Michael Scheuer, a 22 year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency and the former head of the bin Laden Unit, offers a fresh and intriguing outlook on the Middle East, Osama bin Laden, and the War on Terror. He argues that many Americans have been deceived by their politicians into believing that Mr. bin Laden and his followers are deranged, overzealous, and psychopathic Muslims who seek the destruction of the United States because our culture and lifestyle is provocatively offensive to them. Nothing, he says, could be further from the truth. Indeed, Mr. bin Laden and the Muslim world could care less about the United States having freedom of speech, women in the workplace, McDonalds, and Budweiser. While Muslims certainly disapprove of American sexuality and modernity, it is a negligible factor when considering the reasons as to why Mr. bin Laden and other Islamic extremists are picking up guns and bombs to fight against the United States. The reason, he argues, lies within our foreign policy - the fact that we consistently intervene and challenge their "jihad, charity, and cirricula", give unqualified support to Israel, occupy lands deemed holy to Muslims, and give support to the corrupt, two-faced reprobate regimes that oppress them. Muslims are fighting against the United States to defend Islam.

While his arguments are rarely discussed in mainstream media, they are nevertheless compelling, frank, unbiased, and highly credible. Mr. Scheuer favors non-interventionism, but not isolationism; favors anti-Zionism, but not anti-Semitism. While he may come across an insincere and even anti-American, I believe Mr. Scheuer is a true American patriot who is unabashedly willing to neglect public opinion and possible harassment from government authorities to tell the truth.

This is not a book with any partisan roots; Mr. Scheuer, a lifelong Republican and devout Roman Catholic, is particularly damning of the Bush administration's handling of the War on Terror, and I, a moderate Democrat, thoroughly enjoyed and concurred with most of the conclusions in this book. We Americans have the right to know the truth behind why Mr. bin Laden and other bellicose Islamic groups are waging war against the United States.

Miachael Scheuer accepts Osama bin Laden's premise that his wave of terror is motivated by specific complaints such as US aid to Israel and US stationing of troops in Saudia Arabia rather than being a fulminant recrudescence of a millennium of jihad as suggested by Andrew Bostom in his article Doctors of Death. This is a false premise. It is based on bin Laden's communications with the West in English. But when bin Laden communicates with other Muslims in Arabic, it becomes clear that the attacks are motivated solely or principally on the Islamic quest for world domination and would not be affected by a change in our foreign policy. For translations of the communications in Arabic see The Al Qaeda Reader by Raymond Ibrahim.

It is also well known that bin Laden and al Zawahiri recognize the importance of the media war and expend a considerable effort to advance their cause by taqiyya, that is dissimulation designed to advance the cause of Islam. Scheuer has been duped into helping them.

Scheuer is a leftist, Scheuer is a worshipper of Osama bin Laden, Scheuer hates America... While a couple low-star reviews are well-thought out, I'm utterly baffled by most of them.

In "Imperial Hubris" Michael Scheuer does (for the most part) what a good intelligence analyst is supposed to do, he reports on the state of affairs, its drivers, and trends suggested by the data. His main criticism is that America's foreign policy is not driven by available information that should educate policy decisions. America, in the Middle East, is repeating the errors of Vietnam where policy makers committed rookie mistakes starting with not understanding the enemy. In OBL we see a penny-ante terrorist where we should see a cunning warrior inciting and championing a fight for a cause he believes is worth his own life.

While the analysis makes sense, Scheuer goes off-piste in offering prescription for policy makers (what a good intelligence analyst is not supposed to do, but we readers want anyway). While most of his recommendations are sensibly vague (e.g., understand the enemy better), others appear to contradict the lessons he's tried to get across (e.g., full-blown war against the insurgents without regard to civilian casualties, ignoring his own point that we're not at war with a nation-state - after all, a key tenet of Mr Scheuer's book is that Muslims hate us for what we do to them, not for our freedoms or beliefs).

An insider, Mr Scheuer is damning of America's Middle East policy, the half-baked strategy for fighting a determined enemy, and the stupidity mustered by decision makers in tactics deployed. It's an eye-opening and frightening critique.

It would be interesting to see a sequel to this now that President Obama has been in office for a year: Are we (in his opinion) just getting more of the same? Has more thought and intelligence been put into our Middle East strategy? Is the Afghan "surge" a policy change we can count on? Mr Scheuer released another book several months ago, but it looked like a rehash of "Imperial Hubris". I'd like to see something discussing how the new Commander-in-Chief is doing - is there any reason for optimism, or are we dooming ourselves to repeat history's mistakes.

ADVICE BEFORE BUYING ANY BOOK:
I like to youtube the author first before buying any book to see how they handle the public/criticism and how eloquently they speak. Because book writing is a big business now and many of the authors jump into this ship for money only. It is important what we buy. We all work hard for the money so just a advice to keep your lavish book spending in check :) I also found out that infact Osama Bin Laden himself have recommended this book in order to understand Osama and Al Qaeda. Watch Mr. Scheur's Doha Debate and Bill Maher's interview on youtube. He seems like a decent/authentic person. This step should help you make the rational decision. It did helped me saving alot :)

Micheal Scheuer book is a detailed information as to why US is failing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The rise of Osama Bin Laden and their cause of fight against US and the west. One thing which every American should know is that Osama doesn't hate us (contrary to what media have spread and our famous Bush have said on many occasions), he hates our Foreign Policies which are impacting severely/damaging mostly the Muslim world and some south american countries. US unconditional support to Israel. No one should be offended by his book. It is a awesome book, tend get slow in the middle but picks up again with tons of references. One thing which sort of disappointed me was that Mr. Scheuer was unable to close the book with a solution to all the issues. Only one solution came up and which he repeats in his interviews as well is that US should stop supporting Israel unconditionally. This solution is quite valid, because every time Bush admin has taken steps, they have taken steps keeping Israel in mind rather than keepin US and its citizens in mind. I am not saying that Israel should be abandoned, they are our ally and should be but treat them as any other country. We should not go to heights by discrediting UN report against human rights violation against Israel and Hezbollah. They both should be charged. If we continue to let them go like this, they will go completely out of hand. Plus the detail information about the rise of Osama Bin Laden and what are his issues. Why Russia failed and why US is failing. Why didn't US authority asked Russia for feedback on Afghanistan as they had fought war with Afghanistan before. How the Bush admin and Jewish Lobby AIPAC completely ignoring the feedback from FBI and CIA. And refused to seek their advice.


MY THINKING:
RAND research have recently concluded that terrorism cannot be eliminated by military power. It can be eliminated by having equal number of education, food, clothing, money etc. We have plenty on this earth for each one of us. Instead of going to war and bombing these countries and put our country at risk of attacks and spend billions of tax dollars money on failed wars, US should send its professors to these countries or may be sponsor top 10-20 students from these countries, pay for their education and ask them to go back and build their own country and ask for reports on yearly basis, this would be a easier transition of spreading democracy rather than forcing them accept democracy. This also will give people from third world countries to see what US culture is and how these people are. Instead of giving billions of dollars of aid to the government they later accuse of being corrupt, if they are so corrupt why give them so much money? US itself have to blame for these failed wars. After 8 years in Afghanistan Osama and gang is still on the loose and this book will help you understand why.

Youtube videos every North American Citizen should watch:
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Greta Van Susteren James Traficant

Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel's Lobby

For all of it's clout, I frankly did not find this book very interesting or very convincing. Rather, it sounded like the author had a bone to pick with his former employers. Scheuer sounds more disenchanted than inspired, and I don't really find his arguments convincing.

Scheuer accurately paints the backdrop for the current struggle and defines the human terrain upon which this ill-advised, wrong-headed global game of "Cowboys and Muslims" is being played. Others have said the same, but without his gravitas born of years within the CIA. That said, he references nothing that is classified and beyond reach of those without government access.
One reason he can use open source (e.g. unclassified documents availible to anyone with a computer and internet) is that he knows what can and what cannot be true. I hope the Obama White House is reading Scheuer and formulating a new "why" regarding what a strategy for Afghanistan should look like. Hint: we're doing it wrong.

Whew....books about terrorism are hardly fun to read. Since our leadership shows so little interest in educating itself on the matter, some alarmed citizens have taken it upon themselves to fill the void.

When I seen the authors name displayed as 'Anonymous', I was expecting a book filled with ultra provacative, hard hitting allegations that might provoke a visit from an SOA jackal. Such is not the case, the author is an experienced CIA analyst who is sure to wrinkle some feathers but hardly enough to jeopardize his future life or retirement.

I didn't really like this book. The main reason for that is that the author shows that we have earned the hatred espoused by the vast majority in the ME. Rather than encouraging diplomacy or maturity or anything else, he recommends that we kill so many that they lose their ability and resolve. Kind of glosses over the fact that a million Iraqi's starved after the first Gulf War. Doesn't mention perhaps another million fatalities under stage deux.

On the other hand, he does make a lot of interesting points and observations, especially in the final chapter. A few more interesting quotes:
"As a sovereign state, the United States is free to decide and implement its policies in the Muslim world. They have been designed by elected leaders to meet national interests, approved and funded by elected representatives, and validated repeatedly in presidential and congressional elections. To say America is responsible for the policies against which Islam is waging war is a truism.........." p. 250

"Status quo US policy towards Israel will result in unending war with Islam." p. 257


However, I do give him credit for recognizing that we are more likely to engage in genocide that untie ourselves from the shackles of militant Israeli imprisonment.

Imperial Hubris (Why The West Is Losing The War On Terror)
If anyone thinks that the West has a sensible working policy that can beat terrorism with its approach to Afghanistan,Israel and the Gulf States then read this book and see what the terrorists representatives say and have it interpreted by ex-CIA operatives involved during the Russian presence in Afghanistan. These operatives had enormous insight to the tribal tensions and politics, Afghani history and what makes the population tick. All of which was neglected by new kids on the block when the country was invaded by the West. In dealing with Afghanistan the writer also shows the thinking inside the Islamic world that includes that country, Israel and Gulf states as to why terrorists cannot be defeated by the gun.

Written by an ex-CIA back office dude who could not beleive the non-sense he witnessed first hand. I voted for Pres. Bush twice. I bought into the "we gotta kill 'em all now!" stuff right from the start, going back to the first WTC attack in 1993. After 9/11, all bets were off. However, over time I noticed something was amiss. This book brings all of what is amiss into sharp focus. A must read for anyone who buys into the "WAR ON TERROR" - "WE MUST REMAIN ON THE ATTACK". Simply because we are not on the right track, and have not been from the start. A factual book thats hard to put down.

Seems to be a well-researched and accurate account of why the Unites States is so despised among the Muslims of the world, and how we got there through the policies and actions of the Bush administrations in recent years, and the mistakes of years prior to that. Scary!

This book should be required reading for any one that has an opinion is going to form one and be involved with the future of this country.Hubris is the only way that the present administration's view of Islam can be described. This is an attitude that forces Islam to see the west by default as the enemy.If our "leaders"military and diplomatic could read this book and try to begin to understand some of the thinking of the muslim world, we might just be able to get along with them and remember the fate of all emperors .Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror

Michael Scheuer lets it all out and tells us that basically "The Emperor Has No Clothes". America needs more from our professioanl politicians, Military Officers and C.Y.A. (not CIA) intelligence agencies than the constant hubris, hyperbole and regular B.S. we receive on a daily basis. I appreciate that someone has the intestinal fortitude to tell the truth about America's damaging relationship, in Muslim eyes, with the likes of Saudi Arabia and Israel. We need to get out of the Middle East and let those conflicts burn themselves out while we concentrate on our OWN economy. We need to start a "Manhattan Project" or "Race to the Moon" type of mentality to rid our need of foreign oil. The only reason we are in the Middle East or cared about Kuwait was because of one thing and one thing only..."OIL". Hopefully the next person in the White House will not be another "Village Idiiot from Texas."

Mr. Scheuer takes a serious look at why U.S. policy towards our Islamist enemies is failing and makes a compelling argument for a means to reverse this trend. As someone with years of experience in our "global war on terrorism," his discussion regarding how to deal with our enemy on the field of battle are the most illuminating I have heard since the war began. He argues that our war strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan are tantamount to Grant and Sherman occupying Richmond and Atlanta while leaving the Confederate armies marching around the Southern countryside. We need to strike out at our enemies and utterly eliminate them before we even think about nation building.

I really liked the first 100 pages of this book. That's all one should really read because there is nothing new after the first 100 pages. The most illuminating chapter was the second: An Unprepared and Ignorant Lunge to Defeat - The US in Afghanistan. A lot of info I didn't know about in there. Besides the fact that our war effort is run more by PCness than strategy, they hate us for what we do not who we are, there isn't much more to take from this tome. At time Anonymous sounds a bit too laudatory of Bin Laden and his criticisms are sometimes too uncharitable. He doesn't think we should necessarily give up our war effort. But he thinks we need to be more efficient in defeating the enemy (kill more, let God sort them out), and change our interventionist policies which will alleviate the anti-American sentiment around the Islamic world.

Anways, too darn long.

Michael Scheuer has been painted in some quarters as a crank. Of course, these people have not read this book. It is a well reasoned argument that the US should not do nation building in the Middle East (just look what happened in Iran when the US installed The Shah; Pakistan anyone?). His knowledge is vast, and he writes very well. Michael Scheuer's conclusion is not to run and hide. It is to stop invading Muslim lands to support corrupt regimes. But if the US is attacked to hit back with massive force in surgical strikes. His strategy is similar to the human body fighting off a virus. It will never go away, just hopefully contained. Cold War version 2.0.

Nation building is a very dangerous business. Better that the US go back to being a beacon of freedom lighting the way to happiness for the peoples of the world.

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

"Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil." - Thomas Paine (Common Sense)