Book Description
Slicing through the emotional--but factually wrong--arguments of gun control advocates this book busts a number of myths, demonstrating with hard statistical data and riveting anecdotes.
Customer Reviews:
Very dry reading.......2007-09-01
If you can get past the numbers research then you'll benefit from this book. And, you'll never understand the evidence behind the truth about the benefits of gun possession versus the costs until you read it. The Bias Against Guns easily discredits those opposed to gun possession. Anti-gun folks don't tell the truth about the benefits of owning guns - John Lott does and proves it with advanced statistical analysis and research.
The proof that proves the benefits of gun possession is in this book.
Note the publisher of this book.......2007-08-26
Right wing, non-scholarly press. Then look at where Lott's critics publish--in scholarly journals and with academic presses.
Enough said.
Who should read this..........2007-04-01
Most of the news we see every day is favored toward showing the use of guns as bad. Whether this is because of a media plot to condition the public against guns, or because, in general, the people who work for the mainstream media are horrified by guns is not the point. What this book does is give us the other side of the debate, a side that needs to be heard.
Anyone who is caught by the day to day onslaught of the media bias against guns, but has an open mind and thinks they should have both sides of the story, should read this book. Anyone who instinctively knows that guns are the basis of all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and would like a better understanding of that, should read this book.
Anyone else, it will be a waste of your money.
The Stephen Glass of econometricsisisis?.......2006-12-30
Fans of this 'scholarly work' (if computerized number crunching and anecdotal evidence can be called scholarly) by a 'much-published academician' (if that is meaningful to you) would no doubt be disappointed to learn Lott has based crucial evidence upon a survey he conducted himself and then 'unfortunately lost all trace of' the data; that he & his family have taken it upon themselves in the past to write stellar reviews for his books on Amazon.com; that Lott has found it necessary to defend his work by using pseudonyms and fake personas ('Mary Rosh')--but why, when the numbers speak for themselves??
Certainly not in order to profit from the audacious frenzy a claim like 'unregistered assault weapons reduce crime' would inevitably create...
Please, read 'How to Lie With Statistics' instead. Heck, read Wikipedia's article on John Lott, which cites the New England Journal of Medicine's statement:
[Lott] finds, for example, that both increasing the rate of unemployment and reducing income reduces the rate of violent crimes and that reducing the number of black women 40 years old or older (who are rarely either perpetrators or victims of murder) substantially reduces murder rates. Indeed, according to Lott's results, getting rid of older black women will lead to a more dramatic reduction in homicide rates than increasing arrest rates or enacting shall-issue laws.'
Controversy is indeed delicious, and who can fault some guy for trying to drum up a little press--but clouding such a serious issue in which lives are at stake with fuzzy math is undoubtedly reprehensible.
You can either be persuaded about this author's ethos by a few dazzling blurbs by 'Nobel Prize winners of Economics' (a solid science to be sure), or by his own behavior in response to scepticism. As Jon Weiner's Op-Ed in the LA Times states concerning the Lott v. Levitt lawsuit:
Lott is not suing those who have said some of his pro-gun research was "invented," "faked" or "cooked." The lawsuit turns on the definition of "replicate," from the "Freakonomics" sentence about how other scholars have tried and failed to "replicate his results." Lott maintains "replicate" means "analyze the identical data in the way Lott did." Because nobody tried to do that, he argues, "Freakonomics" is wrong. Most people, however, understand "replicate" to mean something like "confirm." Lott's reputation has indeed been "seriously damaged" by critics, but only because they have described many apparent holes in his dubious research and misleading citations. Blocking the sale of a book based on a literal interpretation of a single word [is] outrageous.'
Eye-opening from the first page.......2006-11-04
John R. Lott is a modern-day genius. His writing should earn him both the Nobel Prize for Peace AND the one for literature.
It's about time someone gave us the real story on gun crimes instead of the liberal slant we get from all the liberal news outlets. Obviously the previous reviewer who was in the military and speaks in favor of background checks has been misguided his own experience and these liberal media outlets.
Waiting periods make no sense at all, and I don't know who this Ronald Reagan guy is, but he sounds like a garden-variety lilly-livered liberal to me. Think about it. If you try to buy a handgun and you are forced to wait a week, there could be, by Mr. Lott's statistics, hundreds of crimes that you could have stopped by brandishing your piece. But those crimes happen, because you're stuck waiting because some liberal panzy named Reagan needed a background check law.
It's obvious, even to the most gun-scared leftist out there, everyone, even those who have not developed their full motor skills, should own a gun. Otherwise, how can you protect yourself!? It's NUMBERS people. If everyone has a gun, no one will get shot. Since gun owners are all expert marksmen, none of them would ever try to shoot a criminal and miss, thereby shooting an innocent bystander. After all, it's really easy to hit a moving target with a handgun. Heck, even you're a bad shot and you run out of bullets, you can easily peg your assailant on the head with the butt of your Magnum. If an innocent person gets shot, the statistics pale in comparison to how many would get shot it all of them didn't have guns.
Book Description
This TENTH EDITION of ANNUAL EDITIONS: VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM provides convenient, inexpensive access to current articles selected from the best of the public press. Organizational features include: an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites; an annotated table of contents; a topic guide; a general introduction; brief overviews for each section; a topical index; and an instructor’s resource guide with testing materials. USING ANNUAL EDITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM is offered as a practical guide for instructors. ANNUAL EDITIONS titles are supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online.
Amazon.com
Multiple regression analyses are rarely the subject of heated public debate or 225-page books for laypeople. But John R. Lott, Jr.'s study in the January 1997 Journal of Legal Studies showing that concealed-carry weapons permits reduced the crime rate set off a firestorm. The updated study, together with illustrative anecdotes and a short description of the political and academic response to the study, as well as responses to the responses, makes up Lott's informative More Guns, Less Crime.
In retrospect, it perhaps should not have been surprising that increasing the number of civilians with guns would reduce crime rates. The possibility of armed victims reduces the expected benefits and increases the expected costs of criminal activity. And, at the margin at least, people respond to changes in costs, even for crime, as Nobel-Prize winning economist [TAG]Gary Becker showed long ago. Allusions to the preferences of criminals for unarmed victims have seeped into popular culture; Ringo, a British thug in Pulp Fiction, noted off-handedly why he avoided certain targets: "Bars, liquor stores, gas stations, you get your head blown off stickin' up one of them."
But Lott's actual quantification of this, in the largest and most comprehensive study of the effects of gun control to date, a study well-detailed in the book, provoked a number of attacks, ranging from the amateurish to the subtly misleading, desperate to discredit him. Lott takes the time to refute each argument; it's almost touching the way he footnotes each time he telephones an attacker who eventually hangs up on him without substantiating any of their claims.
Lott loses a little focus when he leaves his firm quantitative base; as an economist, he should know that the low number of rejected background checks under the Brady Bill doesn't demonstrate anything by itself, because some people may have been deterred from even undergoing the background check in the first place, but he attacks the bill on this ground anyway. But the conclusions that are backed by evidence--that concealed-weapons permits reduce crime, and do so at a lower cost to society than increasing the number of police or prisons--are important ones that should be considered by policymakers. --Ted Frank
Book Description
Does allowing people to own or carry guns deter violent crime? Or does it simply cause more citizens to harm each other? Directly challenging common perceptions about gun control, legal scholar John Lott presents the most rigorously comprehensive data analysis ever done on crime statistics and right-to-carry laws. This timely and provocative work comes to the startling conclusion: more guns mean less crime. In this paperback edition, Lott has expanded the research through 1996, incorporating new data available from states that passed right-to-carry and other gun laws since the book's publication as well as new city-level statistics.
"Lott's pro-gun argument has to be examined on the merits, and its chief merit is lots of data. . . . If you still disagree with Lott, at least you will know what will be required to rebut a case that looks pretty near bulletproof."—Peter Coy, Business Week
"By providing strong empirical evidence that yet another liberal policy is a cause of the very evil it purports to cure, he has permanently changed the terms of debate on gun control. . . . Lott's book could hardly be more timely. . . . A model of the meticulous application of economics and statistics to law and policy."—John O. McGinnis, National Review
"His empirical analysis sets a standard that will be difficult to match. . . . This has got to be the most extensive empirical study of crime deterrence that has been done to date."—Public Choice
"For anyone with an open mind on either side of this subject this book will provide a thorough grounding. It is also likely to be the standard reference on the subject for years to come."—Stan Liebowitz, Dallas Morning News
"A compelling book with enough hard evidence that even politicians may have to stop and pay attention. More Guns, Less Crime is an exhaustive analysis of the effect of gun possession on crime rates."—James Bovard, Wall Street Journal
"John Lott documents how far 'politically correct' vested interests are willing to go to denigrate anyone who dares disagree with them. Lott has done us all a service by his thorough, thoughtful, scholarly approach to a highly controversial issue."—Milton Friedman
Customer Reviews:
Compelling ideas.......2007-07-26
John Lott puts up a persuasive argument for the notion that the best way to combat gun crime is to increase the general availability of arms. This may seem like a crazy notion to many but, when looking through his economic graphs and socio-political analyses, an alternative yet persuasive perspective comes across. While I disagree with his call for the relaxation of the law preventing juveniles from carrying concealed firearms, I too came to the conclusion that a legal obligation for citizens to be armed would be for the force of greater good. Food for thought includes the account of the parking-violation that was successfully thwarted (with deadly force) by a gun-toting civilian who was no longer willing to sit back and let crime happen. If there were more common-sense thinkers like John Lott in the world, we should all be far safer. Guns for peace!
very informative.......2007-07-08
The book is full of informative arguments about why gun control increases violent crime. It is well written and very enjoyable to read.
Crimes against unarmed citizens........2007-07-01
On an average day in the United States, guns kill some 100 unarmed citizens and are used in about 3000 serious crimes against unarmed citizens.
Imagine how low the numbers if the would be victim was an armed citizen and pulled out a glock.
As the stats from this book show the numbers would approach zero.
Lott Exposes the Utter Failure of "Gun Control".......2007-06-14
Lott's masterpiece documents how violent crime skyrocketed in municipalities where gun bans went into effect, and conversely declined everywhere so-called right-to-carry laws were enacted. There's no magic here - Lott merely cites the statistical evidence to prove what people with common sense have known all along - criminals fear armed citizens and avoid them whenever possible.
For those who doubt this fundamental truth, I have a challenge:
Place a large "GUN FREE HOME - WE DEPEND ON 911" sign in your front yard or on your front door.
If you truly believe that widespread and ANONYMOUS gun ownership isn't a deterrent to crime - one which provides protection to the armed and unarmed alike - then, have the guts and the intellectual honesty to try to live your politics...put your life (and your family's) where your mouth is and post that sign in your front yard...I dare you.
Particularly relevant in the context of VT.......2007-05-02
This book is usually derided by people who haven't even read it- they have a philosophical aversion to firearms and just assume what the content must be.
One of Lotts more compelling arguments is the data presented regarding "multiple victim public shootings"- like the one that occured at VT. It was shown, using very simple statistics provided by the FBI and the Department of Justice, that incidences of MVPS were lower in states that permit law abiding citizens to obtain carry permits (keep in mind, citizens with carry permits exhibit a rate of crime at a grossly lower rate than the population at large. In some places, their rate of criminal infraction is lower than the police)
How does this pertain to VT?
Earlier this year the Virginia General Assembly failed to act on House Bill 1572. This bill would have allowed college students and employees to carry handguns on campus -with appropriate permits, of course. It died in subcommittee. Larry Hincker, a spokesman for Virginia Tech, said "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."
I wonder how safe the students at VT "feel" now?
John Lotts book gets into these hard facts and philosophies.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding.......2007-05-11
A phenomenal book. DOnt know why it is not more common, should be sold at newstands
Informative and Interesting.......2006-08-17
This well-written, easily accessible book takes the reader on a historical journey through the basis for the Second Amendment, establishing the reasoning of the Founding Fathers for including the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights. From the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers and statesmen to the European tradition, the Second Amendment Primer will eliminate any doubt in your mind that the Second Amendment is a necessary clause protecting citizens not only from criminals and foriegn invasion, but from the government itself, should the need ever arise.
Furthermore, this book denounces, with excellent documentation, the "collectivist" idea that the Second Amendment is only meant to protect so-called "militia members". Instead, this text provides historical context for the crafting of the Bill of Rights, in the form of original writings of the Founding Fathers, showing that they fully intended the Second Amendment to cover the rights of every individual citizen.
Overall, this book is a great read if you are interested in learning about the history and necessity of the Second Amendment, especially if you are having trouble making up your mind.
Objective & Unbiased.......2005-07-15
This book is outstanding. I really appreciate the unbiased and objective content that the author has written. All too often, books on this subject are biased and lack solid facts. Also, the book is easy to read, as the author placed side notes in the margins describing the subject matter as well as highlighting points. Regardless of where one stands on the issue of gun control, etc, this is a worthwhile read, and it is the best book I have read on the subject.
Average customer rating:
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Non-proliferation Export Controls: Origins, Challenges, And Proposals for Strengthening
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Book Description
Here the development of nuclear weapons is viewed from the perspective of the scientist. From the discovery of fission to the Manhattan Project, to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the arms race and early steps toward arms control, this book provides a context for developments in the period 1939-1963. It discusses the scientists' technical contributions, the novelty of working for the government on a secret project, political lobbying, the private anguish over the morality of creating weapons of mass destruction while being subject to public adoration as the wizards who produced the bomb, and finally the rapid descent for some into the Badash traces the course of this tumultuous and apocalyptic period with scientific clarity and sympathetic understanding.
This is a work of history and history of science that will also interest political scientists and sociologists as well as the general reader.
Book Description
When is a crime not a crime? Is espionage "spying" when national security is at stake? Do governments participate in arms trafficking when supplying revolutionaries the means to overthrow a despot? In a departure from past research, Martin and Romano explore multinational crime from a criminological perspective. Proceeding from an interactionist as well as a socio-cultural conflict theory, the authors argue that multinational crime is not random violence. Instead, they contend that these offenses are organized and systematic, cutting across national boundaries by involving a minimum of two countries. The starting block for more rigorous study of multinational systemic crime, this unusual volume emphasizes the value of studying organizations involved in these crimes, as well as the regional and global settings in which they operate. Chapter 1 relates multinational crime to the other major forms of crime studied by criminology and criminal justice. The following two chapters describe four types of multinational crime--drug trafficking, terrorism, espionage, and arms trafficking. Chapter 4 reviews the interrelationship of such crimes to the international scene; the role of values, interests, and power; and the part of "national security" interests in limiting information access. The authors then identify several problems in theory construction and policy development. The last chapter includes a description of three significant global regions: the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Andean region of Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru. Multinational Crime responds to a world paralyzed, held hostage by the perpetration of these horrific offenses. Professionals and students in the areas of criminology, political science, sociology, foreign policy, international relations, foreign affairs, and policy studies are sure to find this volume intense and vital reading. "For those interested in a compact, well-written treatise on the subjects of terrorism, espionage, and drugs and arms trafficking and their interrelationships, this book will prove invaluable. . . .Starting from issues related to definitional and perspective problems, the authors set forth a paradigm that challenges many of the accepted approaches to studying multinational criminal activity. . . .Of particular interest is the expanding role played by governments, and the point at which their actions become criminal, as when they compound criminality by overlooking one criminal act in order to stop another crime. . . .This book should draw the attention of both practitioners and scholars, as well as policy-makers, for the authors raise a number of compelling arguments for a new approach to a better understanding of the threat of multinational crime." --Criminal Justice International "I congratulate you both [John M. Martin and Anne T. Romano] on an invaluable contribution to the study of multinational crime, and the conceptual views you express in its pages--which I fully support. These views are having a profound effect on the shaping of our operational policy." --Colonel A. D. Couperin, International Data Evaluation Program
Book Description
"A splendidly illuminating book."
—The New York Times
Like it or not, George W. Bush has launched a revolution in American foreign policy. He has redefined how America engages the world, shedding the constraints that friends, allies, and international institutions once imposed on its freedom of action. In America Unbound, Ivo Daalder and James Lindsay caution that the Bush revolution comes with serious risks–and, at some point, we may find that America’s friends and allies will refuse to follow his lead, leaving the U.S. unable to achieve its goals. This edition has been extensively revised and updated to include major policy changes and developments since the book’s original publication.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful.......2006-12-23
Just read this helpful little book. Daalder and Lindsay describe President Bush's post-9/11 foreign policy revolution. It's easy to read and is a fine introduction into the world of neoconservatism (though he doesn't really use the term "neocon" to describe Bush's worldview). The authors point out that the Administration is a bit more heterogenus than most recognize: some of the folks around the President really believed in the power of democracy, some believed that America must remain strong and assertive to protect its national interests. As has been told many times, Bush had his attention elsewhere prior to 9/11: a little foreign policy, but mostly domestic issues - and certainly almost no focus on terrorism. That changed, of course. We can all dispute the long-term impact of the supposed Bush revolution in foreign policy, but if things don't turn around soon in Iraq - and now Afghanistan - we may see another quick revolution back to a more realism-based look at the world. As Daalder and Lindsay pointed out, thankfully there are relatively few people who want to do away with an internationalist perspective. Retreating to within our borders and the believe that oceans can protect us has been thoroughly rebuked by reality. But that does not mean that the power of military preemption (or prevention) should be our stated right as a powerful nation.
Daalder and Lindsay are most powerful in their analyses of the major speeches and documents to come from President Bush and his administration.
Helpful book, but others are better: Rise of the Vulcans by James Mann is far more useful for understanding the different viewpoints of the Administration. That and he offers compelling of the major players in the Bush administration (although there is little discussion about Bush himself).
A Comprehensive Review of Bush Starting With the First Election.......2005-11-30
The present book is a compelling read and covers many but not all of the major issues on terrorism and Iraq.
I feel like I have been on an overdose of these books just having read House of Bush, House of Saud by Craig Unger - the biggest tell all blockbuster (my opinion), The Choice by Zbigniew Brzezinski (an excellent analysis), Disarming Iraq by Hans Blix, Noam Chomsky's Hegemony of Survival (truly a book that makes one think), Thirty Days (about Tony Blair) by Peter Stothard, and Price of Loyalty by Paul O'Neill (excellent book), Why America Slept by Gerald Posner, the very popular best seller Against All Enemies by Richard Clarke, and the Rise of the Vulcans by Mann and Mann. I put together a "listmania" list of the 25 best books - the best books - mainly non political taken together, no strong bias conservative or liberal - a spectrum of opinion when you take them all together.
Many of the books are "gotcha" books that link Bush with some wrong doings or alternately books like Brzezinski that lay out solutions. This book is a bit different. It is more of a chronological history, and the book has been highly acclaimed by the Economist, NY Times etc. After reading I can see why.
I started to read the present book and was unable to put it down until I had read it virtually cover to cover. It is a surprisingly good book and neutral in tone and a compelling read - for myself it was a page turner. It brings together the story of Iraq and WMD's in chronological order (all briefly). It starts with the Bush campaign and what he says in his run for the presidency regarding foreign policy, his philosophy, the team that he put together, plus the authors put in some historical perspective starting with Washington, then Wilson, Truman, etc. It then works its way through pre and post 9-11, Afghanistan and Iraq until late 2003.
Surprisingly I found that this book is in almost complete agreement with some of the more recent "tell all" books (Blix, O'Neill, Clarke), and I would strongly recommend reading this book. The overlying theme or conclusion is that the intelligence was flawed and incomplete. Like the Hans Blix book there were no WMD's in Iraq. The Iraq war was pushed by Wolfowitz and others prior to 9-11, and can best be described as a distraction or even an incitement of Muslims towards anti-Amercian feelings. The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan lacked realistic follow up plans for the post military invasion. So those conflicts still remain unresolved. Also, the more serious threats of Iran and North Korea remain almost unsolvable due to the potential negative consequences of a military solution for those cases including the threat of North Korea dropping nuclear weapons on South Korea.
An excellent book and I highly recommend.
A decent overview.......2004-11-29
The book is an adequate overview of President Bush's foreign policy through the first three years of his office. But it does not do justice to the more intelectually challenging questions of the administration's foreign policy such as why exactly did America go to war in Iraq and what kind of role are the neo-conservatives playing in the administration.
A reasoned, balanced critique of Bush's foreign policy.......2004-09-19
Unlike the rather vitrioic and harsh rhetoric of the Bush-hating left, this book presents a fair yet reasoned critique of the Bush foreign policy. It rebuts the common assertion that Bush is an idiot or that he is being a tool by a neo-conservative cabal.
As the authors demonstrate in this book, the major problem with American foreign policy under this administration is the rigid adherance to notions that are demonstratively false. The Bush Administration seems to believe that offending allies carries no risk and that multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, are worthless in the international sphere.
This view is dangerous and in my view, demonstrative of the stunning arrogance of the Bush Administration.
Engaging and thought provoking presentation.......2004-04-15
While obviously opposed to the Bush approach to foreign policy in general and to Iraq in particular, Ivo Daalder and James Lindsay have nonetheless succeeded in producing a remarkably fair book attempting to explain the reasons behind the President's about face from recent U.S. foreign policy. The attacks on 9/11 and other terrorist activities over the past decade had gradually convinced the President that the internationalist view espoused by Bill Clinton and his own father was simply no longer the answer. Bush has chosen instead to embark on a new unilateralist course favored by most of his senior advisors that the authors argue may be somewhat productive in the short run but likely to be a disaster over the long haul. Extremely well written, thoughtful and meticulously documented, this book should be an essential read for any citizen seeking to get up to speed on foreign policy issues before the 2004 Presidential election.
Book Description
Read this book and learn the combat-proven techniques big-city cops use to stay alive and effective when the bullets start flying. Maintain the tactical advantage in any situation by knowing how to search buildings for armed intruders, use cover and concealment, maintain proper distance intervals and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-07-13
The author does an excellent job laying out the tactics used for Close Quarters Battles. I bought this book to learn the basics of CQB and the tactics used by tactical operators and I was very satisfied!
Excellent straight forward overview of individual tactics........2007-07-06
This book is a great overview of individual tactical movement in a hostile environment. The only thing that surprised me was the lack of mention about a lot of ricochets travelling down walls about 6-8 inches off their surface and how that applies to your location relative to walls while moving and standing in that hostile environment. Regardless, it's still a great book and I'd recommend it to anyone.
You will not be disappointed!.......2007-02-08
This is an excellent book to learn clearing and tactical gun handling. There is a lot of pics and diagrams to show you the most tactical and the proper way of dealing with clearing. You will be happy if you buy this book.
Good Introduction to Individual and Small Team Tactics.......2007-01-23
Although probably new material for most readers, this should only be a refresher for those who have taken a few tactical shooting courses and served in law enforcement or the military.
Chapters cover different obstacles such as; corners, doorways, stairs, T-intersections, 4-way intersections, etc... The ample supply of clear images and useful diagrams help explain the concepts. Suarez includes a chapter on mindset and another on nonshooting confrontations. Although many similar books cover mindset, it is rare to see a discussion of a nonshooting event.
The UberTactical uniforms and Front Sight logos were a distraction for me. The wide range to topics covered did not allow for a complete discussion on any of them and leads to confusion on who the target audience is supposed to be; homeowner, SWAT team member or Infantry soldier.
A good book that is worth your time to read so long as you are not expecting "A definitive study..."
Great guide!.......2007-01-03
Gabriel's instruction is top notch, excellent study of the usage of modern day firearms in modern day tactical situations. Can be applied to both homeowner and SWAT team member.
Book Description
When does Rhetoric become Wire Fraud? "Intellectual Movement" or Organized Crime Syndicate? The "Neoconservative" movement has had a profound effect on America. Neoconservative ideas of military preemption, higher military spending, and iron fisted insistence that the United States will strike and defeat nascent rivals have moved from think tanks into official doctrine. Americans have received a steady mainstream media barrage of Neoconservative analysis and viewpoints on terrorism and every aspect of US foreign policy. Neoconservatives and their policies now reign supreme in the Department of Defense, Congress and Executive Branch. Neoconservative plans to invade the Middle East, unleash "Shock and Awe" upon Iraq, undermine international law and boost the US military budget to Cold War levels are now in full implementation. There is just one problem. Most core neoconservative slogans and dogma are simply unfounded assertions with no empirical basis. Worse, the neoconservative movement has evolved into a sophisticated crime syndicate with all the trappings of a new type of mafia: protection rackets, espionage, extortion, money laundering, wire fraud and tax evasion. Deadly Dogma dives behind the scenes to answer key questions and debunk neocon propaganda. Why do neoconservatives hold international law in contempt? Why is a highly idealized and historically selective concept of Israel so important to neoconservatives, and how does it prevent them from confronting true realities in the Middle East? What is the track record on neoconservative threat assessments made in the 1980's to guide spending and policy? Does military preemption actually work? Are neoconservative ideals "Wilsonian"? Why are neoconservatives so prominent in broadcast and print news media, is it merit or payola? Deadly Dogma reviews the consequences of unchecked law-breaking by core members of the "neoconservative movement" such as Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, and Frank Gaffney. It checks the historical record on what they said, and what was actually true at the time. We examine the career cross-promotion of neoconservatives in the Pentagon, and brokering of military contracts in what has become America's biggest protection racket. Deadly Dogma then unveils a pro-forma indictment about how "noble lies" turned into wire fraud, influence peddling morphed into extortion, lobbying and "networking" into espionage.
Customer Reviews:
A superbly presented study of the political right wing and their perspectives on foreign policy.......2006-05-08
Deadly Dogma: How Neoconservatives Broke The Law To Deceive America by Grant F. Smith (Director of Research at the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, Washington, D.C.) is a revelation of how right-wing religious pernicious influence played a significant role in the influencing of America's politically right-wing executive members. A documented presentation, Deadly Dogma exposes the fraudulent neoconservative movement with respect to tax fraud, wire fraud, and extortion in support of their religious beliefs and theological view of the Middle East. Deadly Dogma provides a clear and descriptive analysis of a modern American government under the influence and control of the neoconservatives who engage in a disdainful insecurity-based spite for the world outside of their own, and the propaganda they are willing to present as a means to control the American populace. Deadly Dogma is very strongly recommended reading as a superbly presented study of the political right wing and their perspectives on foreign policy, as well as previously unnoted facts with respect to the far reaching contributions of the neoconservative's current reign at the federal level of American governance.
A good start.......2006-05-07
It can now perhaps be said with only a residual amount of doubt that the collection of people referred to as the "neoconservatives" have managed to influence the affairs and decisions of the government of the United States. And like most individuals that are connected with or are part of a government, it is expected that they would engage in illegal activities to bring about some chosen ends or goals. But a concept of justice must not be based solely on behavioral patterns in the past. Each individual must be judged in a manner that, initially at least, disconnects them from the behavior of others. Only when there is explicit evidence of collusion with criminals can one take steps to bring them to justice. And in any large collection of people engaged in political debate or committed to a political cause, one could expect to find a few that are engaged in criminal acts, or have done so in the past. One can become even more confident of this as the size of this collection grows larger.
It is for this reason that the title of this book, `How Neoconservatives Broke the Law to Deceive America" is somewhat troubling, as it generalizes to the whole class of neoconservatives those actions of only a tiny minority. In addition, the evidence that these individuals did in fact engage in criminal activity is rather shaky in the book. The book does have the virtue though in raising the question, and provides some references for further investigation. The author charges that neoconservatives have been engaged in corrupt dealings with the defense department in order to raise money for their many causes.
Most of the book is devoted to evidence for these charges, but the author also reserves space for a philosophical discussion of their views, especially the doctrine of the "Noble Lie" which he says the neoconservatives do not embrace publicly when questioned about it. Instead of chapters, the book is divided up into "dogmas" that supposedly represent accurately the views of the neoconservatives. It would certainly take a larger volume than this one to summarize these views, but the book is a fairly good start.
But the most troubling aspect of the "dogma" of the neoconservative camp is not really discussed in this book: the total reluctance to get personally involved, or encourage the involvement of their sons and daughters, in the conflicts that they advocate. Indeed, an exhaustive search of the neoconservative literature reveals a complete absence of any statement that would encourage those close to them to sign up for the military and fight the wars they support with such enthusiasm. They seem to be quite dogmatic about refraining from direct participation in these wars. These soldiers on the sofa are quite willing to fight to the last drop of other people's blood, but when it comes to shedding their own, or that of their children, their incessant chin-wagging comes to an abrupt end.
Unpopular essays.......2006-04-05
Unpopular Essays: The Neocon/AIPAC Spy Scandal
In the past couple of years, I have contributed essays to a few internet sites regarding what I call the three leaf clover of scandals: the Plame, the neocon/AIPAC spy, and the Niger document forgery scandals. These closely related crimes, which are largely ignored by the "mainstream" corporate media, are among the root causes of the United States being at war in Iraq, and at risk of being involved in a larger conflict in Iran. Today, I think it might be interesting to take a closer look at the neocon/AIPAC spy scandal.
Even among progressive and liberal democrats, this case is capable of causing strong reactions, emotional debates, and harsh conflicts. This is, in part, because such discussions often move away from a focused examination of US policy, and how the criminal conduct of some US citizens has impacted our foreign policy, to debates on Israel and its relationship with its Muslim neighbors.
My goal is to stick with US policy. I will, however, note that I am a supporter of nation of Israel, and recognize it as being one of the United State's best friends. Yet that does not translate into my favoring the right-wing extremists in Israel, or among their supporters in the US, any more than my love for the United States would imply that I support Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, or Dick Cheney. In fact, my beliefs about Israel and the USA are among the reasons that I am convinced that this country needs to focus our attention onto the neocon/AIPAC spy scandal.
At this time, the legal cases that involve this scandal include Pentagon Iranian analyst Larry Franklin, and former AIPAC representatives Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman. In January, Franklin was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months, as a result of his guilty plea. Franklin had passed classified military intelligence to the AIPAC lobbyists, and to an Israeli diplomat. He will not begin to serve his sentence until after the AIPAC case is completed, at which time his attorney will ask the court to reduce his sentence, due to his cooperating with the government.
Many citizens are unaware of these cases. On reason may be that the media is not covering them adequately. For example, the Franklin sentencing was covered by the New York Times in a scanty article on page 30 of its January 21st edition.
At a March 24 pre-trial hearing for Rosen and Weissman, US District Court Judge T.S. Ellis stated that he believed the law the two were charged under may be unconstitutional. This was in response to defense motions to dismiss the case, in which the defense attorneys claimed the case involved "freedom of speech," and that the sharing of classified information between lobbyists, reporters, and government officials was a common practice. For a transcript of hearing, see:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/jud/rosen032406.html
The neocon/AIPAC spy scandal, however, involves far more than issues of freedom of speech and the press. To imply otherwise would be like saying the most important issue in the Plame scandal was Judith Miller's integrity. Prosecutor Kevin DiGregory noted the case is about conduct, not speech, and about "the national security interests of the United States." (Matthew Barakat; Constitutional Questions Show in AIPAC Case; AP; March 24, '06) And, as former ambassador Andrew Killgore wrote, "The question, of course, is whether these practices are common to American friends of all foreign governments, or to those of one in particular." (The Pro-Israel Part Line:"Common Practice"; Washington Report; April '06 - Vol. XXV, No.3; page 14)
The Institute for Research:Middle Eastern Policy attempted to file an amicus curiae brief with the court on this case. Their brief intended to present evidence that indicates:
{1} That AIPAC's organizational structure has become a "quasi intelligence service" that exercises significant influence over the Executive Branch and Congress;
{2} AIPAC's operations on behalf of Israel make it an agent of foreign influence; and
{3} AIPAC's operations in the US promote policies in the Middle East that increase the potential for terrorist attacks against Americans.
Judge Ellis denied the Institute for Research's motion to file their brief. Those interested in his 5-page February 27 decision can find it by googling "Case No. 1:05cr225." It strikes me as curious that Judge Ellis, who feels that AIPAC's influence on the executive and legislative branches may be constitutionally protected free speech, even when it violates laws protecting classified military intelligence, rejected this well-reasoned brief.
Equally puzzling were Judge Ellis's comments in January, that Mr. Franklin was motivated by his patriotic beliefs to leak classified intelligence to the AIPAC lobbyists. In fact, the prosecution has tapes of Franklin and his friends discussing career promotion as one of the potential benefits of his illegal activities.
We should not forget that the fruits of their activities were part of the neoconservatives' promoting the "preemptive" war in Iraq. Ambassador Killgore's special report in the current edition of Washington Report ties this case of espionage to the work of Bush administration officials Douglas Feith, Paul Wolfowitz, and John Bolton. It is worth noting that this case is not simply of interest to the "far left" in American politics. Though largely ignored by the corporate media, there have been numerous thoughtful reports on the case by individuals such as Robert Dreyfuss on TomPaine.common sense, and by Patrick Buchanan and Karen Kwiatkowski on LewRockwell.com.
These people, along with others not identified by the indictments returned by the Grand Jury in Alexandria last August, engaged in "overt acts" that were part of a large "conspiracy" to illegally pass classified intelligence material to people who were not legally entitled to it. As the indictment details, both Franklin and Rosen had backgrounds that included signing classified information nondisclosure agreements. They were fully aware that they were violating the law.
People interested in this case, and how it relates to the neoconservative movement, should access the court records made public on the internet; read Washington Report, which is published by the non-profit American Educational Trust (retired US foreign service officers who attempt to provide the American public with balanced, accurate information on US policy in the Middle East), which has a web site: http://www.wrmea.com ; and the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy.
Of particular interest is Grant Smith's new book, "Deadly Dogma: How Neoconservatives Broke the Law to Deceive America." It can be previewed at the IRmep site:
http://www.irmep.org/
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- The Last Days of Disco, With Cocktails at Petrossian Afterwards
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- The Maze
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