Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Hoplite

Scheuer is all over the place, and has some brutal ideas.

To the simplistic dichotomy it's what we are vs. it's what we do he claims it's merely "it's what we do". This is appealing to lefties hoping to have their "root cause" prejudices affirmed but the book itself shows that some of "what we do" is unappealing to no domestic faction. Then, even more confusingly, the shows jihadism is a lot about "what we are" - for example his mentions that Osama wants us to convert to Islam.

The anti-Israel angle might be his attempt to increase book sales to the anti-semitic left, but here in the link above it seems heartfelt. And his book describes the worldwide ambitions of Osama and Jihadism, yet without criticism doesn't discuss why accusations that we help Russia and India in Chechnya and Kashmir are wrong.

Even his title is confusing. "Imperial Hubris" seems to evoke the idea of a reaction to American Empire, yet he uses it to criticize Americans who can only think Osama must be only reacting to us because we think, e.g., we're the center of the world.

He's all over the place and he's loopy. Plus many of his so-called revelations are merely taken from Osama's communiques and videos to which he gives no credit.


10 posted on 02/11/2005 12:02:54 PM PST by Shermy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]


To: Shermy
I think he was handicapped by having to flesh out the book with material he found in public to buttress ideas based upon non-public information.

At least that's the only explanation I could come up for as to why he'd be casting his net so wide and far for source material.

At any rate, while I don't agree with all of his positions, specifically his pessimism as to our chances in Afghanistan, I can't find fault with the majority of the book - and the issue being raised on this thread is whether blind American support for Israel is in America's interest: Scheuer's position is that it's not, and I agree with him.

We're not going to cut Israel loose - Israel's existence is in the American interest.

But looking on passively as Israel expanded settlements into the West Bank and Gaza strip was more harmful to American interests than helpful.

20 posted on 02/11/2005 12:50:19 PM PST by Hoplite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson