5 comments about The Revolution: A Manifesto.

1. It's worth spending a couple hours to better understand the candidate who contributed the most substance to the '08 election debates. The sheer size of the constantly expanding Federal Government will eventually strangle this country. I only hope the correction, when it comes, is moderate. Ron Paul deserves credit for trying to pull America in that direction.
   
   However, he is not a great writer. Beyond that, some of his historical examples and policy prescriptions are shallow and unconvincing.



2. This book is amazing. It will change your view of America's role in the world - just by factual evidence. There is evidence in this book that is hardley ever talked about that is absolutely astounding. FIVE STARS.



3. In just a few pages Ron Paul makes so much sense of our economy, monetary system, and how people have come to expect nothing different. It's such an easy read that it should be a book everyone in this country should read. Bottom line of his message not a new concept, only a lost and forgotten one. Liberty. A concern of you, me, your neighbor, their childern, our children. The constitution was designed with the intention of the people limiting the government, not the government limiting the people. As we have seen in our lifetime, our government has only become bigger and bigger. This "revolution" is no revolution at all. It's nothing more than the attempt bring the constitution to the forefront of our government, as it was meant to be. Why should our generation and future ones have to live through struggles of times past? Our forefathers already did that. They went through the pains of dictatorships, and fiat monetary systems, etc. Thats what the revolution was. To break free. Thus they created the constitution and the bill of rights. In the last 100 or so yrs our government has slowly attacked the constitution, eroding it to nothing more than an outdated sheet of paper. It's the only thing that protects us. It gives us our liberty. Without it, we will become slaves. Ron Paul shares so much of his education in the short book that it is hard not respond to the message. Freedom.



4. Ron Paul is a true American hero. I don't want to minimize this statement - anyone who tirelessly works to let people be free, just as they were when they were born, is a hero.
   
   That is what America was founded on. The land of the free. We're far from that today.
   
   Ron Paul doesn't want to run anyone's life. He doesn't want to see American citizens under a police state, taxed to death, drugged from birth, lied to constantly, and working for paper money that, overnight, could become completely worthless.
   
   The Revolution: A Manifesto is brilliant.
   
   Ron Paul clearly explains individual liberty, the concept of freedom and self-reliance, examples of corruption in our political system, views and stances on a variety of important subjects from the position of freedom and individual liberty, and he spends a bit of extra time (thanks Ron!) on Money and the Economy.
   
   It's impossible to separate Money from life, no matter how many times people are told "it's just money". Well, Money is important, and one of the rules for money is that it holds its store of value. Or maybe even grows in value! We deserve SOUND MONEY. Right now, we have "Money" that is disintegrating before our very eyes. Ten years ago, about a dollar bought a gallon of gas. Now about 4 dollars buys a gallon of gas. Ron Paul explains why savers of these fraudulent "dollars" are constantly penalized for saving them.
   
   Education is key in these matters, please pass along the word to your fellow Americans. I personally believe that education in these matters will make or break the movement to restoring freedom in America.



5. This is a great book. It puts current issues in a new light- one we don't receive from the mainstream media. I wish everyone would read this book.

5 comments about The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

1. I decided the best way to know a candidate is through his own words. This has cleared up some questions and I feel that I know this man much better.



2. In this book, Obama comes across as Mondale or Dukakis with a funny name- a nice, cautious man, but not particularly innovative or imaginative. He is probably a bit more liberal than Clinton, but much less radical than a Kucinich or McGovern or Jesse Jackson. He reflexively favors a generous government - and this attitude extends to foreign policy; he endorses an increased defense budget to "restore readiness and replace equipment" after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
   
   As a literary work, this book is not as interesting as Obama's first book: there's too much campaign rhetoric that could have just as easily have been written by any of his Democratic rivals. But every hundred pages or so, this book says something that is just a little bit more reflective than I would have expected. A few examples:
   
   *He describes how politicians are pulled towards the positions of their allies and campaign contributors: "You ask yourself, just what does good conscience dictate exactly: that you avoid capture by `special interests' or that you avoid dumping on your friends? The answer is not obvious. So you start voting as you would answer a questionnaire. You don't ponder your positions too deeply."
   
   *A fairly accurate, I think, description of racial prejudice: though whites still hold "the stereotypes our culture continues to feed us ... such prejudices are far more loosely held than they once were - and hence are subject to refutation ... A black man may have trouble catching a cab late at night, but if he is a capable software engineer Microsoft will have no qualms about hiring him."
   
   *His description of the liberal elitism that he himself has been accused of: "academics, journalists and purveyors of popular culture simply failed to appreciate the continuing role that all manner of religious expression played in communities across the country."



3. With hope and dreams, change is possible. Inspiring words, by an inspiring man. Love the book!



4. I recently walked the way to and from my car, to and from work while listening to the audio book version of "The Audacity of Hope." Obama proved to offer hope and inspiration to get through things, the kind of hope and inspiration the United States is in need of these days. Hearing his voice throughout the chapters offered the comfort that aggressive talk lacks, the kind that the political campaign sometimes misses.
   
   In "The Audacity of Hope," Barack Obama makes me want to be the voter that I still am not (I am not yet a U.S. citizen). He helps me dream of a better United States, one that is not an impossibility but a very plausible country where leadership is in contact with the priorities and hopes of the people and the world.



5. first of all .. my thoughts on Bush:
   once Bush came over and we played some WII. It was fun because he was the one person I could beat without ever having played.
   we then had a nice conversation.. I talked about growing up in indonesia and he responded: "yeah, Dell has a bunch of their phone call centers over there in 'PUNE-JAB' i hear"
   .. then there was the awkward silence where i wasnt sure if i should correct him or let it slide.
   
   obama is much more fun though....
   he came over once too. I talked about growing up in indonesia and he says: "so.. you're on our side! great!"
   ... then we did the secret handshake and parted ways.
   
   oh.. as for the book... dont bother.. wait for the movie.
   In the movie John McCain will play the part of Colonel Tigh & Obama is Baltar. If you dont see Obama as Baltar.. you may be a cylon.

3 comments about Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History.

1. The well-written memoirs of a man forever to be identified with John F. Kennedy's political career, especially the White House days. While not telling all, this book is the candid product of a bright, honest, but still politically driven man, a 1960s liberal, who writes in the twilight of his life.
   
   Mr. Sorensen is one of the last living central participants of JFK's Administration and his story would have value for this fact alone. Readers wishing to learn about presidential political campaigning, the art of speech writing, and more on such important historical events as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the presidential transition from JFK to LBJ will profit from reading this book.
   
   While material on his later private law practice is not as interesting as the rest of the text, this is only to be expected. In terms of his post White House career, I did find of value his description of his ill-fated nomination by President Carter as DCI and noted the fact there is little mention of President Clinton's years. (A prominent picture of Senator Obama and Ted Sorensen is in this book. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that the author sees the current junior senator from Illinois as his pick for this year's Democratic Party nominee for president--and the direct and true successor to JFK's legacy.)



2. I know Ted Sorensen through our common support of Barack Obama and was eager to read this magnificent biography. I bought it on Tuesday, May 6 the first day it was published and I didn't put it down ( with the exception of eating, showering and sleeping about four hours each of the last two nights) until a few hours ago when I finished reading it.
   
   It is a magnificent opus. The writing is superb. Rarely do the heart and head come together so well without sacrificing or compromising either.
   
   Modest without being falsely self effacing, this truly is an indispensable book for any American citizen or world citizen. And its an absolute must for any political junkie from Al Franken to Ann Coulter.
   
   Stop what you're doing. Run out and get it. Its a great gift for anyone's birthday in May (June is too late -- its that good).
   
   Ted Sorensen is a historical figure in his own right. He was indispensable to Kennedy and now to Obama.
   
   There are many reasons to read this book. Not just for its great insights with an unobscured and unobstructed perspective, but because of new information into the life of JFK whose reputation will be enhanced by this near reverential but still candid volume.
   
   A mutual friend of Ted Sorensen's just forwarded me the first reviews including the Wall Street Journal. To say they were raves is to understate them.



3. I know Ted Sorensen well, so what I have to say about his extraordinary personal history is obviously being written as a friend and admirer. As a friend, I can say that Ted speaks truth to power; as an admirer, I can say that he speaks truth forcefully and candidly. He was arguably John Kennedy's alter ego. At the very least, Ted was the man who shaped JFK's lyrical, intellectually vigorous speeches. But Ted was also a canny adviser, the lawyer who marshaled his facts well, made the connections between random thoughts and workable ideas, and produced a consistent body of work for the president he loved and trusted. Ted once told me that not a day goes by without him thinking of JFK -- of the man JFK was, and about what might have been. Like his late friend Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Ted occupied an honored place at the table in Camelot. What his memoir makes plain -- in his own special, witty way -- is how much Ted shaped JFK's Camelot itself.

5 comments about John Adams.

1. I had heard about this book on NPR when they did an interview with the author. It sounded fantastic but I normally do not read biographies so I didn't bother with it. THEN I got my Kindle and remembered the NPR interview and thought WHY NOT? reading it on my Kindle is not going to break my hands (It's 762 pages long)! I quickly downloaded it and dove in.
   
   What a surprise. This book is well-researched and correlated to present a side of the formation of our nation/government and several well-known historical characters that I previously never knew. Adam's own letters and those written to him by others, including his beloved with Abigal, show real-time action and opinions as things happened. I saw a side of Jefferson I never knew existed and the characterization of Benjamin Franklin makes one wonder how either of them would get on in politics today.
   
   The one thing I learned was the more things change, the more they stay the same, and the struggles of our fledgling nation in that time and space do not seem so different than the things we face today. The names have changed and time has marched on, but people will be people and nothing makes that more clear than this amazing biography. I strongly suspect that were John Adams alive today he'd be in the thick of things in Congress sticking to his morals and fighting for the rights of the PEOPLE versus the rights of the government to interfer.
   
   (Did I mention that I love my Kindle?)



2. Wonderful picture of the times and the man. McCullough gives us a fascinating picture of a great man with public and private flaws (the Alien and Sedition Acts were wrong, and his relationship with his second son Charles could have been repaired if he was more compassionate). He also shows us the tumultuous times in which he lived and the people in his orbit (you rock, Abigail). Although I agree with reviewers that note that McCullough does become too fond not only of John but most of the Adams family, I think as a whole the biography works well. I'll never again underestimate how truly perilous the founding of our country was.



3. David McCullough is to history was John Grisham is to literature: he's lite fare, easily digestable but not particulary nourishing. To me, the book seemed like a watered-down and streamlined portrayal of an important historical figure. It's reasonable well-written and moves along at a good clip; it just seems superficial. I guess that's o.k. if your target audience is people who don't normally read history. If you fall into that category, the JA is probably the book for you. Personally, however, I usually like to read "serious" works of history. History-lite just doesn't seem worth my time....
   
   Not terrible but not recommended.



4. There are many more erudite descriptions of John Adams. I decided to write a review because it is my favorite non-fiction book and I felt that the HBO series took the wind out of Adams' sails in so many ways. The HBO miniseries, which I long awaited, bored me to tears. There was none of the excitement in the series that I read in the book. Paul Giamatti's Adams could not speak above a whisper and did not convey, at least to me, the spirit of John Adams, which I read in 2001 and still remember vividly. John Adams had such an interesting and varied life, that to distill it as it was done in the HBO series leaves the viewer questioning how this complex man was anything more than a bombastic autocrat.
   
   David McCullough's use of primary sites and his use of the many letters written to his wife Abigail makes this book one of the most memorable and romantic of all the founding fathers. He clearly writes about his personal life - his treatment of his children, the favoritism of John Quincy, his life-long love affair with his wife and their juxtaposition with his duty to his fledgling country as well as his interest in his own epitaph. He brings to life a human who was so multi-faceted and brings most of those facets to life.
   
   I am not an historian, so I realize there are many things missing knowledge of John Adams. However, that which was included was readable, interesting and kept me turning those many pages with ease.



5. Of course it is only a metaphorical question, but if there were more politicians around who adored their wife and their country, America would be a pretty different place. He said what he thought and he thought deeply. He had a strict moral obligation to his God, country and his family and would never consider going against any of these things. This book reveals all these things about a complicated man. It is not a dry academic novel but a fascinating story. You cannot find too many of these out there and I have had to read many of those to get through bachelors degree and halfway through my masters. One of the things that impressed me the most was the level with which he treated his wife. In the time that he lived this was phenomenal.

5 comments about Infidel.

1. I'm a muslim women when I read this book I was not only touched but very upset how in other countries this religion is being abused...my heart goes out to Ali and other woman and children..this is a must read as well as Slave my true story..Ali you are a brave,smart, and courgious woman...I not only admire you..but you are brave!!!!! you represent WOMAN!!!



2. I, as a Muslim, got this book in the hope of understanding why this women left the teachings of Islam behind her. Well, I'm fortunate that I could not relate to her expeince yet felt so sad that there are actual people who suffer this due to the ignorant, uneducated, and extremist society they live in. It definitely brought to my attention how third world countries misinterpret the teachings of Islam and treat women in such inferior ways. I'd say this book is a must read but however readers should not take it as principle to how Muslim women are living their lives. In fact I do recommend that readers research how Muslim women are treated in more developed countries like the Arabian Gulf and particularly Qatar to get what this women really had to suffer and understand my compassion to her.



3. My curiosity has been fed about Ayaan Hirsi Ali. When I browsed the bookstore looking for another captivating book to read, I came across her book cover, which did interest me, but it was her story that intrigued me. Who is this woman? Who is this Infidel?
   
   Through her words and imagery, I traveled throughout the vast lands of Africa from Somalia to Kenya and all the way to Europe. Her story is a journey not just physical but also a spiritual and intellectual journey. This novel explored her upbringing in Africa as a child of the Muslim faith. As in any faith, we are naïve to what is beyond the teachings that are passed down to us through interpreters. Children are dared not to question the prevalent contradictions that exist within organized religions and they are definitely not allowed to question the purpose of certain customs and rituals that as in some cultures are connected to the core of one's faith. Ayaan's soul began to question her surroundings as her eyes began to open to the ugly truth of her faith however her questions were not tolerated as a Muslim (or as in any other religious system the only difference is that you can suffer by death for your inquiries). It is generally believed that if you are questioning the precepts of one's faith then you are allowing satanic influences to steer you from the "Straight Path" which is an abomination to you and to the honor of your family--your dedication to your faith should be unequivocal and be a complete submission to Allah.
   
   Ayaan could have shunned her growing feelings of doubt about her faith but she chose not to for her own self-betterment and in the name of truth. Her quest to discovering the truths of being a Muslim and its doctrines wasn't an easy path because Ayaan truly loved her faith, her family and her culture. As she progressed from childhood to adulthood with these burning questions, she longed for her freedom from the constraints of this paternalistic, clan-segregated society. She wanted more and sought her freedom in Europe. She courageously established her new beginning in Holland and soon obtained her Dutch citizenship. She lived the immigrants' dream to become a productive member of a new society. She became educated and was a hard worker--staying connected to immigrants from Somalia she served as a translator. However she began to see the same violence exhibited back home from where she ran away from at the doorsteps of Holland--her new home. The violence that she saw were Muslim girls and women repeatedly being abused, and even killed by their families and husbands in the name of Allah. Women were not only physically abused but deprived of independent thought, choice of freedom and equality. The Dutch government was unaware of this problem soon to become an ever-growing trend of violence that would forever change the religious, political and economic landscape of their society.
   
   She couldn't stand for this! Ayaan pledged to bring awareness to the Dutch about this but before she could go on her crusade for justice she had to arm herself with the social and political history of Holland and the world. She later entered the political arena and was a new voice with vigor. She captivated society's attention--good and bad. When she became a member of parliament (historic!), she reveled this opportunity to influence change and introduce new legislation bringing to light the realities of the abuse crisis and the violence overtures of the Muslim teachings. However, her term in parliament was marred by death threats and murder of a confidant leaving Ayaan feeling like a prisoner in her own skin as she was constantly being relocated.
   
   Her story doesn't end on the very last page--it simply begins a new chapter as she continues her journey to the United States to engage in intellectual discourse on the Muslim truth.



4. Sensational book, should be read by everyone. She articulates
   the divide between Islam and the West better than anyone
   else writing on the subject, because she has lived it.



5. A very timely release considering the bald-faced lies from the Muslim heads. This book reveals that Islam is anything but a religion of peace, as told by a woman that personally lived all the hate, discrimination, chaos and violence of the Muslim world. A must read for all in the West, especially women.

5 comments about War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism.

1. I have now finished the book but the number of negative reviews posted here still suggests that half a review by someone who has read the book carefully was better than what else is on offer so far. I have not altered my comments since reading the rest but have a few additional observations. This is a personal story of Feith's career in the DoD, before and during the Iraq War. He comments on contacts with others but he does not offer general statements or philosophy about matters that he is not personally familiar with. He does, however, offer some conclusions at the end about what was done well and what the mistakes were. He is honest about identifying his opinions and what he believes to be facts. This is a source document for the history that will be eventually written, hopefully fairly, about this period. I marked a number of sections because they impact the mythology of the war as illustrated in the other reviews and comments.
   
   He is critical of Colin Powell, and especially, Richard Armitage, who seemed not to be as concerned with the post-Saddam situation yet who resisted anyone else treading on their turf. His first skirmish was in 2002 (page 173) when he attempted to set up an office, called Office of Strategic Influence, to counteract the Islamist propaganda about why violent jihad was becoming a threat. Some went back to the old "root causes" excuse yet the Saudi hijackers of 9/11 were upper middle class educated men. His effort came to naught when the office was attacked in a strategic leak from within the administration, followed by a sensational NY Times article that accused them of planning to spread false information. Another similar article was printed recently about another DoD effort to reach Muslims with honest information. In his conclusions, he points out that we still do not have any serious effort to counter jihadist rhetoric.
   
   He refutes (page 197) another charge, prominent in another review here, that Chalabi was a "creature" of DoD and Feith was his "sponsor." One would think that the fact the Chalabi has been a major official in the Iraq government would put to rest that old CIA smear but it lives on on Amazon pages. He tells the story of CIA incompetence and the firestorm created when a 20-year DIA expert on his staff wrote a critical briefing (page 265) pointing out how CIA had ignored links between Saddam and al Qeada before the war. On page 278, he recounts another example of State's conflicted thinking where they advise against an "occupation" but their antipathy toward the "externals" (exiles like Chalabi) leads them to plan for a "many year" occupation and rule before an Iraqi government can be set up. The insurgency gained force from resentment at that policy. He points out with some understandable satisfaction that the "externals," including the Kurds who CIA predicted would not be accepted by other Iraqis, constituted almost the entire interim government that took over from Bremer and the CPA in 2004.
   
   He has some mixed opinions about Paul Bremer, pointing out how Bremer took too much authority, resisting any consultation with Rumsfeld, his superior in the chain-of-command, and made a number of serious mistakes. The most serious one was excluding the Iraqis from governing their own country for as long as he did. The insurgency might never have gained the support of so much of the Sunni population had the "Occupation" not been so obvious.
   
   I don't say this is the last word and Feith seems to resist many generalizations. This is an objective account and very valuable. He has his deficiencies. The most serious is the fact the he never mentions the tribal nature of the Iraqi society. This was a major mistake in the early history of our post-Saddam attempts to govern the country and fight the insurgency.
   
   I have read many books on this subject and the ones I respect, beginning with The Threatening Storm by Kenneth Pollack, all mostly agree. For example, another review here mentions Bob Baer and his book about Aghanistan and Gary Berntsen and "Jawbreaker" also about Afghanistan. I have read both books and Baer, in particular, dismisses his CIA bosses pointing out the lack of language skills in CIA. This lack, and the ignorance of the culture, was a major factor in the CIAs poor performance in Iraq and is discussed by Feith. He is chiefly critical of CIA implying that their information was better sourced than it was. They concealed how few assets they had in Iraq (none) and led others astray who placed more faith in their reports than was warranted. Better to confess ignorance than mislead.
   
   The dissent, like some of the other reviews here, comes with plenty of invective and obscenity but few facts. I still think this is an important book that anyone trying to understand our policy on fighting militant Islam should read. I'm sure Feith is evening a few scores here but he marshals lots of facts and refers to other documents to support his conclusions. This is an essential book, not least because he is such a controversial figure. The abuse he has taken from partisans is outrageous. At one point (page 388) he mentions a particularly odious slur attributed to Colin Powell by Bob Woodward in which Feith's office in the DoD is described as "a Gestapo office" ignoring the fact that Feith's father was a Holocaust survivor. Powell denied making the remark and apologized to Feith, whom he had known for 20 years, but the tone was set.



2. Fascinating view of the first years of our War on Terrorism. Only Bush seems to make decisions based on the fact that our enemies had discovered how to fight their enemy (the USA) by bypassing our military and attacking citizens directly. Why the MSM doesn't understand that protecting us from such attacks has to be the main function of our Presidency is beyond me.
   . . only their hatred for our country and hope for its downfall can explain the anti-war behavior. Noone wants war but to pretend it's not necessary is foolhardy. Bush's main goal (according to Feith) is that we not suffer another attack and in that he's been successful. I for one am grateful to President Bush for that. Feith finds errors on all sides (state dept, Defense Dept. but he's gives a full narrative not just the soundbitten biased report we now expect from the mainstream media. Anyone interested in the real story must read this book!



3. I rarely write reviews, and especially when I have not even read the book, my bookshelves are full of almost all of the politcal books written between 2000 and 2008 (Amazon can testify for me!). As reported by John Byrne - at the booksigning party and I quote:
   "On Thursday, Feith pointed his finger at everyone but himself regarding the war in Iraq. According to the Washington Post's Dana Milbank, at a book-launch party for his new book, "War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism," Feith blamed a laundry list of officials for failing "to challenge the logic of going to war."
   (here: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Feith_says_Iraq_war_not_my_0425.html)
   
   Mr. Feith blames everyone else except himself. With all of his bumbles and misplaced loyalties I would rather sit in silence for 8 hours than read his phony book.
   
   I would suggest for anyone who is bothered and mad about the Bush 43 Presidency, I would suggest do not buy this book to deprive this maniac of any royalties.
   
   For those of you who disagree, you are entitled.



4. This attempt of his showed he was still internationally dangerous years after Desert Storm. It is also mentioned in the 2008 New York Times Almanac (in the Kuwait section).
   
   On other points, there is a mention of how the US seized a ship in 2003 (a ship which was carrying centrifuge parts) to Gadhafi's Libya! This book explains how the ship's seizure lead Libay to disarm wmd-wise! True and so did the very occupation of Iraq by the US and allies (see books like Shopping for Bombs, Surrender is not an Option and former CIA-head Tenet's own memoir book 'At the Center of the Storm' plus a webpage called "How Gadhafi lost his groove" for more on this).
   
   PS The ship's name, not given on the page the seizure was mentioned on, is the BBC China!



5. This book is essential reading for historians and those concerned with national security reform. It is not recommended for normal people, including those that have strong political views one way or the other. You will get much better value simply by reading reviews of a 100 related books starting with the ten below, and buying the book Fixing Failed States and checking out the reviews of the books I recommend there.
   
   I read the Index after the Table of Contents and before I actually read the book. It became immediately evident to me that:
   
   1) The index stinks in not including place names like Jalabad, Tora Bora, Kandahar, etcetera.
   
   2) The author has written a personal account that opens with a concise (even impressive) summary of the high points of "alleged" criticisms and conspiracy claims, but with the exception of Bob Woodward, I could not find a single other reputable author in the index (see my list of ten books below, a token of the 100+ books that generally refute most of what this author has to say at the external level). I have no doubt this author is honest and credible on the details he knows, but as with the Viet-Nam rejoinder, "so what", I really question whether the author--good man that he is--is at all in touch with reality. Baer, Bamford, Clarke, Ritter, etc. do NOT appear in this book's index or footnotes that I could find.
   
   Getting into the book, I am immediately impressed by the existence of a supporting website (waranddecision.com just add the www) and I am generally very impressed with the level of detail, the sequencing of information, the able reference to those he talked with by name. There is no question in my mind about the authenticity of this book. The author speaks from his mind and his heart, he is not dumb, just self-centered.
   
   As the book progresses, I am astonished by several factors:
   
   1) Dick Cheney appears only 28 times in this book, and not before page 53. The Cheney-Rumsfeld relationship is one that was evidently not shared by the author. He consequently is oblivious to the reality that Dick Cheney orchestrated 935 distinct documented lies in the rush to war; and committed 25 distinct impeachable offenses, not least of which was leveraging the nine advance warnings of the plans to attack the World Trade Center to allow a Pearl Harbor.
   
   2) I had to go forward to read Chapter 6 ("Why Iraq") because of the prominence of the author's claim of the many "proven" instances in which Iraq trained, supported, or financed terrorism, but I quickly note that the author makes no reference at all the many proven open sources, including the former President of Czechoslovakia, who totally trashed this assertion.
   
   3) The author is actively deceptive on more than one occasion. He cites the New York Times as "evidence" while casually neglecting to mention that he is citing the notorious Judith Miller, a fellow traveler at least, if not an active agent of influence for Israel.
   
   4) The author is critical of the CIA throughout the book, including Milt Bearden whom I happen to respect greatly, and while I myself think CIA needs to be burned to the ground, I do not respect the manner in which the author manages to completely disrespect by omission of three major facts:
   
   + CIA got it right on WMD. Between the son in law that defected and the 30+ legal travelers that Charlie Allen orchestrated, CIA established without a shadow of a doubt that they kept the cookbooks, poured the stocks into the river (something that will have downstream impacts for decades), and were bluffing for regional sake. Since Rumsfeld and Cheney delivered the original WMD supplies and the joke is they kept the receipts, what I see here is an elegant concealment of the reality that the Pentagon was not about to listen to the CIA no matter what. The fact is that the professional CIA got it right, George Tenet sacrificed his integrity, and the White House was able to ignore secret intelligence because both the CIA professionals and the Pentagon's flag officers drank the koolaid and confused loyalty with integrity to their Constitutional oaths of office. ALL of our checks and balances failed us.
   
   + The author infuriates me with the manner in which he blatantly misleads the reader about how he and Rumsfeld triumphed in pushing for both early precision targetting inside Afghanistan, and the push to Kabul prior to the winter. He is maliciously evil in failing to credit the CIA teams that are described in "First In" and "Jawbreaker" and he can be excused for not being told that Putin told Bush he could take Kabul before the winter. Obviously the author does not read widely, and one can understand how immersed he might be in the reality of his own creation.
   
   + He misleads the reader in parroting Ahmed Chalabi's accusations against the CIA, while failing to point out that CIA fired Chalabi for stealing and lying; that Chalabi was convicted in Jordan for embezzlement; and that Chalabi is almost certainly a very well paid agent of influence for Iran, one reason most in Iraq's leadership circles want nothing to do with him.
   
   In passing, there is no mention in this book of our love fest with 42 of 44 dictators; there is active (virulent) hatred for Colin Powell and Rich Armitage (I would follow either over any hill), nor is there any mention, as the book draws to a close, that ignorant treasonous rendition and torture aside, the score for nailing terrorists right now is CIA 40+, DoD zero (I may not know of one or two).
   
   I bought and labored through this book because James Schlesinger recommended it and because it may be the only book among the 100 or so I have read circling the sordid regime from 2000-2008, that comes from one of the avowed "insiders." I give the author high marks for his homework, his documentation, and his writing.
   
   Doug Feith is what you get when you agree to elect one man who picks a few cronies that pick other cronies who in turn orchestrate their kind of crony in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere. In Singapore, I am told, one must have a Master of Business Administration before being qualified to run for Parliament. We don't need to go that far. I believe that in the General Election, we must demand that Presidential candidates appoint a Cabinet in advance of election, at least three of whom must participate in the debate process (State, Defense, Attorney General), *and* they must produce a balanced budget proposal for public scrutiny at least 90 days before Election Day. It's time to put Citizen Wisdom back into the Republic.
   
   See also, apart from my lists on Dick Cheney, impeachment, strategy, emerging threats and so on, the following ten books:
   DVD Why We Fight
   Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: How to Oust the World's Last Dictators by 2025
   9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA, Fourth Edition
   A Pretext for War : 9/11, Iraq, and the Abuse of America's Intelligence Agencies
   State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III
   Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
   First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan
   Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq
   Squandered Victory: The American Occupation and the Bungled Effort to Bring Democracy to Iraq
   Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency

5 comments about The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century.

1. I think this is an incredibly well-written and well-researched book. Difficult to put down. The story of money, religion, politics, and history. Mostly though, it is the story of the "American Dream", Saudi-style: the success of one man's sojourn in search of a better economic opportunity.



2. a must-read for those who missed the connections- or- those who want a insightful review of the rise to power of the el Sauds and the Bin Ladens in the Arabian peninsula in the last century



3. What a tale. Except it is all true. Whereas Mike Moore threw out facts without much context, Coll provides well-researched history and explanations, making our weird relationship with The House of Saud that much more clear. And Murky.
   
   The Bin Laden Family is far more complex and interesting than I would have thought possible, and as alien and strange, when compared to western society, as you could imagine.
   
   This is an important book, one that provide the curious with information, background, and a glimmer of understanding as to how Osama became who he was, and how his family life, Muslim marital and divorce practices, and the strange, complex, and bizarre entity we know as the Bin Laden family came to be.
   
   The only thing worse than learning how US policies led to 9/11 is seeing how we have coddled and knowingly supported one of the most corrupt family dictatorships in the world - the Sauds. Eye-opening, fascinating and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book.



4. Here are 671 well written pages about the family we wish we did not know. Unfortunately, the American (and World) public know of the evil Osama even if none of the other family members rest in our memories.
   
   Steve Coll gives us more insight into that family than we really need, but, we are craving to know. He does it so well that it does not take as long to read over 600 pages than one might think.
   
   The reader will be "pleased" when it is revealed that Osama's father died in a plane crash in 1988.
   
   Author of Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond
   
   
   I also recommend A Step of Faith - an inspiring story to help get you through the month.



5. I enjoyed this book a lot - It's a fascinating history of a family's rise from nothing to high influence in Saudi Arabia. Steve Coll and his team have researched this very well and provide a high resolution story of the Bin Laden family. By their close association to the Royal Family, we find out about the secretive ways in which decisions are/were made.
   
   The middle east is a vastly different place from any other on earth - here's a great insight into a very different culture. If you're into the history of interesting places that influence your every day life, this will not disappoint.
   
   Not sure why a previous reviewer felt compelled to review his life in Saudi instead of the book, but for sure the book is more interesting than his life.

5 comments about Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

1. This has been a wonderful insight into one of our democratic candidates for the presidential election. Sen. Obama's writing style is wonderful and I have a much greater awareness of him. This is an excellent book for every one to read.



2. Gives an insight into the life and family of one of the most gifted politicians of our times.



3. 
   "I ceased to advertise my mothers race at the age of 12 or 13."-Obama writes, "Our rage at the white world needed no object...no independant confirmation; it could be switched on and off at our pleasure."
   
   OBAMA sounds like A RACIST to me!
   
   its a good thing for obama that "typical white people" dont read books; or this would of killed his chances long ago!
   
   Is this the kind of stuff that MLK Jr would have said or did? No...he had every reason to be hateful towards "other races" that "oppressed" him; but he wasnt...he simply went out and created the change he wanted to see; he didnt blame anybody or go to a church that talked about hate and blame...what kind of god would that be that tought such things?
   
   
   How come oprah left rev wrights church in less than two years....but obama has been there for over 20 yrs?



4. Obama's book is a must-read for those who want to know the Barack Obama, the man, his character and principles before he becomes our president!



5. enjoyed reading this first book by Obama. Moving story. Well written and gives further insight on an inspirational leader.

5 comments about Don't Start the Revolution Without Me!.

1. This man does not lie. You may not like what he says, but he won't lie to you. He knows the political scene, he knows the good from the bad, and he should run for President. He's totally against the war in Iraq. Is he a whimp? Hell no. Jesse was a Navy Seal in Vietnam. He knows the TRUTH. Do you want to know the Truth?! Buy this book, or check it out from your nearby library. You will learn the truth. Remember, you may not like everything he has to say, but that is because he speaks his mind and will not LIE under any circumstances. TWO THUMBS UP!!



2. America is in a U.H.F. television renaissance. For example, political discourse prevalent on A.M. talk radio and network television has sunk to the level of old U.H.F. programs such as HOT SEAT, where antagonistic host Wally George ranted and raved about topics of the day. Professional wrestling, another U.H.F. mainstay, has become so popular that many of its stars are as well known as the big names in Major League Baseball and the National Football League.
   
   But I don't say that to disparage Jesse Ventura, formerly both Minnesota Governor and pro wrestler, as his candid book DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME! presents a man working for a citizen's renaissance. Maybe he gained fame through the "fixed" sport of pro wrestling, but as a politician and political commentator Jesse Ventura lets no one choreograph his moves.
   
   One DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME! story underscores the irony of the ex-wrestler who, in the political arena, is not following a script. General Electric-owned M.S.N.B.C. television hires author Ventura to host a show but, when he won't tailor commentary to please the weapons manufacturer, removes him. Ventura winds up collecting $5 million from M.S.N.B.C. for not appearing on television - not even on U.H.F.!
   
   As I write this in May 2008, it appears Jesse Ventura will not seek the presidency, an idea he floats in DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME!, which came out in 2007. As the book title implies, perhaps the author is waiting to see more Americans rise against the corporations and the two major political parties they control. Ventura even asks, "When will someone do something?"
   
   To answer the author, the grassroots movements are out there; it's just that you would not know people are doing something if your information comes from corporate media such as G.E.-owned N.B.C.; Viacom-owned C.B.S.; the many "news" organizations Rupert Murdoch owns; and so on. Attend a protest against the Iraq occupation, for example, and see what kind of media coverage it gets.
   
   The revolution is under way, Mr. Ventura. Please join. Better still, help steer it. Even if the corporate media still won't cover it, your leadership will make recruitment easier and hasten the end of the injustices so many Americans suffer.
   
   In DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME! Jesse Ventura describes himself as a moderate. I don't accept the premise of that argument, as the world's power struggle was never left-right; it's always been up-down, the wealthy stealing from and exploiting the poor.
   
   As he details in DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME! Jesse Ventura governs as a citizen, "moderate" label notwithstanding. Winning office as an independent candidate, there are no political party rules he follows. Further, the author does not reward those who helped him win office with jobs and other political favors. Even if you disagree with his actions or words, Jesse Ventura lets the people and his own conscience guide him.
   
   While it looks as though Jesse Ventura will sit out the 2008 elections, DON'T START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME! won't be the last time he weighs in. No one with credentials such as Navy S.E.A.L., professional wrestler, actor, Minnesota Governor, talk show host, and author stays off his feet for long.



3. I just finished 'Revolution' and not only do I agree with Ventura's logic and righteousness, but I learned a few things, such as what a bicameral congress is and the advantages of sales taxation vs. income taxation (and why we need these things). Also, I've long been a fan of removing the electoral college. It's a passé and gerrymandered hoax as is clearly pointed out, especially via Bush 2000.
   
   Ventura and Russell articulate more clearly than anything else I've seen so many important points about how our government is mismanaged, but also how to fix it.
   
   The book is a great political education handbook wrapped in an entertaining and thoughtful sheath. I couldn't think of a better book to get people interested and informed about the political process. Typically, the types of points that Jesse makes are buried in esoteric libertarian and constitutional literature and the such, not taught in schools.
   
   If this book gets enough circulation it will raise the consciousness of the populace. And my god do we need a more educated and involved populace. Especially, in light of the media blackout on meaningful subject matter.
   
   So as America burns, our future is squandered to benefit the few and the media ceaselessly focuses on Brittany Spears cavorting about aimlessly, "Don't start the revolution without me either!" It's going to take a revolution to fix this mess.



4. This book contains some fascinating accounts of events throughout Jesse Ventura's adult life, including numerous vignettes of his time as governor of Minnesota. He also freely expresses his concerns for the state of our nation, its foreign and domestic policies, and its future. As Jesse is also a veteran of the Navy Seals, one can hardly write these concerns off as "unpatriotic." He calls things as he sees them, a quality rarely found in the media today! If you have an inquiring mind, you will probably enjoy this book.



5. Jesse is clearly well on his way toward figuring out that all is not as we were told. He sees the 911 coverup. He experienced firsthand the CIA meddling in domestic affairs outside of their supposed mandate. He saw and relates in the book many of the inconsistencies of controlled, two-party politics in cahoots with a completely controlled mass media that prevent the American people from learning the truth. So, for the most part, he does get it.
   
   But Jesse still has a ways to go. He bought the global warming scam hook, line, and sinker. He still thinks there are bad, old Islamic terrorists out there waiting to kill us in our sleep. He hasn't yet figured out that the terrorists are the Establishment. He hasn't seen their global, long term agenda: global enslavement and depopulation of the planet by 80%. It's hard for regular people, let alone one conditioned by military training, to see our government as anything other than a benevolent father. Wake up, America! The Forth Reich has arrived, it is here in the USA, and we are the new jews. They already have camps for us, did you know?
   
   Hang in there, Jesse. Keep doing your research. You'll see the evil in its full glory soon. I just hope you live to see it. God help us all.

5 comments about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

1. This is a brilliant account of Abraham Lincoln, his cabinet, and their times. It is commodious in scope, unfailingly insightful, lucid, poignant, and engaging. Washington excelled in courage and honour; Lincoln added honesty, humility, humor, and wisdom.



2. With great writing and fabulous storytelling, Goodwin takes us deep into the inner workings of President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet during the Civil War and into the minds and lives of the key players. This is not another Lincoln biography or a history about the Civil War battles or generals, although we do meet and get a greater appreciation of the good and bad generals -- Grant and Sherman vs. McClellan -- and focus on Lincoln's leadership skills and style. In some ways, you could say this extremely engaging read is a biography of a particular institution -- Lincoln's cabinet and its members -- at the key moment when America's peculiar institution of slavery is being fought over. However, I am glad that I read Shelby Foote's three-volume narrative history of the Civil War before Goodwin's book so that I had the biggest picture first.



3. His assassination and coronation at such an early age both preserved the mystique and obscured the mystery that surrounded Abraham Lincoln and made him one of the the best-documented men in history. Lincoln has been mythologized beyond criticism or comparison in the historical lexicon. This book brings him back from mythology and puts him into his proper political realm so that he can be criticized and compared to other mortals, whereupon you realize how far beyond criticism and comparison Lincoln is when it came to his political and personal leadership.
   
   Goodwin's Abraham Lincoln is a political leader and wise human being beyond any other, perhaps even Solomon himself. Of the people whom history has documented thoroughly enough to compare, he may be the greatest human being ever in terms of communicating, understanding, empathizing , and motivating others.
   
   Why does every leader since pale by comparison? Is there never to be another Lincoln? Part of the problem is that in Lincoln's time, one man could still control most of his environment. Lincoln created ways to work, study, and think that allowed him to apply his knowledge and wisdom to the problems he faced and come up with the best solutions. The realm of control is much smaller today.
   
   Part of the problem is the pervasiveness and immediacy of communication (the media), part of it is the complexity of the environments, and part of it is the complexity of the problems.
   
   Even a leader of Lincolnian proportions would not be as successful as Lincoln in today's world. Of leaders since then who approached that power on the world stage: FDR, Reagan, Castro, maybe Papa Doc Duvalier--on a small island scale, a lesser man can loom larger, and without a great ethical compass, accomplish much for the wrong purpose!
   
   One great example of Lincoln's abilities: with conservative cabinet member Seward's resignation on his desk because of accusations from liberal Senators (based on inside information from liberal cabinet member Chase), Lincoln agreed to meet with the Senators alone at the White House. After hearing their complaints in a long meeting and promising to think on it, the next day Lincoln called all the cabinet together except Seward, told them about the meeting and told them to come to the White House that night to meet with the Senators, knowing that as a group the cabinet would defend its own against charges from outsiders.
   
   Chase, who had provided the information to the Senators, especially charges that the cabinet was seriously divided and uninvolved in presidential decision-making, was in a panic throughout the meeting when the cabinet members did indeed defend Seward and Lincoln and present a united front during a long 5-hour session with the Senators.
   
   The next morning, Chase came to the White House to submit his resignation to Lincoln because of his mortification in front of the Senatorial delegation (when the delegation was discussing afterward how Chase could have painted such an incorrect story of the cabinet unity and involvement, one Senator remarked dryly "He lied."). When Chase pulled the paper from his pocket, Lincoln eagerly grabbed it and read it with a smile on his face. "This unties the Gordian knot," he exclaimed, as he recognized that Chase had just given him the answer to his dilemma. He wrote out a letter to both Chase and Seward, rejecting both resignations, thus keeping his cabinet and the warring Republican party united.
   
   This example is multiplied many times by Goodwin throughout the book, highlighted each time by Lincoln's quiet confidence in his ability, his moral authority, and his political authority. His self-assurance was reflected in the way he always accepted other's ideas (and gave credit) when better than his, seldom held grudges, and never paid back ill for ill, a trait that paid off many times in his political career, as those he could have made enemies became valuable compatriots in the war for the Union.
   
   How could a man with such humble beginnings, with so little formal education, who was basically a minimum-wage day laborer until the age of 25, when he learned the law on his own and began a faltering political career--how could this man harbor such ability and confident expectation of success?
   
   It is easy enough to say it stems from his determination, after a bout of suicidal depression in his mid-20s when the first love of his life died, that he did not want to die until he had made a mark on the world. A noble and worthy determination to be sure, and one made--and forgotten--by many of us, as time, ability, and circumstance leave us satisfied with some lower place. But 20 years later in the White House, while talking with his best friend from that earlier time, Lincoln reminded his friend of that pledge and acknowledged his readiness to die now that he had met it. Lincoln had not forgotten his pledge, and had fully intended and expected to meet it as he did! What gave him this ability to satisfy his fully expectant confidence?
   
   One can say it is God's hand of providence working in human history to preserve the United States. That may be the most likely driver, but why through this gangling "great ape" who was mocked and denigrated until met in political or personal arenas where he quietly and gracefully managed every relationship for the best of all parties? Was Abraham Lincoln a committed Christian? Not by most standards of orthodoxy, although he knew the Bible from hours of study, and not in comparison to Chase, whose studied religiosity was belied by his shady financial dealings and unethical manipulation of others.
   
   Regardless, with war in Iraq and economic gloom descending over most of the world, God's providence in the placement of a humble servant leader like Lincoln would surely be welcome.



4. There is no other word for it, this book is brilliant. Coming into it, I thought I knew a fair amount about Lincoln and workings of the war. However, the way the author depicts Lincoln and his cabinet is incredible. There is such depth, honesty, and intricacy to it. Although there is not a lot of background info on the war itself, that, for the most part, is not missed. The book focuses on Lincoln and his cabinet, and how he, in his own political genius, pulled together varying factions of the new Republian party to solve the crises facing the country. It's a fascinating insight into one of the great political and moral minds of history. It is not to be missed.



5. This is one of those books that, when you are finished, you need a few minutes to sit and let it all sink in. It is a powerful, wonderful, insightful book that I was almost sorry to finish, for multiple reasons -- it was engrossing, and of course it didn't end well.
   
   Goodwin does an excellent job of bringing Lincoln to life and showing his incredible talents for managing people. I had some knowledge about Lincoln, but when I finished this book, I was left with a feeling of sadness, not only for him and his friends and family, but for the country, because we were deprived of four years of Lincoln's leadership. And who knows how things would have turned out in the South and the country as a whole had he been able to preside over the infant stages of Reconstruction.
   
   The relationship between Lincoln and Seward was a pleasure to learn about, as well as the way Lincoln dealt with the various personalities around him without creating personal enemies. Reading about his interactions with Frederick Douglass was also a special part of the book.
   
   While this book may be long (about 750 pages) for those with only a casual interest in history, I would still recommend it to anyone. It is a remarkable book about a remarkable man.