Rating: 
Summary: Superb Scholarship, Impeccable Research
Review: Noam Chomsky has done it again. With his latest book, "Hegemony or Survival, America's Quest for Global Dominance," Chomsky presents a thorough, meticulously-researched indictment of prevailing American foreign policy - a policy which, as Chomsky correctly observes, is sure to lead to disaster for not only the United States, but ultimately, the entire world. Chomsky vividly illustrates the great alarm that is now pervasive even among the American foreign policy establishment as it struggles to come to terms with an administration that has so recklessly endangered American national security through its single-minded focus on securing a global "Pax Americana." As far-fetched as these claims may sound to many, Chomsky's documentation is irrefutable, and his research impeccable. Chomsky provides an even-headed critique of our current course through a rational examination of the frightening consequences that are sure to follow.While his detractors are sure to resort to their usual accusations of virulent, knee-jerk anti-Americanism, asking any of them to substantiate their utterly baseless (and woefully ignorant) allegations through actually refuting the vast amounts of factual evidence Chomsky cites in his endnotes will prove to be nothing more than an exercise in futility - Chomsky's analysis is formidable, and it rests on a remarkable synthesis of practically-undeniable evidence. I'd recomend this book highly for anyone seeking to put the policies of the second Bush administration into a more fitting historical context. It is only through analyzing our current course in a post-September 11th world through this wider historical context that we find ourselves properly equipped to dissect the mindset of the current administration's foreign policy apparatus and the inevitable implications of its unabashed quest for global domination.
Rating: 
Summary: More American than your beloved media
Review: You don't have to agree with everything Chomsky writes to find value in his work and his arguments. Before you accept any label that's been pinned on him, give his work a chance. His biggest crime just might be paying attention to facts, and questioning the praise we pour on ourselves, and actually caring about things like morality, and hypocrisy, and people. Chomsky is the antithesis of the kind of intellectual and pundit that corporate media prefers, and he directs much criticism toward this 'establishment'; indeed, he has compared intellectuals and elite opinion-makers to the commisars of Soviet Russia. This book is a sort of summation of material he has covered extensively before and since in different formats. The book proposes some important questions and considerations about this point in history. America finds itself in a state of unparalleled power in history. How do we use it? What is the cost of the quest for global dominance? The stakes are higher than ever. Terrorism, WMD, nuclear capability--these are things that threaten our existence. Are our current leaders really concerned with ending terrorism? Were they ever? What does the doctine of pre-emptive action mean, especially as applied to Iraq? And how long will people buy the same old stories that don't hold up under scrutiny? Who stands to really gain from global hegemony? Chomsky reviews recent events like 9/11, world reaction, the National Security Strategy of 2002, announcing a doctrine of pre-emption, and, of course, Iraq, which is being played out as an outstanding example of hypocrisy and blind embrace of power. Once again, he goes through some useful facts about Iraq and America, namely that Saddam was a US client who had to be punished when he stopped following US orders. But of course, we now care so much about the Iraqi people, you know, we liberated them. And we cared so much about them when we supported Saddamn's reign by wrecking the country with sanctions. It's such a sham, you wonder how Bush himself can not crack up when he defends the 'reasons' for the war (WMD, democracy, etc, etc), or how he and most politicians can hide their utter contempt for the man on the street, or for anyone who actually looks at reality. What is now clear in Chomsky's work is a very self-reflexive element, because Chomsky realizes how his work is viewed through the traditional doctrinal filters. Therefore, much of it seems like very, very bone dry humor, as he exposes the BS of politicians, elites, and ultimately ourselves. We're spreading democracy in Iraq...but are we really spreading democracy? Do we realy care about democracy, or the rights of all people, or freedom for everyone? Running through one case after another, the answer is quite different. There's a very good reason Chomsky is often dismissed, or simply despised. His work concerns elementary moral questions, intellectual honesty, and general concern for PEOPLE, not institutions, or even states. He's anything but anti-American, if anything, he's very American. He cherishes freedom, and he routinely states that many of our American freedoms are unique and unprecedented. He reminds us that in a democracy, in a real democracy, you don't 'rally to the leader', you don't blindly worship the state. If we believe in freedom, real freedom, then we question power structures and their authority over us, and we reject them if they're not legitimate. Chomsky is not a 'liberal', he is radical, his criticism is for the entire system and its track record. He does not have a 'master plan', and he would reject anyone who claims to. Notice he's been called everything under the sun: Marxist, Nazi, Stalinist, Communist, anti-American, deranged, etc, etc, etc. His answer? Yeah, you DO have to be deranged to pay attention to things like elementary morality, and to actually have concern for your fellow man. Highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to think about current events, to seriously think, and to look outside the very narrow spectrum of debate in this country that is favored by the media and intellectuals.
Rating:
Summary: Masterly work by America's foremost dissident
Review: "Hegemony or Survival" by Noam Chomsky is a masterly work by America's foremost dissident. If we are fortunate enough to survive the future that Chomsky depicts, history will no doubt be indebted to the truths that are revealed in this important book. The U.S. has of course played a major role in the world since the end of WWII. Chomsky shows how U.S. foreign policy and military power has been tied to elite economic interests over this period of time. He argues that deteriorating living conditions for most of the world's people are of little concern to those in power, as evidenced by the long record of U.S. support for numerous brutal dictators who repressed their citizens but protected U.S. business investments. As technology becomes more lethal, Chomsky believes we are entering a very dangerous era. If and when the poor and excluded masses choose to exact retribution against us, the results could be devastating. The terrorist attacks are but one example of such a "blowback" to U.S. foreign policy. However, Chomsky contends that the risks associated with maintaining stockpiles of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction trumps concerns about the public's safety because these weapons are critical to maintaining U.S. power. Chomsky's response to the post-9/11 question of "Why do they hate us?" is much more satisfactory than the sound bite offered up by President Bush. The author makes clear that tensions in the Middle East are directly attributable to the U.S.' desire to control the world's oil supply. He suggests that the lifting of sanctions in the 1990s might have strengthened Iraq's democracy and could have led to Saddam's ousting from power, thereby alleviating the need for war. Chomsky is also highly critical of Israel, including its relationship with the U.S. and the Palestinian homeland issue. Interestingly, Chomsky turns the U.S.' official definition of 'terrorism' around to make the charge that the U.S. routinely engages in terrorism itself (for example, the contra wars in Central America in the 1980s). On the other hand, Chomsky cites sources who testify that the Iraq war has increased Al Qaeda recruitment. But the author believes that terrorism can only be subdued by addressing core social, economic and political inequities in the Middle East and elsewhere. In the final chapter, Chomsky details how the militarization of space comprises the logical next step on America's path to global dominance, providing the U.S. with first-strike capability against virtually any target in the world. Chomsky is hopeful that the "global justice movements" can be mobilized to prevent this provocation and restore peace and sanity to the world. I highly recommend this intelligently written and thoroughly researched work to humane people everywhere.
Rating:
Summary: The politics of American aristocracy.
Review: "Hegemony or Survival" , published by Noam Chomsky in 2003, almost two years after the holocaust of 11/9 , portrays in a very descriptive and detailed manner, the ways and means a very small and privileged political elite in the USA conducts the destinies of the whole world, since the fall of Britain from its imperial heights of world domination after World War I. The likes of George W.Bush and his father, sarcastically named George Bush I and George Bush II by the author, as to denote a political autocracy in the States, are accompanied by Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, just to name a few American presidents of the XX century, all, in the author's radical view, banded together on a common ground of arrogance of and defiance to international established law (World Court, the United Nations, etc..), in order to secure to the United States and the goals established by the elite, the access to the strategic world resources demanded by the American collosus, oil primarily. The recent war in Iraq is in this way analysed as less recent wars in Middle East, Latin America and Africa, all of them occasioned and motivated by the power greed of the American government. It seems that from the radical perspective taken by the author, it makes no difference to world balance whether power is exerted by a Republican or Democrat, all of them adopting a political posture most convenient to American strategic interests. Traditional political allies of the USA like Britain, Israel and Turkey are portrayed on a very debasing light, given the knee-jerk posture they adopt vis-'a-vis the Americans.
Still following the author's view, the only power strong enough to counterpoise the ravages perpetrated in the world by American arrogance, is world public opinion, specially outside the USA, given the exposure of the latter to what Noah Chomsky calls the "manufacturing of consent", attained via rigid media internal control. The book is a sharp rebuke to the posture adopted by sucessive generations of American political leaders, but unfortunately does not address ways or presents realistic proposals to get America and the world out of the mess we are all in, being, in any way, a good reading to anyone interested in the making of of international power politics of the supreme power and world politics of the second half of the XX century. I don't quite agree with the author all the time, but think his is a lucid view on many present issues of earth politics
Rating:
Summary: Crucial reading for a crucial period of history
Review: I find it funny that all of the reviews who give this work 1 star, seem not to have read it at all, and draw on generalizations about Chomsky's past. Many of them claim he is "out of touch" from "the real world" because he is an academic. They claim he draws his information from "biased, left-wing sources" and the likes. Standard character assasination. And oh yes, the favorite line from the right these days, he "hates America."
The fact of the matter is, people who have not read the book, should not be commenting on it's integrity.
The writing itself is Chomsky at his best. Having read some of his work before, the writing style is instantly recognizable as his own. Brilliantly coherant and flowing, with well documented footnotes as well. Chomsky effectively argues that the US is in a state of hegemony (which, most of Chomsky's detractors would be surprised to find out, that almost all realist scholars in the school of International Relations [notably Dr. Condoleeza Rice herself] agree with). However, Chomsky argues that this hegemony is far and above that recognized as "stable" in the realist school of thought, and that US Foreign policy is instead having a negative effect on American security.
Chomsky's arguments are intelligent, coherant, and valuable, and it's a shame that he is shut out of the mainstrem media. Even if you believe you will disagree with his arguments, you should at least read the book before you attack it.
Rating:
Summary: Way too good and necessary
Review: This is my first book by Dr. Chomsky, and boy was I impressed with it. The first few pages are tough reads if you aren't use to being challenged to think, but I got use to it. I was actually able to read the whole book and I really enjoyed it.
Chomsky goes over how for the last 50 years; America has gone into other countries for its own selfish interests. Americans were/are either brainwashed by history textbooks or simply didn't/don't care because of video games and TV to notice any of this stuff. After reading this book, you won't look at the "news" as anything but a bunch of ignorant nonsense that is promoting one untrue way of thinking. Chomsky has gone to India, Turkey, Cuba, Israel - almost all of the countries he talks about and he has seen first hand what goes on in this countries. He also collaborates with various people in different countries to swap news clippings. What I'm trying to say is - if you want to know what is going on, you don't have to go to 100 different sources, Dr. Chomsky has done all of the homework and it is right here. Also - believe it or not, Chomsky was able to weave in some funny parts so you get some good laughs.
Here are some parts I highlighted from the book which I thought were really good:
On the war on drugs: The current things we are doing are not working, prevention and treatment are much more effective. Why don't we spend our money on this? Also land that we poison in Colombia (so drugs won't be able to grow) to "save ourselves" from drugs causes children to die or suffer from sickness and injury.
After pleading guilty to misdemeanor counts in the Iran-contra affair, Abrams received a Christmas Eve pardon from President Bush I in 1992, and was appointed by Bush II to lead the National Security Council's office for Near East and North African affairs -the senior director job that oversees Arab-Israeli relations and U.S. efforts to promote peace in the troubled region. (Hmm, I wonder why we can't seem to fix anything over there...)
Saddam did have weapons - but we gave them to him! And when he gassed the Kurds in the 80s (a monstrous thing indeed) we supported him.
I just can't go over everything but hopefully you understand what I am saying. Please remember, when he criticizes this country or any other one, he is criticizing the government, not the people. Also, we can't blame everything on Bush. We, the American people did not and are not doing enough to stop the Iraqi war. So do whatever you can because our tax dollars are being used to kill innocent people. When someone pointed this out to me (this simple fact that most Americans are oblivious to), I had trouble sleeping at night. So remember, if you think this war is worth fighting, please go fight it or send your children. If this war is not important enough for your children to die for, it is not important enough for anyone's children to die - even if they are a different color or religion then you.
Rating:
Summary: The usual brilliance, the usual dark gaps and repetition
Review: Chomsky, as usual, is brilliant and lays out the facts so that the truth appears obvious: America is a terrorist state, run by terrorists as much as any other rogue government or out-law organization. In fact, its government more resembles the mafia than a government in the genuine service of its people. Chomsky tends to be repetitive, but so what. But sometimes he gets carried away, as in asserting, for example, that the Israel lobby is Christian, not Jewish - which is hardly the whole truth - making this reader, for one, wonder what his underlying motive might be for this obfuscation. The Christian zionists lack the political savvy and strategic thinking of their Jewish counterparts, who run the show. His work in linguistics likewise is brilliant - and not entirely workable. A streak of perversity in the brilliant mix.
Rating:
Summary: Chomsky does it again!!
Review: It is easy to see why Noam Chomsky is widely heralded as an extremely important intellect on the back of this work, and all that have come before. In this book Chomsky re-emphasises a number of points raised in his Rogue States book, yet each point is approached within the context of the current war on terror and as such retains its relevence.
It is frustrating to see reviews from people who clearly have not read the book and simply want to attack a person they see as being 'anti-american' (a notion tackled in this book) and a self-loathing jew (!?!?!).
All in all this book provides a great insight into the hypocracies and basic lies of the US govt, with the Blair govt. coming in for much deserved criticism. Obviously a blind US patriot will not enjoy this book, but somebody who can entertain the subjects raised with a relatively open mind WILL enjoy this book, as i did.
Some revelations are so striking that they almost made me want to stop reading and alert people of the past and present duplicity of the west, carried out under our noses and with tacit approval. But i carried on reading, and thoroughly enjoyed the read, which i found to be written in a more aprroachable, less academic style than previous works, adding to its general appeal. Read it!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book.
Review: Well researched, well written, and points to the obvious. Surprised to see so many positive reviews. Although it couldn't have gone without a few ranting "I hate dem collegeprofessormen people" types.
Rating:
Summary: Hegemony or Survival
Review: Noam Chomsky's book is an accurate objective analysis and critique of the US's current diplomacy "situation." "Hegemony" puts into context the current dealings of state by presenting the past. There is no better book to explain the US's foreign relations nightmare.
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