Written by John Bellamy Foster (Professor of Sociology at the University of Oregon), Naked Imperialism: The U.S. Pursuit Of Global Domination is a scathing criticism of American foreign policy since the cold war years. In particular, it frames American wars in the latter half of the twentieth century, and especially the Iraq War of the twenty-first century, as instruments of imperialism - in particular, suggesting that the current administrations insistence in committing to a conflict in Iraq with no clear end can only be explained as an expression from the ruling class' desire for imperialism, as it defies other logical justification. A sharply left-wing manifesto, nevertheless thought-provoking in its meticulous analysis.

"Naked Imperialism" by John Bellamy Foster is an outstanding collection of essays on the topic of U.S. imperialism and the Iraq War. Each chapter consists of an article previously published in the Monthly Review between November, 2001 and January, 2005 and also includes a preface and introduction written in late 2005. With astounding clarity and intelligence, Mr. Foster's analysis helps us understand why America has come to openly embrace imperialism as a means to control the world economy and the ramifications of this strategy for us now and in the future.

Mr. Foster's work is distinguished by its historical perspective and application of Marxist economic theory, where the rise of imperialism in Europe and the U.S. is inextricably tied to the need to satisfy the expansion of capitalism in its host countries. But with the European empires crumbled through war and the USSR dissolved through economic crisis, a politically, militarily and economically powerful U.S. has lately emerged to dominate a 'unipolar' world. Mr. Foster debunks the popular but simplistic notion that a neoconservative cabal headed by George W. Bush has somehow 'hijacked' the U.S. government. Rather, the only difference today is that the emperor simply has no clothes as brutal wars of imperial control of Mideast energy resources are unleashed with little concern for world opinion or innocent lives lost; Donald Rumsfeld's statement that "the Iraqis will get tired of getting killed" is cited as a prime example of the administration's callousness to the effects of its policies on civilian populations.

Mr. Foster muses about the barbarism that is inherent in a capitalist system that extracts wealth from peripheral nations in order to enrich the center. In the era of globalization, multinational corporations act as monopolies that slow domestic economic growth but apply intense pressures to build and deploy weapons of war. Following the work of the late Harry Magdoff, he argues that perpetual indebtedness and dependency in the so-called developing nations of the world inexorably leads to political instability and, ultimately, conflict. Interestingly, Mr. Foster shows us how the U.S., like the British and Roman empires of ages past, uses propaganda in order to justify conquest and interventionist wars. Consequently, the Iraq War is publicly promoted in the U.S. as a cause for freedom and democracy; whereas in private decision-making circles, the imperative to gain access to Iraq's vast oil resources is widely acknowledged.

Mr. Foster addresses a number of related topics, including a comparison of the Iraq War with the Vietnam War; an overview of U.S. military bases around the world and their shifting strategic importance over time; widening income gaps between the wealthy and the poor; the illusion of a Pax Americana versus the reality of a Pox Americana; what the U.S. might need to do as a consequence of a military stalemate in Iraq; and more. The author is hopeful that as U.S. imperialism becomes more visible, resistance movements might arise that can help steer the U.S. and the world economic system away from a road that is leading towards environmental devastation, economic collapse and barbarism.

I give this insightful book the highest possible recommendation.