that someone who has allegedly studied any level of college anywhere, could possibly not know how to spell the word unfathomable! As for Paul Snow's political views, I don't believe that there is any need for me to rebutt them as the encumbered validity of his own intellect is clearly enough to debase any extremist proposal he might be inclined to introduce. Again, Paul Snow: "There's not much that I can say about this book that hasen't already been said..." This statement, I'm sure, must be true as nothing "hasen't" been said ever, by anyone at all, seeing that "hasen't" isn't even a word. Paul Snow: "The reader is bombarded with example after example of liberal ideology and hatered for thier own country that defies comon sense" I personally understand one's reluctance to be bombarded with "hatered" for I have never encountered "hatered" and without knowing what it means, I am likewise adverse to encountering it first-hand. I hope that you personally have more respect for "yuor" own country than Mr Snow appears to have, for it appears he "hasen't" even bothered to learn the national language. Is "thier" a French word? I can't remember my year 9 French very well... although I never did study English... it's amazing I can speak it isn't it? Well so it would seem! If only people had more "comon" sense, then the expectation of the general populous possessing common sense would be less prevalent. Paul Snow: "(primarily during the Regan administration)" I am a 27 year old Australian and even I know it is spelt Reagan. For someone who apparently does a lot of reading, we can observe a glaring disability to cope with the English written language. Personally I can not believe that someone with such poor spelling has ever read a single book in their life, therefore I beg all that encounter his reviews to disregard them, until Mr Paul Snow can provide adequate evidence to his experiences in the world of literacy.