Rating: 
Summary: Foreign Policy Examination Ruined By Selective Prejudice!!!!
Review:
MOST HoS reviewers are imbalanced, vindictive liberals who're impersonating into reviews defamations of Bush with every frenetic conspiracy-theory their anti-government minds invent. Their reviews divulge the extreme of liberals' cancerously black detestation of Bush, that they're shamelessly willing to stoop to unconscientious fraud by insidiously masking themselves as literates who've read it, really abusing that façade as a screen to galvanize immaterial, conspiracy-theory, insane slurs!!!! If you're afflicted with schizophrenic Bush-animosity, DON'T get pollutedly mistaught by these SICKOS; Unger's book isn't blinded, anti-Bush fanaticism like the sordid crap vomited by shameless demagogues so much as a history lesson, albeit a biased one. The otherwise informative book, chronicling Arabs' obsession with Islamic fundamentalism that was tactically used by the Reagan Admin. to help defeat the U.S.S.R. in the Cold War, is ruined by Unger's prejudicial and stealthy selectivity in order-chronology and his sometimes worse misdeed on disadvantageously believing untrustworthy sources.
Unger's thesis is Bush intimacies with Saudis may've facilitated profane, Islamic fundamentalism's rise; something plausible. Unger begins by detailing the materialization of Binladen repatriation after 9/11, contending that, contrary to FBI's insistences, they weren't screened probingly as required, but received WH, FBI clearance. While true, Unger's first wrongdoing is committed. Unger plagiarizes this fact from other books' and articles' sources, an illness he perpetrates for most of his book's discussions, reducing his merit because he doesn't investigate independently. Unlike other liberal partisans posing as authors, Unger at least balances his planned accusations that the WH jeopardized national security by not scrutinizing Binladen's relatives with confessions that, in the Binladen repatriation, there's only speculation regarding their connections to Osama, and the Binladens renounced him.
Parts dealing with the Saudi-American connection's infancy are historically informative and edify that not only did Saudis begin their Americanization through Houston businessmen like Bath, but Demoncrats were also involved, like Carter's director of the OMB, Bert Lance. The Saudis' ultimate goal was blatantly to infiltrate access to American power's inner sanctum-the presidency. Saudis partook in particularly shrewd habits of having businessmen such as BCCI's Abedi and Mahfouz rescue American politicians' companies that were in financial direness, even Bush's Harken. Saudis would continue to ingratiate themselves in America's interests by covertly assisting two Reagan policies: arming the Contras and Iraq to counter Iran, excellently strategic maneuvers. Unger puts in perspective that Iraq's arming was actually CARTER policy; he encouraged Hussein to attack Iran to ultimately free the hostages. However, America realized that Iraq was gaining strength, so they'd backslide to once more financing Iran. For liberal scum who sanctimoniously, IGNORANTLY decry this, this isn't a duplicitous policy as much as it's savvy politics.
Ultimately, the Reagan Admin.'s dealing with Saudi Arabia developed into their defining tactic of Cold War victory: mujahedeen-financing in Afghanistan. Unger, by his intractable, liberal categorization, HAS to demeaningly "argue" that constitutes American creation of the jihadist monster, but upon examining evidence Unger cataclysmically presents himself-that Egyptian Qutb and militant scholar Azzam indoctrinated students at Jeddah's Aziz University with Wahabbi fundamentalism-there exists likelihood that LOTS of Arabs would've dilapidated independently into mujahedeen psychopaths. This policy was started by Carter Admin.'s Brzezinski to halt the Soviets' expansion.
America's handled two winning approaches to Islamic and Communist threats, ensuing to the Gulf War, whose chronicling Unger treats less than perfectly, injuring his legitimacy. Unforgivably adverse is Unger's selective reliance on untrustworthy, rabidly psychotic, anti-war sources for almost all of one chapter. Detailing the Gulf War, Unger exclusively abuses sources from the guiltiest anti-war forgers: the "Disinformation Company" and John MacArthur, slippery dissembler. Instead of recounting the intriguingly supposed offer Binladen made to fight Hussein with his "Afghan warriors" instead of the "infidel" Americans in response to Hussein's Kuwait invasion to reclaim Iraq's "stolen" oil, Unger descends into hazardously unstable, anti-war propaganda. Using MacArthur's source blindly, Unger subserviently regurgitates the sham Hussein DIDN'T amass a large army into Kuwait. This is THE worst objectionable aspect of Unger's otherwise decent effort, and citing another roguish "reporter" from St. Petersburg Times, Unger fabricates that alleged Soviet satellite photos of Kuwait and Iraq DIDN'T show buildup except America's own. Unger covers-up varying reasons the SAME experts he quoted offered as probabilities for said phenomena, including camouflage, wide troop dispersion, or glare. Another discomforting questionableness is Unger's preoccupation with disproving "Nayirah's" credibility, which CAN'T be "confirmed" other than on mentally ill, anti-war sites!!!!
Unger progresses to Clinton, his amoral partisanship lapsing conscience!!!! Unger lies through his teeth Clinton was first to "identify" Al-Qaeda as the premier hazard; if you believe this, you're a gullibly mistaught, liberal patsy-cretin. Unger's casualty is his exorbitant dependence on Clarke the Liar for information. Unger's so shameless, he humiliatingly discloses Clinton's maltreated faults of "anti-terrorism"-1993's WTC BOMBING, 1993's Somalia-Ranger-KILLINGS, 1996's 19-American-soldiers-killing Khobar Towers BOMBING, 1998's Tanzania, Kenya embassy BOMBINGS, 2000's Cole BOMBING-then still imposes Clinton "proactively" retaliated by-get this; gets funnier!!!!-bombing a misconceived "aspirin factory" in Khartoum!!!! When Unger stoops to subordinately swallowing all of Clarke's purport that he presented Bush a plan to assault Al-Qaeda, after being stupid or fanatically virtuous enough to provide the Admin.'s reasoning that Clarke's crippled "plan" OMITTED to account for comprehensive methods to target both the Taliban's AND Al-Qaeda's inseparability, the book careens into impurity.
Unger arduously stumbles to close with conspiracy theories about three Saudi princes "knowing" about 9/11 beforehand. If true, it'd ONLY put them in the same, helpless position as Bush who didn't possess information about time/place because Unger ruinously confesses they didn't know specifics either. Unger deserves only a half-rating since only the first two-thirds is responsibly uncovering history somewhat. Unluckily for Unger, the latter third's where Unger's afflicted by the irredeemable tumor liberals endure: hazardously degrading into skewed innuendo chicaned to his unsanitary worldview that Bush is evil. Unger's believability is again sacked with the 911 Commission's report that mortifyingly convicted Unger for forgery, namely his conjecture that the Binladen's got preferable treatment in flying. The Commission condemningly chided Unger's falsehood, verifying that no such imagined event took place.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Read
Review: As a staunch Bush supporter, and with the US election fast-approaching, I felt compelled to read one anti-Bush prior to Nov. 2. As I predicted, Craig Unger's House of Bush House of Saud, proved to be an interesting read. It did not alter my favorable view of Bush, but it did illuminate some interesting facts.
I disagree with the author concerning the Iraq war, which I believe was justified. Moreover, there is a lot of information in this book which I find to be baseless. What I do agree with Unger on, as a staunch Bush supporter and someone who believes in seeing the terror war to a successful conclusion, is that the Saudis are hardly friends of the United States. Indeed, they seem to be a problematic ally at best, rival at worst. As Unger demonstrates, althoughout there is no conclusive evidence that the House of Saud as a whole knowingly funds/abets al Qaeda, there are elements within the monarchy who are sympathetic to militant Islamist causes. However, it goes without saying that the current Saudi monarchial regime is better than the alternative - a radical Islamist theocracy.
George W. Bush is hardly perfect. Aside from being a mediocre communicator, in addition to not being a rocket scientist, he has some faults. However, when juxtaposed with Mr. Kerry, I believe the choice for Americans is clear. Bush is a fundamentally good, honest person, and his policies indeed are, in my view, making the USA a safer place. Bush has put some pressure on the Saudis, and they have made some high profile raids and arrests. However, there is always room for improvement, and the more pressure put on them the better. One underlying fact is that there is little doubt that Mr. Kerry will be even more lenient with the Saudis.
Rating: 
Summary: House of Intrigue!
Review: As an ultra conservative I am the type of person you would least expect to read this book, much less to enjoy it and give it a positive review. However, that is exactly what I am doing. This novel is explosive and should be read by all Americans.
Unger starts off with the attacks on the United States in 2001 and the federal governments role in getting the Saudi's (in particular members of Osama's family) out of the United States and ends with the war in Iraq and the battle against terrorism. He explores in great detail the Saudi relationship with the Bush family (in particular with George H. W. Bush) as well as the Saudi relationship with Wahhabism.
Mr Unger uses a great number of sources, so many that it is hard not to come to the same conclusions he does. If you have always wondered about our relations with the Saudi's then read this book!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Go ahead, say my review isn't helpful..
Review: But I guess I must state what I feel ragarding the matter. I have read this book thoroughly. I understand that Unger has gone through a great deal of research to have this book published and for that I believe he deserves to be merited.
However, being a Saudi myself, it's kind of insulting to read this book. Needless to say, I'll leave personal issues aside. Even though 7 of the 15 Saudi hijackers are still alive, and even though there has been NO evidence that these hijackers were on the plane (well.. except for when two of the world's tallest buildings collapsed, and the blackbox was destroyed beyond repair, the Saudi passports actually managed to survive miraculously, in addition to a low-quality airport security video that doesn't bear a date/time stamp on it and thus may not be legitimate for use in the courts), people still insist that it was the Saudis who did it. Towards the end it was stated that there is no evidence linking Al-Qaeda to the royal family.
Furthermore, the author has probably cited the wrong sources, or simply misunderstood them. That happens.
People need to wake up. Saudi Arabia will be invaded. It's been planned since.. Nixon's presidency?
If you are a vehemently racist, Saudi-hater sort of person, then this book is for you.
If you'd like to find out "the truth" about the Bush-Saudi relations.. well guess what? It's business. I am not denying the existence of a Bush-Saud collateral business relationship, just stating that certain individuals such as Michael Moore shouldn't be waving that around as an evidence to link my country to 9/11
One more thing.. it's more personal, but with no relationship to this book. Ever noticed how anti-Saudi books suddenly get 4.5-5 stars all the time? In addition to that, reviews that denounce such racist books always get "1 out of 242 found this book helpful"? Perhaps there are people who walk around amazon and give these reviews, but to be honest, I can't imagine that there exist people who have no lives, up to the point of doing such acts. I have no evidence to back me up, so I am ending my review here. Thanks for reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Craig Unger's Powerful Truth
Review: I knew of the close relationship between the Bush and Saud families, but when I read this book, I saw to what extent the two families are intertwined. I find it absolutely horrifying when I realize that extends to favors to the bin Laden family. I am shocked and amazed that we re-elected this president and that the American people, for the most part, have shut their eyes and ears to the revelations in this book and in Richard Clark's Against All Enemies which I also read.
I recommend these books to anyone who really wants to know the whole unvarnished truth.
Rating:
Summary: Surprised!
Review: I read this book with some trepidation, even as I was going through the fairly persuasive text. Sure, the Bush family had close ties with the Saudis - but is that really a bad thing? Isn't that how power works, and don't we have to have some of our leaders tied in to other world leaders? On that point, I found some of Unger's implications to be (perhaps) colored by a cynical bent toward the Republicans, though as a previous reviewer pointed out, he does not blow smoke where there is no fire.Still, after all that, I thought the book nothing more than a good background piece to fill in some of the details on our complicated involvement in the Middle East. I dismissed Unger's warnings of potentially more nefarious dealings between the families, even considering that all of those pages about Saudi Arabia's role in 9-11 were blacked out (by an administration that uses "classified" as a tool to control information). Then comes Woodward's book, detailing a secret meeting between the President and Prince Bandar, where the President showed Bandar the war plans for Iraq! Where Donald Rumsfeld told this Prince of a kingdom that can hardly be described as trustworthy to US interests that, regarding whether or not we would actually invade Iraq, he could "take it to the bank"! Where Bandar and Bush apparently discussed maniputaing oil prices for the sake of Bush's political gain! I know that some of the details or interpretations of Woodward's account are in dispute, but even the administration does not argue the point that Bandar was privately brought in and shown those plans before Bush's State of the Union Address, where he assured Congress that he was working hard for a peacful solution (obviously an outright lie - the decision had already been made to invade). Is it not amazing that a Saudi Prince was put more in the loop on a US invasion than our own Senate and House leaders? In context of this stunning revelation, read Craig Unger's book and you will be very worried about where this country is heading. In context of this stunning revelation, a 3 or 4 star review from this reader jumped to the full 5. All the pieces are falling together, from Clarke to Unger to O'Neill to Woodward's incredibly balanced account, and the picture presented by the completed puzzle will not show favorably on the secretive Bush Administration.
Rating:
Summary: If this book is true
Review: If this book is true then as Michael Ledeen has written the United States is deliberately not targeting a major source of terror in the world Saudi Arabia. It is in contradiction with its own stated goal of bringing democracy to the Middle East as it is protecting the Saudi Sultans. If this book is true then the US is not as many see it the all - powerful superpower but rather a handicapped dependent nation feeding off its relation with a tyrannical corrupt Saudi regime. If this book is true then not only should every citizen of the United States be worried but mankind as a whole should be - because the war against terror is not going to be won. If this book is true
then the worse has barely begun.
Rating:
Summary: Scary . . . even if only half of it is true
Review: Suddenly after reading this book, Bush's alterior motives for invading Iraq are quite clear.
Rating:
Summary: Don't beleive the 1 star from 'a reader' from NY
Review: The reader from NY who gave this book one star obviously did not bother to read the entire book before he wrote his review.
Had he bothered, he would have seen that Perle, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz were accurately portrayed in this book as PNAC hawks whose goal is global US hegemony. They were not involved in the Bush-Baker-Saudi financial linkages. This book is extremely well documented and footnoted. Its resources are impeccable and where there is doubt, the author duly notes it. It is an indictment of decades of Saudi influence over the Bush family and should be read by anyone interested in Richard Clarke's 'Against All Enemies'. These two books compliment each other very well and together present a complete, albeit very disturbing, picture of the real events behind 9/11.
Rating:
Summary: Bush-Saudi Marriage...the Never Ending Honeymoon
Review: There is plenty of compelling material out there that covers the same ground author Craig Unger does in his book. To name just a few, there are Greg Palast's searing documentary, "Bush Family Fortunes - The Best Money Democracy Can Buy" (on DVD); Kevin Phillips' intergenerational saga, "American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush"; Senator Bob Graham's compelling "Intelligence Matters"; and of course, most famous, Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" (on DVD). But Unger's contribution still provides great value, as he is part of a growing brethren that have examined the inextricable ties between the Saudi royals and the Bush family, a relationship so tightly bound that it has shaped America's Saudi policy and to some degree, facilitated the proliferation of terrorism. This intricately researched and thoroughly sourced book covers all aspects of the bond between U.S. politics and Saudi oil, and how those bonds created a foundation of future policy that would include the special treatment of the bin Laden family immediately following 9/11, when 140 Saudis were allowed to leave the U.S. on secret flights, and the ongoing refusal by the Bush administration during the 9/11 hearings to hold the Saudi's responsible for their part in funding and supporting terrorism.
The secret relationship between the "world's two most powerful dynasties," as Unger puts it, is all about oil, money, power and influence and has had significant impact on the political and economical landscape of the last several decades. It started in the seventies when an oil-rich House of Saud began courting American politicians in an effort to gain more political, military and economic influence. The ruse apparently worked as Unger meticulously details how both Bushes, father and son, have made fortunes over the years by trading on their famous name to persuade rich backers to invest in their various businesses, mostly oil-related. Some of the backers have been Saudi, even members of the royal family, and others came from another clan of note, the bin Ladens. Although the author relies pretty heavily on third-party evidence in illustrating how widespread the Bush-Saudi link is, he does provide compelling evidence of the enormous amounts of money involved, even putting a price tag on the Saudis' contributions to the Bush family at a staggering $1.476 billion, paid out over 30 years as gifts to Bush-related charities and companies. Moreover, Unger shows how our government leaders, namely Republicans, repeatedly chose to ignore the warning signs of Saudi extremism and corruption, because they didn't want to give up the oil, the power, and the access to material wealth the Saudis promised them. It certainly became a two-way street for both the Saudi royalty and the U.S. government. He concedes that Washington's indulgent attitude toward the Saudis may once have made sense, but he points out and then backs up the fact that the Saudis have always been fair-weather friends far more committed to Islamic fundamentalism.
The author wisely does not go as far as charging the Bushes with deliberately acting in ways that went against America's national interest. Instead, he tries to describe other nefarious intrigues that the Saudis and Bushes have supposedly engaged in over the years, for example the Iran-contra scandal, the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (B.C.C.I.) and even George W. Bush's narrow victory in the contested 2000 presidential election. Perhaps some of this is arguable, but cumulatively, there is credence to Unger's thesis. The fact remains that U.S.-Saudi relations are ruled by a particularly rigid iron logic, which dictates a fairly constant American policy: support for the royal family and indulgence of its excesses in return for stable oil prices. But it's always worth reminding ourselves just how unsavory they (and our own ruling family) can be. Unger has provided a valuable service with this book, and the more people who read it, hopefully the more that outrage will grow. Highly recommended.
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