Rating: 
Summary: finally ...
Review: Somebody who, at the same time, can describe why the US of A is behaving as it is and why and how this seems to offend the restof the world.
Rating:
Summary: 98 Pound Weaklings: This Is Your Elixir
Review: Sure it's a polemic. Sure it's presriptions are a little simple and unrealistic. Sure it's a quick and easy read. But, baby, this your tire iron for the Monday morning ruckus at the water cooler. Of course you've always held reasonable positions and offered sound answers on the important issues and questions of the day, but you never could back them up with anything but common sense and what's in the newspapers, and the smarty pants big thinkers - really big mouths - outgunned you. Well Clyde Prestowitz, a bright, thoughtful, and experienced guy is your corner man. He's done the research, and, if you buy this book, you'll move up about five weight classes. Are you chagrinned that the company Rush has always laid you out with why you're a namby-pamby liberal who's too chicken to back the president with the huevos to set the petty dictators of the world straight? Who's got the moxie to say just why the 'Old Europe' is just a bunch of Chicken Littles? Who knows in his heart that we've got to back the Taiwanese because they should still be the real Rulers of China? Well, big guy, Clyde has the answers - honest to goodness rational ones - that you need to compete. Just drift over to the cooler, check out the topic that Mr. Blowhard is ranting about, slide back to your cubical, load up on five pages of well researched hooks and crosses, and glide back to the center of the ring. Baby, you're now armed and dangerous. Rush's dentures are in danger, and you're the man - or woman. Truly, this is a very good book. Unless you've devoted yourself to studying American foriegn policy, you just can't find a more succinct, well studied, well written and easily accessed book on almost all of the vexing problems facing America today. A friend lent me his copy, and when I finished it, I ordered my own. Hey, easy on the bullies now; your the good guy - or gal. Clyde's a conservative - old style not a neocon. And, while this was written and released before Victory at Sea, aka the big scene on flight deck of the Abraham Lincoln, it's got the whole thing thought out. Too bad it doesn't look good for the POTUS.
Rating: 
Summary: Completely unconvincing
Review: The author argues that we Americans have been throwing our weight around. And that we ought to embrace multilateralism and international law. Well, that sounds really good. Just what could be wrong with that?
The main problem is that even if we Americans have been unfair and unjust, there is little reason to believe that we'll be better off if we give more power to an international group. Such a group could be united against us, and it could make things worse for everyone (and really bad for us Americans). Probably, we'd be assured at the start of the group's good intentions. But after we conceded enough power, we'd get double-crossed.
Well, there isn't too much chance of that! The United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and others have made their intentions pretty clear. And so does the author. We're talking about a wolf in wolf's clothing.
I think one important issue the author deals with is the Arab-Israeli conflict. As he says, "On no issue is the gulf between America and the rest of the world greater than on" this.
Well, given that the issue is so important, what does Prestowitz say?
Well, he refuses to blame the Arab side for the failure of the Camp David negotiations. And he says that Sharon's walk on the Temple Mount was about as bad an idea as one could have. Okay, I have a few questions:
1) If the Arab case has any merit, why is it promoted almost exclusively by terror and lies? Does he think that such terror and lies ought to be opposed?
2) Why does the author think it proper to ethnically cleanse Jews (but not Arabs) from the West Bank? Isn't that a little arbitrary? And why does the author think this injustice is essential to bring peace closer?
3) Given that plenty of members of the Knesset had been visiting the Temple Mount, why does the author think that a pre-approved visit by Sharon was so obviously a bad idea? Has it occurred to him that refusing to let Sharon do something so ordinary might have severe ramifications in itself? And just why is it that the author feels that a Jew visiting the holiest Jewish site, in the capital of Israel ought to be a casus belli? Does this mean that the author thinks that Jews ought to be special in not having any rights in their own capital or at their own holy sites?
Oh yes, some folks have boasted that the author is a conservative. But I'm judging his book on its merits, not on the author's purported politics. In any case, I'm a liberal.
Had the author been more honest with us, I think I'd have been more willing to look at his advice. As it stands, I think the one star I'm giving this book is generous.
Rating:
Summary: Rogue States and Rogue Nation
Review: There have been a lot of books on the foreign policy of the Bush(43th) Administration which is characterized as unilateralism, but this book seems one of the best works. It is ironical that the Americans are really 'rogue nation' whose President condemned Iraq, Iran and North Korea as 'rogue states' (and 'axis of evils'), for their administration unilaterally withdrew from ABM Treaty, Kyoto Protocol and so on, and 'invaded' Iraq without any just cause nor approval of the Security Council of the U.N. The author still places complete reliance on the power and authority of the U.S., which have been abused at least for the time being. The book should be recognized as American conscience.
Rating:
Summary: The Truth hurts!
Review: This book by Prestowitz is not only well written, but based on first hand knowledge of the issues. This book covers the whole picture of U.S. foriegn policy and how it has come to where we are at today. The author points out glaring errors in recent decisions as well as how they have affected the view of the U.S from abroad. The author goes out of his way to explain how the U.S. is still respected and needed around the world, but warns us if we do not heed the warnings we may soon be in a much different global environment.
This is a must read!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Real Eye Opener
Review: This book does a good job of explaining how other countries view the United States, and what their views are. That is the entire basis of this book. It is very heavily footnoted, with thousands of primary sources. One example of this is how world views the United States in terms of military strength. [quote]
"[Colin] Powell hinted at the new strategy during the testimony to the House Armed Services Committee in early 1992. The United States, he said, required "sufficient power" to "deter any challenger from ever dreaming of challenging us on the world stage." "I want to be the bully on the block," he added, so that there is no future in trying to challenge the armed forces of the United States."
Source-"Rogue Nation"-Clyde Prestowitz-copyright-2003-page-23-4
Source [primary]- David Armstrong. "Dick Cheney's Song of America; Drafting a Plan for Global Dominance." Harper's. October 1, 2002. Vol. 305, No. 1825, page. 76-82 Another example on the same theme- [quote] "Some Americans, believing that our troops in Korea are primarily there to defend the South against the North, called for a U.S. withdrawal. They should be aware of Secretary of defense William Cohen's statement in April 1997 that the United States intends to keep its forces in Korea even if the two Koreas unite." Source-{secondary}-"Rogue Nation"-Clyde Prestowitz-copyright-2003-page-180
Source-{primary}-"No reduction in US forces in Asia even if Korea reunites: Cohen"-Jim Mannion-April 6, 1997; Agence France Press. This book further dwells into the huge amount of resources America uses, with so little consideration to conserve energy, (as we drive our SUV's); how Americans have abandoned the Kyoto treaty. (Environmentalism) Many other countries view America as wasteful, greedy and that this planet belong the them. Clyde (the author again uses sources from people of several countries) Clyde also tries to explain why some countries don't understand why the United States allows Israel to violate UN resolutions, have Nuclear weapons, but not other countries. (there is a short overview of the Israel/Palestine relationship) The same examples of how the world views the United States refusal to sign UN treaties banning torturing Prisoners of War. (P.O.W.) How the United States, subsidizes the American Farmers, which makes it so that other countries can not compete on the Global Market in this respect, to how NAFTA is hurting the American Economy. There is a lot of information in this book, and I believe it's one of the books, a well read American should read.
Rating:
Summary: A Christmas book for friends who ask: "Why do they hate us?"
Review: This book is not for those who believe America SHOULD be the world's biggest bully, or those who think that 'winning' means America pushing others around to satisfy our desires. These people (we all know a few of them!) will not appreciate the fact that the author attacks America's smug, self-satisfied vision of itself. Prestowitz documents a history of arrogance, duplicity, hypocrisy, bullying, vacillation, whim, and other behaviors that used to be considered faults or flaws. (Despite his "conservative" credentials he may or may not get away with 'criticizing America,' as he does in this volume. In a country studded with "I support President Bush and our troops" lawn signs it seems doubtful that most conservatives will accept his 'defection' from O'Reilly/Coulter/Limbaugh orthodoxy.) Prestowitz sees America as 'something special.' He refers to America as a 'shining city upon a hill', implying that America has more to offer the world than hamburger stands and superhighways. One of Prestowitz's more controversial theses is that the United States should be guided in its foreign policy by some form or another of ethics and by respect for foreign nations and for individual foreigners. On the first page, Prestowitz states: "What troubles me, and has inspired my title, is that increasingly large numbers of people abroad...are beginning to see us ... as, in the words of Webster's dictionary, 'no longer... belonging, not controllable or answerable, and with an unpredictable disposition.'" [Actually, the full definition of "rogue" appears in the head note: "No longer obedient, belonging or accepted, not controllable or answerable; deviant, having an abnormally savage or unpredictable disposition."] As others have noted, most of this depressing book consists of documentation of America's "rogue" behavior. (For those unfamiliar with American history and who want to understand how the American dream has left the track, this book is fascinating.) Prestwick analyzes the issues of foreign policy arrogance, stupidity, and bureaucratic incompetence quite adequately. However -- I thought it ironic that the author (who is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, a Calvinist denomination based on acceptance of predestination) seems unable or unwilling to admit that he is simply a spectator: a chronicler of an evolving epic tragedy. He seems to think something can be done to change the foreign policy the Federal Government -- and the special interests it serves -- is following. In the last chapter, "City On A Hill", (in predictably American fashion), Prestwick asks the inevitable (and predictable) question: "What then is to be done?" (The option "nothing" is not offered - very American that!). Prestwick posts a long laundry list of "we shoulds". This is the weakest part of the book, since it is obvious that almost none of them will be adopted. This is not because they are bad ideas (most in fact are quite sensible) -- but because neither those in power nor the special interests they represent will benefit from implementing them. Still this is a well-written and interesting indictment.
Rating:
Summary: WAKE UP AMERICA
Review: This is a must read book along with Howard Zinn's "History of the United States -- 1492 to Present". Both books should be read by every American and used as texts in our schools. You'll never understand this country and why America (not yet Americans) is the most hated country on earth! Having lived most of my adult life overseas and being old enough to remember that Castro & Ho Chi Minh both approached the US for help before turning to the Soviets, I agree with nearly everything the author says.
Rating: 
Summary: Good conservative questions about the adminitraion.
Review: To start with I support the President's Global War on Terror 100%. I believe it is the Cause of our generation. That aside, many aspects of the Bush Administration have left me scratching my head. I have always believed because more than two countries signed a treaty dodoesn'take said treaty a good one. Things like Kykyotolandmine ban, test ban treaty, or the ICC, may have been good to many but there aspects in them that the US should pressure many nations to revise. When Bush withdrew support in them I agreed, however, he could have said, "Now we dodon'tupport that in its form, but we will if X, Y and Z are met." He dididn'tay that only withdrew. Republican offiofficialstowitz dives into the world feeling of the US since before Bush went to DC. His calls the US a "rogue nation" not in equalling it to Iraq, or Iran, but in the definition that we do what we do. I agree with him that the US needs more inteinternationalport, however, he mentions the US need in not supporting every treaty that comes down the pike, but he spends little time on it. He spends time writing that many of our problems are because we supported many corrupt nations in the past, but at that point he sounds like Dean in saying we created them what gives us the right to take him down. The central question he asks is "Why does the US wish to exclude international oginizatorganizations can us them for our purposes?" Prestowitz gives a conservative attack on the adminitratadminstration, including myself, would welcome more or less.
Rating:
Summary: Historical Perspective of Rogue Nation
Review: Unlike most other authors of books on current national policies, Prestowitz serves a valuable purpose in Rogue Nation by recounting the historical background of U.S. foreign policy attitudes. He shows that, while the Bush Administration's unilateralism has historical roots, his preemptive doctrine is a clear break with 240 years of American interaction with the rest of the world. While the U.S. has intervened in other countries in the past, somtimes with less than altruistic motives, it has never sought to establish itself as the sole power in the world by acting against any nation or group preemptively that would dare challenge us. Rogue Nation should be read by anyone seriously interested in the future of the United States. We should all hope that the vision displayed by Prestowitz will someday be displayed by U.S Presidents, the Congress and the American public.
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