Rating: 
Summary: Dreams of a world order
Review: It's symbolic of something that a man of Prestowitz's credentials feels compelled to speak out against American adventurism. As a trade negotiator [among his other talents], he utilises history, a knowledge of current conditions and assess likely future trends to accomplish his goals. He certainly displays those skills, coupled with a fluent writing style, in this warning of America weakening itself with self-inflicted wounds. He is a global traveller and a keen sampler of opinion. His general conclusion is that, as individuals, Americans are liked, even respected. As a nation, expressing policies in the international arena, America is worse than a "loose cannon" - it's a nation blundering dangerously out of control. America makes decisions heedless of its neighbours near or far. And too many of those decisions appear arbitrary and self-contradictory. Prestowitz, even as a defender of his nation, glosses over nothing. That approach grants him a credibility that his past political and economic orientation might have eroded. The author wants Americans to consider how others view them. Military power and imperial arrogance, coupled with an extravagant lifestyle, inhibit caring about others' opinions, he admits. Survival, he asserts, makes the effort essential. He contrasts the typical day of an American cotton planter with that of his African equivalent. It's a stark comparison. Americans may console themselves with the apparently stumbling efforts of the European Union and the strength of the single currency. Prestowitz reminds us that to Europeans, the goals are clear and will be achieved, even if the journey isn't initially smooth. America, by contrast, relies on a dollar losing adherents and an international policy of "America only". Prestowitz carefully and clearly provides the background for nearly every major policy decision made by administrations since the end of World War II. Instead of simply lambasting the Bush administration for unilateralism, the author carefully and clearly outlines the roots of policies and national attitudes. His approach thus encompasses more than just Dubya's short-sighted ploys by showing how deeply some American policies are ingrained by past actions. That neither justifies their unnatural persistence, nor prevents change, according to Prestowitz. All that is really needed, it seems, is to read this book, understand its message, and demand change from policy makers. That sounds deceptively simple, but reading Prestowitz shows that change can be accomplished by listening, understanding and acting. Read this, understand his aims, and express what you've learned. The effort will be meaningful for America's long-term survival. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: A clear headed view of Boneheaded U.S. Foreign Policy
Review: Like other readers I found this book one of the more
sensible and illuminating tomes about world events,history
and U.S. foreign relations. It's a great antidote
to the plethora of sensationalist books by reactionaries on the
left and right that seem to dominate politcal discourse
in this country of late. Mr Prestowitz brings decades worth
of experience in international trade and foreign relations
to give us a clear view of history and how others in
the world see us. Well folks it's not always rosey, though
as Americans we have trouble accepting and understanding this.
Mr Prestowitz does a good job if you're willing to read and
accept his overview. The author is a conservative who carefully
distinguishes and distances himself from the so called
NeoCons whom he claims are truly neither. One major premise
of this book is that there is no bigger Government than an
Imperial Government which is the path that we are headed down
with our current ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ask yourself
this question: Why do we time after time have to do battle
against nations/enemies that we ourselves created in the
first place or failed to deal with properly the first time?
The history of U.S. foreign relations has been dominated
by shortsighted alliances of expediency that always bite
us in the behind. Anyone remember a country called Iran?
I would recommend this book along with Fareed Zakia's
"The Future of Freedom" and Paul Bermans "Terror and Liberalism"
Those who want a clear picture of how we ended up
at the current sad state of affairs will find this is a valuable read.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating and important read
Review: Not only does this book give a well-balanced view of current foreign policy issues, but it does something that I don't believe any other foreign policy book has attempted: it explains to Americans why we are perceived the way we are by other countries, but most importantly, explains to the world why America does the things it does. Though critical, it is not a knee-jerk ideological reaction to US foreign policy (it maintains a remarkable degree of objectivity), but a prescription for becoming a better international player.
Rating: 
Summary: The Elders Believe
Review: Prestowitz appeals
hippy agnst is the locus
Blinders are pleasing
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but is it true?
Review: Prestowitz presents and interesting argument about American policy and unilateralism. His book, however, is plagued by factual inaccuracies, partial quotations, and unattributed statements. Events and facts are misconstrued in order to fit into the picture he wants to create. These problems cast a shadow upon the whole work, making its arguments sound suspicious and its conclusions questionable at best.
Rating:
Summary: Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good
Review: Prestowitz, president of the Economic Strategy Institute of Washington, D.C., explores the historical roots of American unilateralism and shows how it influences important areas of American foreign policy, including trade and economic policy, arms control, energy, environment, and agriculture. He argues that in every area a multilateral approach consistent with humane and liberal core values is in our country's long-term best interest.
Rating:
Summary: Refocusing America
Review: Quite simply put, this is the best book I've read on the status of the world in general, of its various hot spots in particular, of America's current role in them, and of alternative roles that it should rather play. Prestowitz is a conservative Republican, a former member of the Reagan administration, and an elder of the Presbyterian church--scarcely the type one would expect to call America a rogue nation. But as a conservative he has very critical things to say about the neo-conservatives that currently control our foreign policy, whose agenda he says "is not conservativism at all but radicalism, egotism, and adventurism articulated in the stirring rhetoric of traditional patriotism." The book is a compelling answer to Kagan's popular "Of Paradise and Order," which tends to characterize America, through neo-conservative glasses, as the only agent that can save the world from itself, an agent that "by advancing [its] own interests ... advance[s] the interests of humanity." Two very different views of America's role. Every thinking American should understand the difference between them.
Rating: 
Summary: U.S. Needs P.R.
Review: Really good book. It was close to a 5 for me. I'm probably on the conservative side and root for the U.S. Book shows how strong we really are economically and militarily. And we don't always play fair. We've really made people around the world angry at us and we have a lot of work to do if we really want friends in the world. I wondered if we could save a lot of money, close some bases and still maintain or power and influence. And should we take a look at farm subsidies as a way to balance our budget. Good read. Recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Essential reading for policymakers
Review: Robbie Burns prayed: "Oh wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursel's as others see us!" For Americans with an interest in their place in the world at the start of the second American Century, this book is a good starting point. The book is subtitled 'American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions', which is a good description of his thesis and conclusion as he enumerates the policies that are causing frustration among America's allies, and exacerbating mistrust and hatred among the rest. No bleeding heart liberal, Prestowitz is a former member of the Reagan administration who has traveled extensively and come back with a message from the rest of the world - you can't go it alone.
Rating:
Summary: A warning to readers.
Review: Rogue Nation is an extraordinary piece of work. It is intellectually honest and built on well researched thought. It is supported by lots of references. In a nutshell, Rogue Nation is a naked look in the mirror of American history and motives. This is not to say that it is a perfect discussion of the issues. But then who can be expected to be perfect? Rather, Clyde Prestowitz's diagnosis caused me to think through many of the "taken for granted" assumptions that permeate today's political air. His prescriptions for action make good sense. Don't read this book unless you are genuinely prepared to think about matters of great importance to America's future as a nation.
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