This time in an actual review of Mr. Clarke's book. Most people are focusing on his attacks on the administration (including your humble narrator), but there's more to "Against All Enemies" than just slamming the Bush Administration.
Christopher Dicky reviews the book and makes some interesting comments on President Bush's Neo-Conservative advisors and recent events in Isreal.
"Some of their common analysis is useful: the West must show more resolve, more unity, and less hesitation to act against clearly defined threats. Nothing to argue with there. But their absolutist approach refuses to consider the real grievances that help terrorists recruit. Even to raise the issue is portrayed as a lack of moral clarity. The only way to deal with people who are on the other side is to break their will, humiliate them, vilify them, even if that means subjecting whole societies to occupation and repression, first in the name of self-defense and then, curiously, in the name of freedom. This only makes sense over the long term if you think you can keep a lid on those societies indefinitely, or have the money and skills and manpower and blood to transform them completely. Or, if you believe as Netanyahu claims, that "in many regions of the world, especially the Middle East, anger precedes respect."
As a matter of obvious fact, anger begets more anger, more violence, more "inexorable, built-in escalation." Most Israelis understand that, which is why many have had second thoughts, and mounting concerns, since the Sharon government blew the spiritual leader of Hamas to smithereens last week. Will the killing of a septuagenarian paraplegic make anyone safer? Will it disrupt Hamas terrorism? Will it intimidate other Hamas leaders? Not likely. But the rage that followed made Gaza that much harder for any moderate force to govern."
For those of you who haven't acquired the book (like me), or are unable to purchase it, Dickey's article does give a pretty good overview. So go read it.
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