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The-Cynic · 2006-07-26 9:54 am

So, I bought a couple books yesterday...finally got sick of Niel Conan raving about the same guys over and over, so maybe when I finally do pick the book up he'll shut up....so here's what I got:

Fiasco "The American Military Adventure in Iraq." by Thomas E. Ricks

---From what I've heard he's got a ton of insider (whatever) info on the making of the war, what it took to finally sway the public into going, and the failure of the administration to look into post-Saddam Iraq politics and stablitity....etc....he's been given a lot of praise but I"ve heard him say there's about a 5% chance of the situation over there leveling out and turning into a stable democracy....thats pretty pessimistic, but really who isn't these days....

The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life
----Ramesh Ponnuru

---Its interesting the titles people come up with. I don't think this will be any different than watching Fox News, but I bought this one used so there's no chance my money will go towards this person....(I buy used all the time, political authors they just write for cash...so I'll take the reading they don't get my money)....Anyway, this sounds offensive so I'm up for a good thrill, I always wonder how the other side seeks to destroy my lifestyle....

And afterall, I doubt seriously Ramesh even understands abortion and what it means to the city folk where young woman often are raped and can't afford to take care much less survive with an extra mouth....(thats a tricky post, I think I've gone into that enough)...so really, its always facinating when I read Pro-life literature they always avoid the urban folk, they never fully delve into what is behind the numbers of abortions in the city, and why they are so high.....maybe....whatever.

On a lighter note:

Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
---Juliet Baker

It was a great listening experience I heard yesterday I think it was on Fresh Air? It sounded great, but was given too little time to really grasp the books message....I love British History.

sturner · 2006-07-26 10:53 am

I listened to the Fresh Air interview of Thomas Ricks yesterday. He does maintain that the officer corps in the Army is very dissatisfied with the leadership from the Bush Administration, especially that of Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz.

He described it with a word that is extremely dangerous in this context. Betrayal. The professionalism of the officer corps, if this feeling is true, is being sorely tested.

He also commented on the cause of the atrocities which are being investigated, and those that occurred prior to these. He calls it a failure of leadership, a failure of the senior leaders to understand the nature of the mission, and how to implement it. He cites the success of the 101st Airborne Div in Mosel as an example of a successful anti-insurgency operation. I concur. It is what I've said before. In an insurgency you don't bring maximum firepower on civilians in this situation, or mistreat detainees, and win. If you do that you are working for the enemy.

AAPL Shareholder · 2006-07-26 1:13 pm

I just started reading this book:

Conservatives Without Conscience
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067003 … 32?ie=UTF8

It's written by former Nixon White House council John Dean, and to an extent, the late Rep. Senator Goldwater. Essentially CWC explores academic research into authoritarianism to explain the evolution of modern day conservatism.

It's definitly worth the read if your a poli-sci geek. or someone who's interested on why views that were once right of center are now viewed as left of center.

Last edited by AAPL Shareholder (2006-07-26 1:15 pm)

The-Cynic · 2006-07-31 1:43 pm

Well, I finished Ricks' book....

Nothing new, I mean if you've been watching Frontline or listening to NPR for the past 5 years, you'd think this guy was preaching to the choir...and maybe its news for a lot of Americans, probably the dumb ones who fell for the shtick to go to war in the first place...

The second book, I couldn't get past the forward...I mean I was name called, and insulted and put down, it was just typical conservative literature....

They honestly cannot write a chapter without exiling someone to hell, or making a case for someone to be stoned to death....obviously made for money...Ramesch should be aborted.

Forums | MacLife

#1 2006-07-26 9:54 am

Book Talk

#2 2006-07-26 10:53 am

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#3 2006-07-26 1:13 pm

Re: Book Talk

#4 2006-07-31 1:43 pm

Re: Book Talk

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