America's Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East - US Foreign Policy Analysis & Geopolitical Impact | Perfect for History Buffs & Political Science Students

The Middle East is a pivot point for travel, religion, commerce, energy, hostility and military/political failure. Most of us know far too little about this region: its history, its peoples and religions, and the goals, objectives and results of long-term U. S. involvement, and the near complete lack of a coherent and purposeful plan for stability and peace. Chas Freeman emphasizes these points over and over in his new volume entitled America’s Misadventures in the Middle East. The continuation and further escalation of U.S. activities antithetical to U.S. interests of peace and security will attain neither (nor assist in a durable and war-free Israel). Mr. Freeman illuminates U.S. folly with knowledge, experience, patience and occasional humor. He politely reviews our government’s overuse of military force (without any recent success) and exposes our incompetent lack of serious diplomacy. In a world of bombs, terrorists, religious fanatics, and few impenetrable borders, how do we make the world safer? Drones? Collateral damage? Preemptive war? Regime change? Even cursory review of the facts demonstrates these techniques not only do not work, they expand and reinforce the very brutality we are ostensibly trying to rectify. As U.S. world influence and dominance inevitably wane, what should we do? I once overheard a professor say that the U.S. should be supporting and bolstering organizations like the World Court and the United Nations, if, for no other reason, than to help assure the U.S. receives fair treatment when it is no longer the world’s superpower. If we are unable to drone ourselves to peace and dominance, can well thought out diplomacy and international coalitions and institutions bring peace and appeasement? Maybe not, but Mr. Freeman makes a compelling case for us to try. I urge all with an interest or curiosity about what’s going on in the world, and what should go on in the world, to read America’s Misadventures.