Book Alert August-September 2005

International Affairs

52.           The 9/11 Commission report : final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. Norton, [2004]. 567 p.   973.931 NAT
 
The eagerly awaited release of The 9/11 Commission Report has caused an avalanche of press coverage, but nearly all of the media commentary has omitted one important attribute of this instant bestseller: its readability. For once, U.S. government has produced a report designed for the public that it purports to serve. The 9/11 Commission Report is a model of narrative clarity. Reading it, one gains a better sense of every stage and dimension of these truly terrifying events; from the rise of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda to the collapse of the World Trade Center and its aftermath. Like a full-throttled detective story thrust into real life, it renders the near misses and muffed opportunities that enabled the plot to reach fruition. With sensationalizing or overgeneralizing, the report's authors have given us a document that illuminates the planning and possible countermeasures to these terrible acts. ISBN 0393326713 (pbk.): $10.00    C
 
 
53.           Barnett, Thomas P.M.
                The Pentagon’s new map : war and peace in the twenty-first century / Thomas P.M. Barnett. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, ©2004. 435 p.   355.033073 BAR
 
Barnett here proposes a clear and comprehensive strategy for the United States based on the distinction between "core" states integrated through the world economy and states in the nonintegrated "gap." Because threats to security emanate from states in the gap, the author seeks to shrink the gap by promoting altered "rule sets" governing the flow of people, energy, investment, and security. America's role is to export security and advance connections between the core and the diminishing gap. The author carefully explains why his approach differs from strategic thought aimed at subduing what he calls "arcs of crisis" or "the main enemy." He also makes a good case against those who advocate withdrawal from an "empire" or a "global-chaos strategy." Though he supports the war in Iraq, he criticizes the Bush administration for fostering an impression of vindictiveness rather than a "future worth creating." This is an important contribution to debates about globalization and U.S. military policy. ISBN 0399151753: $26.95    C    (Adapted from Library Journal, ©2004)
 
 
54.           The battle for hearts and minds : using soft power to undermine terrorist networks / edited by Alexander T.J. Lennon. MIT Press, 2003. 392 p.   363.32 BAT
 
This work discusses four aspects of soft power. The first section of the book considers failed or failing states as havens for transnational terrorist networks, and examines the most effective ways to build stable nations in unstable regions, including focused looks at Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. The second section explores postconflict reconstruction, including in-depth examinations of security, justice and reconciliation, opportunities for achieving socioeconomic well-being, and increased participation in government. The third section examines public diplomacy, asking whether the United States needs new policies or simply a new image to increase its appeal in the Arab and Muslim world. The final section of the book looks at foreign assistance, and assesses the potential of the current administration's "Millennium Challenge Account" (or as one contributor puts it, "Compassionate Conservatism Meets Global Poverty") to combat poverty, increase democracy, and reduce the appeal of terror. This work presents a balanced assessment of the role that nonmilitary options can play against transnational terrorist networks. ISBN 0262621797 (pbk.): $20.00    C/CH/M/ND
 
 
55.                Bazerman, Max H.
                Predictable surprises : the disasters you should have seen coming, and how to prevent them / Max H. Bazerman, Michael D. Watkins. Harvard Business School Press, ©2004. 317 p.   363.34 BAZ
 
Predictable Surprises goes beyond simply assigning blame to explore why leaders so often miss or ignore impending disasters and what they can do to prevent them. Through detailed and riveting accounts of the events, missed signals, and ignored warnings leading up to 9/11, the fall of Enron, and other high-profile disasters, Bazerman and Watkins explain the cognitive, organizational, and political biases that make predictable surprises so common, and outline proactive steps leaders can take to overcome them. The authors argue that organizations will achieve the greatest success in preventing predictable surprises if they adopt blanket measures to prepare for a spectrum of disasters-rather than addressing potential surprises one at a time. Bazerman and Watkins identify six danger signals that suggest a predictable surprise may be imminent, and outline a prescriptive framework that will improve leaders' ability to recognize legitimate problems, prioritize brewing crises amidst a sea of "noise," and mobilize an organization to respond quickly and effectively to prevent disasters. A timely assessment of a disturbing phenomenon, this book calls on leaders in all walks of life to find the courage to act before it's too late. ISBN 1591391784: $27.50    CH
 
 
56.           Fuller, Graham E.
                The future of political Islam / by Graham E. Fuller. Palgrave, 2003.
227 p.   320.55 FUL
 
Fuller sets out to de-mystify Islam and its relationship to affairs of state in this broad survey of Islamic political movements. Attributing the rise of militant and fundamentalist Islam to centuries of Western colonialism, imperialism and cultural domination, Fuller points out that in most Middle Eastern countries, politicized Islam is often the only alternative to repressive, authoritarian regimes. To his credit, he treats this as neither an excuse nor a justification, but a simple reality. As with any other religion or political movement, Islam takes on a variety of forms: "Islamism is really a variety of political movements, principles and philosophies that draw general inspiration from Islam but produce different agendas and programs at different times." While Fuller succeeds in explaining that Shari'a, or Islamic law, is less a form of governance (as many fundamentalists argue) than a personal code of conduct, he brings a powerful argument to bear against many radical and repressive interpretations of the Koran. Fuller's narrative doesn't always pack the cogent punch of that section of the book, which as a whole can feel somewhat scattershot. This is an illuminating read and a welcome addition to the growing literature on contemporary Islam, and Fuller's prognosis – of increased tensions between international Islam and the U.S.; a focus on revenge rather than growth; the potential obsolescence of more liberal Islamic political movements, among other predictions – is sobering. ISBN 1403961360: $23.50    C/CH/ND    (Adapted from Publishers Weekly, ©2003)
 
57.           Gaddis, John Lewis.
                Surprise, security, and the American experience / John Lewis Gaddis. Harvard University Press, 2004. 150 p.   355.033 GAD
 
The post-September 11 strategy of the Bush administration is often described as a radical departure from U.S. policy. Gaddis, one of America's leading scholars of foreign policy and international relations, provocatively demonstrates that, to the contrary, the principles of preemption, unilateralism and hegemony go back to the earliest days of the republic. Gaddis resurrects the 18th-century idea of an "empire of liberty": whether as a universal principle or in an American context, liberty could flourish only in an empire that provided safety. The British burning of Washington in 1814 highlighted American vulnerability to certain forms of surprise attack. In consequence, Gaddis recounts, John Quincy Adams developed a strategy of seeking control over the North American continent with minimal coercion, but through preemptive action where necessary. The attack on Pearl Harbor extended the concept to global dimensions, eventually expanding the U.S. sphere of influence exponentially. The events of September 11 extended the concept of preemptive action even at the expense of sovereignty when terrorism is involved. Gaddis describes this latest expansion of American power in response to surprise attack as a volatile mixture of prudence and arrogance. But instead of the usual caveats, he recommends the U.S. continue on an interventionist course, and he has no qualms about calling America the best hope of liberty in the eyes of most of the earth's inhabitants. The ability to question all values that is liberty's essence depends, he finds, on defending certain values-unilaterally and preemptively when necessary, but not randomly. This compact, provocative history of an idea-in-action has the potential to alter the U.S.'s collective self-image.
ISBN 0674011740: $18.90    C/CH/ND    (Adapted from Publishers Weekly, ©2004)
 
 
58.                Goldgeier, James M.
                Power and purpose : U.S. policy toward Russia after the Cold War / James M. Goldgeier [and] Michael McFaul. Brookings Institution Press, 2003. 467 p.   327.73047 GOL
 
Russia, once seen as America’s greatest adversary, is now viewed by the United States as a potential partner. This book traces the evolution of American foreign policy toward the Soviet Union, and later Russia, during the tumultuous and uncertain period following the end of the cold war. It examines how American policymakers – particularly in the executive branch – coped with the opportunities and challenges presented by the new Russia. Drawing on extensive interviews with senior U.S. and Russian officials, the authors explain George H. W. Bush’s response to the dramatic coup of August 1991 and the Soviet breakup several months later, examine Bill Clinton’s efforts to assist Russia’s transformation and integration, and analyze George W. Bush’s policy toward Russia as September 11 and the war in Iraq transformed international politics. Throughout, the book focuses on the benefits and perils of America’s efforts to promote democracy and markets in Russia as well as reorient Russia from security threat to security ally. Understanding how three U.S. administrations dealt with these critical policy questions is vital in assessing not only America’s Russia policy, but also efforts that might help to transform and integrate other former adversaries in the future. ISBN 0815731736 (pbk.): $22.95; ISBN 0815731744    ND
 
 
59.           Ignatieff, Michael.
                The lesser evil : political ethics in an age of terror / Michael Ignatieff. Princeton University Press, ©2004. 212 p.   172.4 IGN
 
In this wise and reflective book, Ignatieff draws upon his training as a historian and journalist to look behind the popular knee-jerk reactions to terrorism. Ignatieff is more a realist than an ideologue, and he presents an overview of how democracies have dealt with terrorist movements in the past and how they might best approach the terrorist threat today. Central to his book are several questions: Is there no moral limit to what a republic can do when its existence is threatened? Are human rights to be sacrificed for the safety of the population? Finally, when is extreme violence justified? Ignatieff argues that when violence by the state is justified, it should be tempered and limited; likewise, when emergency measures are enacted (such as the suspension of civil liberties), they need to be temporary. With examples from history (the Roman Empire, tsarist Russia, the IRA, and Britain), he explores the tension between democracy and survival and concludes that "liberal democracies consistently overreact to terrorist threats." This book is much more than a philosophical exercise. Ignatieff addresses real concerns, such as the acquisition of nuclear or chemical weapons by terrorist organizations. This should be required reading for all informed citizens as we face an uncertain future. ISBN 0691117519: $16.02    C/CH/ND    (Adapted from Library Journal, ©2004)
 
 
60.           The imperial tense : prospects and problems of American empire / edited with an introduction by Andrew J. Bacevich. Ivan R. Dee, ©2003. 271 p.   327.73 IMP
 
There's a host of issues surrounding the U.S. and what many see as its empire as it pushes to confront terrorism – and this balanced collection of mostly scholarly articles addresses many of them. For the most part, the pieces are nuanced, examining subtleties in a world where the U.S. is the sole global power. There are no epiphanies, but pieces discuss such topics as how the U.S. can both confront authoritarian regimes and promote human rights, how American policy should change in order to prevent a further international backlash and whether the U.S. is doomed to fall, like previous empires. Some of the articles gathered by Bacevich (American Empire) hew to familiar arguments – a few, like journalist Charles Krauthammer, argue unabashedly for American power; others seem stuck in a pompous, crude anti-Americanism, as when John Millbank calls on the West "to abandon our global idolatrous worship of sacralized absolute sovereignty, and the formally neutral market." But these pieces are the exceptions. To the editor's credit, the essays appear to be carefully chosen, with an equal number critical and accepting of America's increasing global power. At their best, they display a measure of wit, as when one essayist writes: "Whatever its fate, America, too, will live on-for its Constitution, its movies, and for having placed the first man on the moon." ISBN 156635322: $28.95; ISBN 1566635330 (pbk.)    C/M    (Adapted from Publishers Weekly, ©2003)
 
 
61.           Ishay, Micheline.
                The history of human rights : from ancient times to the globalization era / Micheline R. Ishay. University of California Press, ©2004. 450 p.   323.09 ISH
 
Ishay has undertaken the difficult task of abstracting the origins and development of modern human rights from recorded history. The result is a panoramic view that demands much of the reader but ultimately satisfies through imaginative scholarship and scrupulous detail. The author balances her assessment of the intellectual legacies of religious tradition, Marxist thought, and the Enlightenment with an analysis of efforts to protect human rights in the postwar era. The UN's universalism, typified by the Universal Declaration, remains a major focus of the human rights struggle, but Ishay finds that globalization threatens the place of civil society as a buffer to claims of the state and a needed space for resistance to corporate power. Some readers may fault the author's debt to postmodernism and to Marxists like Antonio Gramsci, but she convincingly identifies current progress in human rights with the progressive Left. Consistent attention to the situation of women's rights and occasional sidebar extracts from original sources further enhance the book's value. ISBN 0520234979 (pbk.): $18.70; ISBN 0520234960    CH    (Adapted from Library Journal, ©2004)
 
 
62.           Mead, Walter Russell.
                Power, terror, peace, and war : America’s grand strategy in a world at risk / Walter Russell Mead. Knopf, 2004. 226 p.   327.73 MEA
 
Mead proposes a new strategic paradigm based on the premise that an unfettered global capitalism and a more aggressive American imperium are inevitable. Sometimes his terminology only muddles the conventional wisdom: for instance, he labels the neoconservatives' moralistic, interventionist foreign policy "Revival Wilsonianism," even though it rejects traditional Wilsonians' defining belief in binding international institutions. And he identifies Islamist militancy as "Arabian fascism," even though the movement advocates religious rather than ethnic solidarity. In other cases, Mead provides a useful framework, such as his contrast between the (Henry) "Fordist" bureaucratic welfare state of the 20th century and the new century's individualistic "millennial capitalism," whose roots he traces to a "Jacksonian" rebellion against the professional class that administered post-New Deal American society. Also valuable is Mead's refinement of Joseph Nye's distinction between soft and hard power. Hard power, Mead says, ought to be further divided between "sharp" (military) and "sticky" (economic) power, while soft power comprises "sweet" (cultural) and "hegemonic" (the totality of America's agenda-setting power). These concepts help shape Mead's approach to the Bush doctrine. He supports its most controversial elements, unilateralism and pre-emptive war, but urges greater attention to the sticky, sweet and hegemonic aspects of American influence in the next stage of the war on terror. Mead's book demonstrates the value and difficulty of analyzing the "architecture of America's world policy" from such heights of abstraction before hindsight has clarified what is historically determined and what is contingent. ISBN 1400042372: $19.95    C/CH/ND    (Adapted from Publishers Weekly, ©2004)
 
 
63.           Rights vs. public safety after 9/11 : America in the age of terrorism / edited by Amitai Etzioni and Jason H. Marsh. Rowman & Littlefield, ©2003. 179 p.   363.32 RIG
 
Etzioni, professor and founder of "communitarianism," teams up with journalist Marsh in presenting 21 essays, many previously published, that collectively debate the war between civil and legal rights on one hand and the so-called "War on Terror" on the other. The views presented cut across a political spectrum ranging from Attorney General John Ashcroft's demands for more police power to worries that rights need to "balanced" with "fighting terrorism." Topics explored include immigration, racial profiling, freedom of the press, public health, "just" war theory, and national service. ISBN 0742527549: $50.00; ISBN 0742527557 (pbk.)    C/M/ND    (Adapted from Book News, Inc., ©2003)
 
 
64.           Stern, Jessica.
                Terror in the name of God : why religious militants kill / Jessica Stern. Ecco, ©2003. 368 p.   303.625 STE
 
Stern makes the issue personal by depicting her encounters with religious terrorists around the world. Her definition of "religious terrorism" is comprehensive, encompassing the growing Muslim jihad in Indonesia, militant Palestinians and zealous Israelis, and Americans who kill abortion doctors in the name of Christ. Given the opportunity to articulate their positions, these and other subjects surprise not by their vehemence but by their relative normality, making it all the more curious that many of them eventually elect to strike against their opponents with deadly force. Explaining the "how" therefore becomes as important as explaining the "why," and the book carefully outlines the ways in which militant leaders of all denominations find recruits among the disenfranchised and recondition them, often under cultlike conditions, stoking their zealotry to the point of suicide and murder. Coupled with additional research, Stern's firsthand encounters bring a valuable and much-needed perspective to the problem of religious violence, and she identifies several increasingly broad threats, including the extent to which many governments will tolerate or even sponsor militant religious groups to further their own political agendas. For all the material damage terrorist acts cause, Stern argues, we should understand religious militance as a form of psychological warfare, calculated to bolster the faithful and strike "spiritual dread" in the unbelievers; the most effective counterstrategy is thus not violence but nonviolent techniques such as psychological counterwarfare and the reaffimation of our own values. ISBN 006050532X: $27.95    C/CH/M/ND    (Adapted from Publishers Weekly, ©2003)
 
 
65.           The Wilson chronology of human rights / edited by David Levinson. H.W. Wilson, 2003. 573 p.   REF 323.0202 WIL
 

From governmental, organizational, and individual web sites; books, periodicals, newsletters; newspapers; and human rights documents and reports, information regarding human rights is arranged in several chronologies, the earliest beginning about 3,000 bce and all extending through 2002. The sections are general human, civil, religious, women's, indigenous, children's, gay, disabled, and refugee rights. The U.S. receives the most detailed coverage, but information is also provided about other regions and nations and about international developments. A general bibliography is also provided.
ISBN 0824209729: $124.00 (For use only in the AIRC)    C/M/ND    (Adapted from Book News, Inc., ©2004)

 

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