Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire

Rating:
Summary: good information and analysis about US Policy
Review: This book gives lots of good information and analysis about US foreigh policy. It is a must read for anyone interested in the subject or anyone wondering how the world really works.

Rating:
Summary: "Blame America First"
Review: This book is factually challenged and morally inconsistent. The central thesis is that the US aided Afghan Mujahadeen who then turned on the US. The problem is that Johnson, perhaps in a somewhat racist manner, can't seem to distinguish the Afghan people fighting for independence and the Arab foreigners. The US aided the former, the latter were funded from wealthy Saudis. Maybe Johnson thinks they are "all the same". Indeed, within Afghanistan, factions abound. Johnson's simpleminded, and frankly colonialist view, just muddies the water.
Two other themes are 1) that fighting against the Soviets was a mistake (the 1.5 million Afghans killed by them would probably disagree). This theme will find favor with Leftists. 2) That the US shouldn't have "walked away"--an invitation to paternalistic neocolonial interference in an entirely alien Muslim culture. On the face of it, it doesn't seem like a particularly bright idea.
Finally, after a long slog through Johnson's contradictory, blame-mongering book, I come to the conclusion that what Johnson is essentially saying is: "No good deed must go unpunished". The US aided Muslims in a fight for freedom. Rather than receiving credit, they were massacred. Thank goodness we have people like Chalmers Johnson to say "Told you so"...